Education
As part of our Community Engagement Strategy 2017-2021, Goldenfields Water is working towards delivering water-related educational resources relevant to primary, secondary and tertiary educational levels to help build awareness around the importance of water within our communities.
Depth Days
Depth Days are a unique opportunity for schools within the Goldenfields Water supply area to come together to experience the water processing system first-hand and relate it back to their HSC studies.
Our Depth Days are based on research into the curriculum and cover topics relating to HSC Chemistry, Investigating Science and Geography. They are designed for senior secondary students and are held annually, generally during the months of April and May.
Depth Days cover a range of different activities including:
- Seeing the water process in action - tour of the water treatment plant
- Getting hands on with real-life experiments in the lab
- Using the findings from the day to work on exercises relating to key HSC curriculum study topics
Depth Days are held at the Jugiong Water Treatment Plant and are free for all schools within the Goldenfields Water supply area to attend (schools must organise their own transport).
Depth Days have already been held for 2021. If you are interested in bringing your school to our study day in 2022, contact the Goldenfields Water's Community Education and Engagement Officer at communityengagement@gwcc.nsw.gov.au or call 6977 3200. 
National Water Week
Every third week of October, National Water Week makes a splash across Australia, inspiring individuals, communities and organisations to build awareness around the value of water. Access to clean water is hugely important to our daily lives, and it’s down to all of us to protect our water environments and resources, and use water wisely.
Water is one of our most precious resources and together with the Australian Water Association, Goldenfields Water is encouraging everyone in our community to be waterwise. To celebrate National Water Week back in 2020, Goldenfields Water had two competitions running and released staff profiles on social media.
Giveaway Competition
Goldenfields Water celebrated National Water Week by a giveaway competition, where customers had the chance to win a water pack including a hose, sprinkler, sugar cane mulch, tap timer and more. To participate, customers had to like our Facebook post, share and tag their friends. 1 tag = 1 entry.
Below is a picture of Sophie Heinjus, the winner of our water wise pack.
Colouring Competition
Goldenfields Water ran a colouring competition for students in years K – 2. Students in years 3 – 6 where encouraged to create an A4 poster that reflects this year’s National Water theme ‘Reimagining our Water Future’ or other water related issues which are important and relevant to our local area. This encouraged students to research what some saving water practices might be, such as turning the tap off when brushing their teeth.
Categories
Entries where judged in three age categories:
K – 2 Best judged coloured in picture
3 – 4 Best judged poster competition
5 – 6 Best judged poster competition
Prizes
Three prizes where awarded in each age category.
First place $50 cash
Second place $25 cash
Third place Goldenfields Water pack
Below is the winning poster from Layla Player, Year 6 at St Mary's War Memorial School West Wyalong.
Staff Profiles
Goldenfields Water released staff profiles to show our customers the range of jobs our staff undertake whilst working for a water utility. We asked seven staff members to participate by answering three questions to show what it’s like working as part of the Goldenfields Water team.
Meet Jack Stuart
What is your role at Goldenfields Water?
I started at Goldenfields Water just under five years ago, as a casual labourer when I finished my high school certificate in 2015, filling in wherever I was needed throughout the company. I eventually moved into the position I am in now on the construction team where our main purpose is to build/construct any new assets for Goldenfields Water. This includes using a range of heavy machinery when constructing new pipelines, the laying of various sizes of piping, as well as maintaining current fresh water schemes and customer water services.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
A typical working day for myself involves a 6:30am start, where I would travel to the jobsite which could be anywhere within the 22,000 square kilometers that Goldenfields services. My day usually entails the construction of new pipeline involving a large ditch trencher, multiple excavators and positrack loaders. A part of my role at Goldenfields Water is also attending to emergency works such as a leak on existing water mains or services.
What is your favourite part about working in the water industry?
I think that personally, my favourite part about working in the water industry would be the fact that I am not always working at the same location daily. Goldenfields Water cover a large amount of area involving many different towns and people. It is great to be a part of the water industry and having involvement with lots of different people where I can always expand my skills and knowledge.
Meet Myrka Robichaurd
What is your role at Goldenfields Water?
I am working in the engineering department as an Engineering Officer. The key duties of my role involves investigation, design, and project supervision of water infrastructure projects.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
I spend most of the days in an office environment, with a one or two days a week doing field trip for project supervision or design work. I normally manage my time between numerous projects and split the workload to have a good balance between administrative and technical tasks. When I am in the office, I am likely to be either writing up contract or specification for future tenders, preparing AutoCAD plans, catching up on emails, following up on projects with contractors or consultant or writing report or recommendations. When performing investigation and design for future capital work, I am likely to go out on site independently and undertake surveying tasks, inspection or measurements of our assets across the large network.
What is your favourite part about working in the water industry?
Working with people that are so passionate about water and the community wellbeing. It is a small industry and everyone are keen to help and share their knowledge. There is never a boring day, always learning new things!
Meet Rod Ryan
What is your role at Goldenfields Water?
I commenced work at Goldenfields Water in April 2016 as a Maintenance Fitter. My job involves the repair and maintenance of plant and equipment such as single and multi stage centrifugal pumps, bore pumps, valves including pressure reducing, reflux, altitude and level control valves, filtration plant and equipment maintenance and also carrying out in our workshop machining repairs and renewal of components. I also do new installation and up grading of pump stations, valves and pipework.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
My day usually starts with a team get together where we discus previous days work, any arisen issues and to to find out what jobs are on for the day. If im in the workshop I’m usually on the lathe , milling machine or pulling down and assembling equipment or assisting my colleagues. I can also be sent out onsite to one of our many facilities to carry out a repair, installation or routine maintenance pump run.
What is your favorite part about working in the water industry?
I enjoy the variety of work my job offers and not knowing what I will be doing or where I will be heading until I arrive at work each morning. I also get a lot of self-satisfaction when mentoring & sharing my knowledge to my peers and then see them put those trade related skills to practice. I enjoy working with people from other areas of the organization as it has given me the opportunity to learn so many more skills myself.
Meet Brady Gilchrist
What is your role at Goldenfields water?
I began working at Goldenfields Water in October 2015 as a Clerical Trainee. The following year I started a fixed position as a Clerical Officer which then later progressed into the title of Water Billing Officer.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
I am located full-time in the Temora office and a typical day includes a wide range of admin duties, mostly centred on water billing. These duties include coordinating the monthly and quarterly water billing, undertaking water billing maintenance, performing customer service and data processing as well as receipting payments.
What is your favourite part about working in the water industry?
The most enjoyable part about working in the water utilities industry is the diverse range of skills and knowledge that I have been able to gain. No day is exactly the same and each day provides new challenges and experiences. Working within a large organisation I also thoroughly enjoy learning about all the different sections of the organisation and working together as part of a team environment.
Meet Ali Wood
What is your role at Goldenfields Water?
I am the Human Resources Coordinator at Goldenfields Water. This means I am responsible for areas including training and development, recruitment & selection and workplace relations.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
There is no typical day! Each day is totally different, which is a big part of why I love my job. Some days might involve conducting job interviews for job vacancies, or inducting new staff to our organisation. Other days I spend researching and writing HR policies and procedures. Large parts of my day may also include attending meetings in regard to various HR issues. Keeping on top of administration tasks and ensuring that personnel records are appropriately kept is also an important part of my role.
What is your favorite part about working in the water industry?
I love that each day presents a new challenge and that I can be working on totally different projects from one day to the next. I also love the fact that the work I do is for the greater good of the community I live in, providing an essential service to our residents.
Meet Dilrosh Jayawardene
What is your role at Goldenfields Water?
Electrical Technical Officer
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
A typical day for the electrical team consists of checking our water schemes through the use of our SCADA and telemetry network to diagnose any potential faults which could disrupt the delivery of water to our customers. The electrical team is currently conducting project work upgrading our telemetry hardware at our reservoir sites which will enable Goldenfields to retrieve reliable data within our water schemes.
What is your favorite part about working in the water industry?
My favorite part about working in the water industry is being involved in upgrading and improving electrical assets within our network through the use of instrumentation and telemetry. This is currently being implemented at our pump stations, reservoir sites and treatment plants. Striving for continuous improvement in innovation and technology to assist in the delivery of water throughout our network.
Meet Stephen Ledgard
What is your role at Goldenfields Water?
Water Treatment Plant Operator
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
Operations of the Jugiong Water Treatment Plant. This includes testing the water and adjusting the treatment process to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guideline requirements for drinking water quality. Routine laboratory water quality testing to meet targets set out in the Goldenfields Water’s Drinking Water Management System and to obtain and develop a library of water quality information that can be used for future planning requirements. Operation and maintenance of treatment plant equipment that includes online analysis equipment that tests specific water quality parameters. and General routine plant and ground maintenance.
What is your favorite part about working in the water industry?
Varied work day, learning new things and being a part of providing a valuable service to the community.