NSW
Shoalhaven Water received one of the state’s highest water utility honours at the recent Local Water Management Conference in Parkes.
The Sam Samra Award is bestowed upon a public water utility each year by judges from Local Government NSW, NSW Water Directorate and the Department of Planning and Environment.
The award is in recognition of excellence in water management, with Shoalhaven Water acknowledged for its role in the development of a new regulatory and assurance framework for the water industry.
It was established in 2017 as a memorial and acknowledgement of the late Sam Samra – a highly regarded public servant in the NSW Government for many years, who was instrumental in a range of reforms that contributed to marked improvements in the performance of local water utilities in regional NSW. He was well known for his extensive knowledge and attention to detail and was highly regarded at the local, state and national levels for his work on performance monitoring and improvement.
Shoalhaven Water Executive Manager, Rob Horner said he was thrilled the team was being recognised for their work in assisting the Department of Planning and Environment (Water) with a new approach to strategic planning within the water industry.
“This was a collaborative effort between water utilities and the NSW Government where we were given the opportunity to put forward our ideas to ensure the industry operates to best practice,” Mr Horner said.
“It’s been important to work with policymakers and regulators to create this change and we’re proud of the work we’ve done to help develop this new framework and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.”
Mr Horner said Shoalhaven Water had a history of achievement, having won last year’s NSW/ACT tap water tasting competition. He praised the Shoalhaven Water team for their passion and commitment to service delivery for the community.
“The Sam Samra Award is an inspiring award to win and we strive to live up to his legacy.”
