The Water Directorate is a voluntary association of local water utilities in regional NSW and has recently celebrated its tenth anniversary of assisting member Councils which currently number 94 or 91% of potential membership.
The benefits of being associated with the Water Directorate relate to filling part of the void created by the NSW government’s abolition of the Dept of Public Works & Services in the mid 1990s and are:
The provision of technical advice on a wide range of water matters through a variety of avenues such as:
- From peers via the members forum thus also encouraging information sharing and networking opportunities
- Via the ‘hands-on’ nature of the Executive Committee
- Or through the growing suite of technical guidelines, manuals and templates which currently numbers approximately 30 thus also reducing duplication of effort.
The provision of the following annual awards:
- Recognising innovative water projects
- Enabling junior professional staff to attend major water conferences
- Recognising and rewarding excellence in operators
The provision of safety training and safety competitions particularly regarding electrical dangers
The provision of links through regular liaison with government departments and with other associations and their conferences such as:
- NSW Dept of Water & Energy (DWE)
- NSW Dept of Health
- Institute of Public Works Engineering NSW Division (IPWEA)
- Local Government & Shires Associations (LGSA)
- Australian Water Association (AWA)
- Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA)
- Water Industry Operators Association (WIOA)
- savewater!® Alliance Inc.
