Organisation Profile
Issue No. 27 - February/March
Water: SA’s next top drop
South Australia’s water industry has established itself as one of the State’s major export powers, having evolved from a small, fragmented industry with no export focus to become a world leader in the innovation of cutting edge water technologies.
Observers judge the $350 million per year industry to be in the same position the wine industry held 10 years ago, having sustained 20% compound growth over the past seven years.
The water industry is expected to achieve sales in excess of $700 million by 2010.
Steering this growth is the Water Industry Alliance — a unique collaborative group of 150 South Australian-based companies and related organisations including international water companies, national firms and well-established local companies.
With water conservation currently one of the most pressing issues faced by nations around the world, the Alliance encourages its members to achieve world’s best practice through teamwork, innovation and technical precision, which not only has environmental benefits, but also boosts the State’s economy through export sales.
One of the primary aims of the Alliance is to increase the local content of export sales to ensure that revenue raised remains in South Australia.
Since the inception of the Alliance in 1998, the State’s water exports have increased fivefold and more than 1500 jobs have been created.
Funded jointly by the Government through SA Water Corporation as well as established local firms, the Alliance acts as an independent “gateway” to national and international markets by providing SA-based water industry information to clients seeking solutions to their water and wastewater handling and treatment problems.
The Alliance launched an annual awards program in 2004 to help raise public awareness about the importance of water issues and provide recognition of the efforts made by local companies to achieve world’s best practice.
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