Inside Water

The water industry has no shortage of purpose, but is it doing enough to attract, develop and retain the people it needs?

In this episode of Inside Water, host Chris Edwards speaks with Laura Chan, Vice President at LVI Associates, about the workforce challenges facing Australia's water sector and the opportunities to build a stronger talent pipeline.

From technical specialists and project engineers to senior leadership, Chan explains why the industry's biggest recruitment bottleneck sits between the graduate cohort and executive level. She also explores how competition from other infrastructure sectors, changing candidate expectations and highly specific hiring requirements are shaping the talent market.

The conversation examines why the water industry needs to tell its story more effectively. Despite offering meaningful work, career stability and opportunities to deliver essential infrastructure, the sector can struggle to compete with higher-profile industries for skilled professionals.

Chris and Laura also discuss:

• Why the water sector's mid-career technical specialists are increasingly difficult to recruit.

• How visibility, purpose and project variety influence career decisions.

• Why utilities and consultancies should look beyond traditional water experience when recruiting.

• The importance of onboarding, career development and proactive retention strategies.

• How digital water, artificial intelligence and data centres are creating new opportunities for water professionals.

• Why long-term workforce planning is essential to delivering Australia's future water infrastructure.

Can the water industry overcome its workforce challenges by changing how it attracts and develops people?

Listen to discover why the industry's greatest asset is not simply its infrastructure, but the people who design, build, operate and maintain it.

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In this episode of Inside Water, Water Research Australia CEO Dr David Bergmann joins Chris Edwards to discuss the state of water research in Australia and what it means for the future of the water industry.

Bergmann reflects on his career across research and development in several industries, explaining why research is ultimately about securing the future. For the water sector, that means building the science, evidence and governance needed to respond to climate change, public health, affordability, service equity, circular economy opportunities and digital transformation.

The conversation explores WaterRA's role in connecting utilities, universities, regulators and industry partners around shared research priorities. Bergmann discusses the need for stronger co-design between academic researchers and operational teams, the importance of solving real industry problems, and why research impact should be measured across policy, regulation, planning, service delivery, workforce capability, trust and reputation.

He also speaks about WaterRA's emerging research outlook, the "Big Eight" challenges facing the sector, and why equity, First Nations knowledge and regional service delivery need greater attention. From biosolids and nitrous oxide emissions to purified recycled water, data centres, AI and emerging contaminants, this episode examines the research questions that could shape Australia's water future.

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In this episode of Inside Water, Chris Edwards speaks with Zolboo Dashmyagmar, Asia-Pacific Lead for the Smart Water Networks Forum, about the digitalisation of the water industry and the role SWAN is playing in helping utilities share knowledge, build capability and move from pilots to practical adoption.

The conversation explores smart metering, AI, digital twins, data foundations, workforce capability and customer value. It also reflects on insights from the SWAN Annual Conference and the SWAN APAC Workshop at Singapore International Water Week.

Zolboo explains why digital water transformation is not only about technology. It is also about trust, collaboration, clean data, internal capability and bringing people along the journey.

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David Middleton's water career began with a short-term role at the Ballarat Water Board. More than 35 years later, he is still focused on the same core idea: every water project must ultimately serve the customer.

In this episode of Inside Water, Middleton joins Chris Edwards to discuss his career across utilities, government, consulting, operations, maintenance, infrastructure delivery and board leadership. Now Group Technical Director, Water at McConnell Dowell, he reflects on what those different roles have taught him about leadership, culture, customer purpose and long-term infrastructure planning.

The conversation explores why water is a global industry delivered locally, how utilities can balance engineering, regulation, finance and community expectations, and why the sector must become smarter about capital investment, predictive analytics and asset lifecycle planning.

Middleton also discusses the need to attract the next generation of engineers, scientists, digital specialists and project leaders, and why purpose-driven work gives the water industry a powerful advantage.

The episode finishes with a broader look at Australia's future water security challenge, including population growth, climate variability, desalination, purified recycled water, integrated water management, behavioural change and the role of utilities leading the transition.

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Australia learnt an enormous amount about water efficiency during the Millennium Drought. The question is whether enough of that knowledge has been retained.

The Water Conservancy CEO Chris Philpot joins Chris Edwards to discuss why water efficiency should become a permanent part of supply-demand planning rather than something that returns when drought looms.

They explore water literacy, Smart Drop Certified, Water Night, business water audits and innovations that could help homes and businesses reduce demand.

Philpot also explains the thinking behind Smart Water Connect, the new national forum bringing the water industry together with manufacturers, retailers, irrigation, greenlife and other sectors that influence how Australia uses treated water.

It is a conversation about changing behaviour, rebuilding capability and recognising that sometimes the next source of water is the water we do not need to use in the first place.

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Water and wastewater services depend on thousands of people working behind the scenes, but the challenges they face are rarely confined to a single utility, region or state.

In Episode 5 of Inside Water, Chris Edwards speaks with Dean Barnett, Chief Executive Officer of the Water Industry Operations Association of Australia, about how WIOA is connecting the people responsible for keeping those services running.

Dean explains how WIOA has grown from its Victorian roots into a national association with more than 6,000 members. Its membership now reaches across field operators, treatment plant staff, laboratory technicians, operations centres and senior operational roles.

They discuss the role of conferences, interest days and practical training in sharing lessons between utilities, particularly when geography can make professional connection difficult.

Dean also lifts the lid on the competitive side of the sector, from mains tapping to the Best Tasting Tap Water competition, and explains why these events help recognise work that often remains invisible to customers.

The conversation also covers WIOA's expanding awards program, its growth in Western Australia and its plans to strengthen digital connections between members.

Looking further ahead, Dean considers how the industry can attract students and new entrants into operational careers and why better connection could be one of water's biggest opportunities.

Listen to Episode 5 of Inside Water for a conversation about the people, skills and shared knowledge behind Australia's water industry operations.

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Delivering water and sewerage services in Queensland means working across vast distances, diverse communities and very different local government areas. In this episode of Inside Water, Dr Georgina Davis joins Chris Edwards to discuss the unique pressures shaping Queensland's water industry.

The conversation covers council-led service delivery, regional and remote water challenges, workforce constraints, infrastructure planning and the role qldwater plays in supporting collaboration across the state.

Davis also reflects on her experience across waste, recycling, agriculture and advocacy, and what those sectors taught her about essential services, public trust and working with government.

From local capability to shared problem-solving, this episode explores why collaboration is central to the future of Queensland's water sector.

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Water quality can quickly become a public issue, even when the measured risk is low. In this episode of Inside Water, Professor Stuart Khan joins Chris Edwards to explore how Australia understands, manages and communicates water risk.

The conversation covers PFAS, potable reuse, drinking water guidelines, urban runoff, wastewater surveillance and the growing need for rainfall-independent water supplies. Khan also discusses why financial resilience may be one of the sector's most underdeveloped challenges, particularly for smaller and regional utilities.

From trace contaminants to recycled water, this episode looks at the technical, political and public trust issues shaping the future of Australia's water sector.

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Welcome to Inside Water, the audio partner to the visual world of the water and wastewater industry. In this episode, GHD's new Water Market Leader for Victoria, Jane Espie, shares her perspective on leadership, collaboration, and delivery across a sector under pressure. From affordability and infrastructure challenges to innovation and regional resilience, this conversation explores how GHD is working with clients and partners to strengthen outcomes for communities and where the industry is heading next. Find out more from Inside Water: Website: insidewater.com.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inside-water/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insidewaterau Twitter/X: https://x.com/InsideWaterMag YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsideWater

Welcome to the first episode of Inside Water, the audio partner to the visual world of the water and wastewater industry.

In this episode, VicWater CEO Jo Lim shares her perspective on the pressures, priorities and opportunities shaping Victoria's water sector. From climate challenges and infrastructure investment to collaboration across utilities, this conversation explores how the industry is responding and where it's heading next.

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