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Partnerships are improving long-term water security in both metropolitan and regional areas, creating employment, and generating economic benefit.
Government agencies and water utilities have the responsibility to invest in innovative projects to deliver services that contribute to the health and wellbeing of our current and future generations. The formation of partnerships between utilities and consultants allow us to leverage water and wastewater expertise to deliver capital works programmes more seamlessly, economically, and effectively.
This is a transition away from traditional engineering and construction contracts on a per-project basis, to a more collaborative form of delivery.
Under such programmes, packages of work are awarded progressively with rigorous and standardised, performance standards maintained.
Aurecon has collaborated with water utilities and governments to develop and promote this new partnership model that will leave important legacy benefits for customers, meeting the challenges of population increases and ensuring network resilience.
At the 2021 OzWater conference, Aurecon hosted a panel-led workshop on how water utilities are seeking to foster closer, more efficient working relationships. We know that each of us is just a drop in our water system but together we can generate a ripple, make a wave, and create a better world.
6:11Kate Miles, Head of Systems and Asset Planning at Sydney Water is responsible for leading Sydney Water’s Planning Partnership. Here she discusses the recent trend of moving away from panels towards long-term partnering and what this has meant for Sydney Water and its customers.
5:28Joe Otter, Head of Engineering & Professional Services at Urban Utilities, was instrumental in establishing and now leading Urban Utilities’ integrated engineering services partnerships, providing all pre-market engineering services across Urban Utilities’ capital investment portfolio.
6:04Ryan Leon, Capital Works Partnership Manager at Yarra Valley Water, oversees capital design and construction contracts with a particular focus on the uplift journey for improved capital delivery maturity.
4:39Boris Ninkovic, General Manager South Australia and Queensland at Fulton Hogan Utilities, has been closely involved in setting up partnerships with various utilities in South Australia and Queensland.
4:01Dr Robert Holmes, former Aurecon Technical Lead, People and Change at Aurecon, is a human behavioural expert who has provided advice on change management and enabled the smooth transition and upskilling of workforces as part of long-term water partnerships.
The evolution to partnering in the planning cycle delivers long-term value-for-money, a greater customer and community focus, as well as improving water resilience and services, leaving a legacy for communities and the organisations that serve them.
Getting to the desired state of an integrated partnership takes work and commitment from all parties and requires the right environment to flourish. We have defined a set of principles that embraces a collaborative way of work, innovation and delivers solutions that support a more resilient and interconnected network:
Between the partners there is a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities and a shared approach to celebrating success and learning from failure.
Equality entails mutual respect between members of the partnership and appropriately empowers them to meet shared goals.
Transparency is fostered through honest communication, co-design of solutions and open information sharing. The partners understand and respect each other.
The partnership is formed for a specific purpose and has agreed upon mission, values, goals, measurable outcomes, and accountabilities.
Acknowledge and accept the partners’ respective strengths and weaknesses and a desire for members to utilise the partnership for growth.
Having a mutual desire and shared understanding of what the partners will together create.
A partnership must be given the time it needs to flourish, so that the familiarity and trust built between all parties can have meaningful and positive impacts.
Diverse experiences and perspective from across partners can strengthen problem-solving and innovation.
In this insights paper, Aurecon explores the principles of strong planning partnerships in Australia’s water industry and reflects on the legacy benefits they provide.
In developing the principles, we drew from our experience as partners with major utilities and governments in Australia, including Sydney Water, SA Water, Urban Utilities, Water Infrastructure NSW, Yarra Valley Water and Hunter Water.
Aurecon provides expertise in the planning stages of projects right through to technical engineering solutions, but importantly, we manage the formation of the partnership through dedicated change management professionals right from the start to ensure a strong base from which to build. We assist utilities and government agencies to plan, develop and deliver water projects that respond to community needs.
With over 80 years of experience in the water sector, we partner with our clients, understanding we are just one drop in the water cycle. But one drop is all it takes to cause a ripple, make a wave, and create a better world.
Explore our projects, and get in touch with one of our regional water leaders below.
Aurecon partners with KPMG to announce Hamilton City and Waikato District Councils formal government approval for a joint Water Services Delivery Plan.
Will we come to a point where we remove sewers altogether and move towards each household having its own self-sustainable wastewater treatment plant?
Andrew Salveson from Carollo Engineers talks to Ryan Signor about how purified recycled water can help mitigate potential water crises
Water Leader – Australia
Managing Director, Community & Place – Australia
Principal, Water – New Zealand
Associate, Land & Water – Asia
