ASSOCIATIONS Queensland Water Directorate
New qldwater CEO advocacy leader The new leader of qldwater is Dr Georgina Davis, a highly regarded advocate in Queensland. She spoke about what qldwater is doing for its members across Queensland. THE QUEENSLAND WATER DIRECTORATE, better known as qldwater, is the central advisory and advocacy body for Queensland’s urban water industry. Its members include most local councils, other local and state government-owned water and sewerage service providers, and affiliates across Queensland. Under Dr. Georgina Davis’s leadership, qldwater is continuing to expand its influence. She has a history of advocacy, having led the Waste and Recycling Industry Queensland (WRIQ) and previously the Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF). Her education in engineering complements her knowledge of water planning, pricing, legislation, and the impacts of emerging contaminants. The last issue is also prevalent in the waste management and recycling sector.
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“One thing I remember about my engineering education is that the civil engineering units were particularly hands-on,” said Davis. “We had weekly site visits to landfills, composting facilities, energy generators, and water and wastewater treatment facilities. The projects and coursework also reflected this approach. One of the major projects I remember to this day was determining water flow analysis and wastewater treatment options for one of the largest toiletries manufacturers in the UK.” It’s this practical insight across the utility-type industries while at university, hearing from the site managers and plant operators, getting to see, touch (and even smell) them that gave Davis a passion for the environment and the utility sectors. Upon graduating from her Masters, she worked as a wastewater engineer.
INSIDE WATER November/December 2023
Dr Georgina Davis is the new leader of qldwater, formally known as the Queensland Water Directorate.
The recent qldwater Annual Conference was an enormous success.
Stakeholder engagement Queensland and New South Wales have similar water and wastewater network service structures that are distinct from the rest of the country. In Queensland, South-East Queensland (SEQ) is dominated by large statutory authorities and council service providers, including Urban Utilities and Unitywater. Beyond that, local councils across