Kwatye Prize

Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors Thermo Fisher Scientific,

the Kwatye Prize was first presented in 2005.

The term ‘Kwatye’ means water to the aboriginal Arrente people

from theNorthern Territory. For many people in Australia, water

is a resource more precious than gold.

Participating in the Kwatye process provides an opportunity to help the Australian water industry. This award has been designed to encourage creativity, recognise innovation and celebrate passion within the water industry. We want to encourage lateral thinking by giving individual WIOA Members an opportunity to increase their knowledge and pursue a water related idea. The possibilities are endless and all you need to do is fill in an application form, submit your idea and you could be on your way to realising it.

The Kwatye Prize is open to ALL financial INDIVIDUAL WIOA Members. There is up to $6,000 annually available for the winner to use on air fares (International or within Australia), accommodation or other expenses in collecting information etc, or it may be used to develop an idea from inception to a proto-type, lab scale or demonstration stage. There are no hard and fast rules on what sort of project would be acceptable. Ideas need not be limited to treatment plants but can be ideas based on education, community awareness, human resources, research, you name it.

This award is presented annually at the Victorian conference but applications are accepted from any WIOA member regardless of their location. The entries will be judged by an independent panel with the winner announced at the WIOA Victorian Conference Awards Dinner in September.

The Prize: to be awarded annually, will provide up to $6,000 to be used for the most outstanding proposal. The Prize recipient and the activity undertaken will be recognised at the WIOA Annual Conference in Victoria and in various water industry publications.

Selection Criteria:

• Creativity / Innovation
• Practicality
• Benefit to the personal development of the Applicant/Nominated person/s
• Benefit to the water industry, community and/or employer

Applicants are asked to:
• Describe an issue or project related to the water industry of interest to you and how it can  

  benefit the water industry, if funding was available. (Maximum 4 pages)
• Outline the personal benefits expected from being awarded the Prize. (Maximum 1 page)
• A personal profile on the applicant/nominated person/s should be included in the

  submission; this should include skills, qualifications, work experience, interests and hobbies.

Important: Please read before submitting the application:
• The application must be received by the WIOA Secretary via email or post marked no later

   than 20th July 2010.
• The declaration found under the Prize Conditions on the application form, must be signed

   and accompany the application.
• Whilst not compulsory, it is suggested Applicants discuss the Prize and its conditions with

   your employer.

Applications for the 2010 Kwatye Prize are now open.  Click here to download an application form. 

Contact the WIOA office to find out more info@wioa.org.au or phone 03 5821 6744.

2009 Kwatye Prize Winner - Bernd Vetter

Congratulations to Bernd Vetter who was announced as the winner of the 2009 Kwatye Prize.

Pictured Bernd Vetter (L) with Rohan Latham of Thermo Fisher Scientific (R) at the award sponsors head office.

Bernd's 2009 winning submission states an objective to communicate effectively the contribution made by all people who are involved in our industry, their passion, responsibility and most importantly the opportunity for young people to come on board and counteract our skills shortage.

You can view the 60 sec teaser video which Bernd has already prepared as a sample of what he intends to do.  Water - Make it your future video [external site]

WIOA extends our thanks to all the participants and also thank the Award sponsors –

Thermo Fisher Scientific  for their generous support of this Prize.

Kwatye Prize Winners Updates

Kwatye Prize 2008 Winners – Project Update - Paulus des Anges & Nick Bray

We all have “bright ideas”, whether saving the world, making someone’s life easier, or just a better or different way of doing something. But often even the simplest don’t go past a few chats over a couple of cold ones. For Nick and I, this prize gave us the support and encouragement to actually do something about one of ours.

We have constructed and tested a small, unpowered model of an atmospheric water harvester, designed to produce clean water by condensing humidity. This has shown that in order to gather meaningful data on the harvesting of water from air, our full scale machine needs to be powered. We are now in the final stages of sizing equipment for our system.

The main result of our project will be a tool for assessing the feasibility of such a system, particularly for remote communities and areas where safe, good quality water is expensive. We will use this to accurately assess and size a system to irrigate Nick’s farm, and will have the personal satisfaction of having put one of our ideas into practise in a way that benefits both us and others. And who knows where it could go from there…

Life after Kwatye Award 2007 – Graham Thomson

Following my initial work I become involved with a local Geelong contractor in the development of a method to “spot spray” a chemical to tree roots while undertaking close circuit television (CCTV) inspections. The contractor concerned ultimately won the significant project category at the Geelong business excellence awards in 2008 and has undertaken works in Maryborough. (Refer paper presented at 72nd Victorian conference).

Also due to the profile that the Kwatye award had I become involved in the first collaborative project undertaken by Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) and the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organisation (CSIRO). As the project was associated with sewer blockage management within Australia it directly related to the work that I had undertaken as part of my award. My contribution in this project involved attending workshops & steering meetings, often undertaking presentations to colleagues from across Australia, and arranging a survey within the water industry. I was also able to contribute to the blockage report with photos. The authors of the Blockage Management Report un-expectantly acknowledged my contribution towards this report.

Although my project is ongoing the receipt of the 2007 Kwatye has certainly assisted me in my personal development and I hope the industry in general. If you have any idea that is associated with the water industry I would thoroughly recommend you apply as you never know where it can lead and what opportunities there are.

Kwatye Prize Winners

2009 Bernd Vetter 2009 Kwatye (pdf 5kb)

2008 Paulus des Anges & Nick Bray 2008 Kwatye (pdf 180 kb)

2007 Graham Thomson 2007 Kwatye (pdf 31 kb)
2006 Anthony Evans 2006 Kwatye (pdf 10 kb)

2005 Eddy Ostarcevic 2005 Kwatye (pdf 95 kb)

Last updated on 11-Jan-2010