Operations Manager - Western Corridor Project
When did you join Veolia Water?
I joined Veolia Water in September 2007.
What does your current role involve?
My current role is the Operations Manager for the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project in South East Queensland.The Western Corridor Recycled Water Project consists of three Advanced Water Treatment Plants with a production capacity over 230 megalitres per day and a water distribution Network comprising 200 km of pipeline.The Scheme was constructed to provide Purified Recycled Water to industry for reuse and has the potential to supply Brisbane's major water storage, the Wivenhoe Dam.My role is responsible for Operations and Maintenance of the Scheme.
What do you like most about your role?
The best part of my role is working within a great team - it sounds cliché, however, it really is the case. The Veolia team are very professional and take pride in their work, to deliver some fantastic outcomes for our client.During the 2011 floods in South East Queensland the Veolia team were able to provide a source of Purified Recycled Water at a number of locations to assist the fire brigade with the clean-up activities.These were in areas where no clean source of water was available, so it was great to provide a valuable contribution to the community to help those in need.The Veolia team were able to design and provide a system to provide the Purified Recycled Water the same day the request was made - a truly fantastic outcome!
It's a pleasure to contribute to the Western Corridor Project, as this work provides for the long term water security of South East Queensland.The work undertaken by Veolia on the Western Corridor Scheme is leading edge in many aspects of the operation membrane plants for reuse and maintenance of the assets.The challenges in the role allow me to continually grow professionally, while able to share in achieving great outcomes working as a part of a team.
What are you currently working on?
Over the first six months of 2011, I have been working on the challenges associated with the recovery from the 2011 floods in South East Queensland.A number of our assets were affected by the floods, and the Veolia team has been involved in restoring the operational capability of the Scheme.
With recent dam levels increasing, my role is looking at how to best manage our assets over the mid-term. This involves the long term preservation of one of the Advanced Water Treatment Plants in the Scheme.Experiencing the lifecycle of an Advanced Water Treatment Plant over a very short period of time has been interesting - from design, construct, commissioning, operations and now long term preservation.The long term preservation involves managing and maintaining the asset when not required for operations, however, doing so in a manner that is cost effective and allows for an efficient recommissioning when the plant is required to operate in the future.The process we've undertaken to successfully implement the long term preservation will provide learning practices that will be of benefit to the industry for years to come.
If you weren't an engineer, what would you be?
I love to travel, see new places and cities, and finding the softest of snow - but that isn't a job!If I could be a travel writer then that's probably a job that involves what I love to do.However, working for a large multinational company like Veolia there is the potential to work in a number of places around the globe.
What's the best thing about living in Brisbane?
The best part about living in Brisbane is the lifestyle.We have great weather, fantastic beaches, there are some great areas to eat food from every corner of the world, and we are big enough to have great music, live sport and cultural performances.The Brisbane River is a fantastic place to either go for a walk or cycle on a sunny day.Brisbane has all the things I look for in a large city, without many of the big city problems.
