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The Institute of Water Welsh Area Innovation Awards were presented at a lavish ceremony on Wednesday 23 November at the Holland House Hotel in Cardiff.
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Welsh Water's Income and Tariffs Team won the Customer Services and People Award. Welsh Water has developed three assistance schemes to support customers struggling to pay their water bill. The Income and Tariffs team has worked with a range of organisations to ensure the application process is as simple and accessible as possible, resulting in tariffs' that have won the support of the Consumer Council for Water Wales, the Welsh Government and Ofwat.
The Operations Award was won by Welsh Water's Pollution Team. Their Contractor Scheduling Optimisation Project makes use of Google and existing technology in conjunction with the wastewater network planned maintenance teams. The resulting benefits include reduced risk of pollution, more consistent maintenance visits, reduced number of abandoned jobs and callouts, increased understanding of the sewerage network and improved relationships with contractors. This project has also resulted in Service Level Agreements being outperformed and has had a positive environmental impact on river quality in Wales - all at zero cost!
The Capital Project Delivery Award went to Morgan Sindall and Imtech who have worked closely with Welsh Water's capital delivery team and local operations on the Cardiff and Afan Advanced Digestion Project. This £68 million capital investment programme will replace energy intensive thermal drying plants; deliver operational savings; produce renewable power and reduce Welsh Water's operational carbon footprint.
Pulsar Process Measurements won the Product Award for their Quantum2 Intelligent Pump Controller that has taken pump control to a new level. The controller provides a unique alarm warning of 'time to spill' in critical areas, and resets tripped pumps automatically, so staff may never have to visit a site just to reset a pump, reducing costs as well as the carbon footprint.
The Process & Systems Award went to C M Ventures Ltd who have developed a unique low carbon disinfectant system which produces ELIMBAC, a highly effective Mixed Oxidant used for the disinfection of wastewater. ELIMBAC is a sporocidal high performance anti-microbial that eliminates and future proofs against all types of pathogens without generating environmentally harmful chemistry.
Each year the assessors also make recommendations for a submission to be awarded the Chairman's Award. Typically this goes to a team or individual who may not have won an award but whose innovation has captured the imagination of the judges. This year's Award went to Welsh Water's Dylan Williams and Graham Hughes for the introduction of a new method of communicating with customers, using text messaging technology.
Tim Williams, Head of Asset Strategy & Planning at Welsh Water and the Institute of Water's Area President in Wales said: "This is our sixth year hosting these Awards and the standard of entries has remained exceptionally high. This is testament to the wealth of talent that is out there in the water industry."
Tim continued: "With the continuing economic challenge, we have to deliver better service and improve the environment but at the best value for our customers. Innovation is one way we can do this, and these Awards serve to recognise original ideas and talent."
The winners of these Awards together with other regional finalists will go forward to the Institute of Water National Innovation Awards, sponsored by Northumbrian Water. Professor Martin Cave will present these Awards at the Institute of Water President's Dinner on Friday 18 May 2012. Entries are currently open for a number of other regional awards. Please contact Lyndsey Gilmartin on 0191 422 0088 or e-mail: lyndsey@institutofwater.org.uk for details on how to enter, or to book places at the National Awards Dinner.
Contact Information
Lyndsey Gilmartin
Institute of Water
4 Carlton Court
Team Valley
Gateshead
NE11 0AZ
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