Members and customers key to VicWater

VicWater has a new chair, David Middleton. Chris Edwards spoke to him about leading a member and customer-centric organisation and the organisation’s future.

On July 1, VicWater announced the appointment of David Middleton as Chair and Therese Tierney as Deputy Chair of the organisation.

Middleton, also the Chair of Greater Western Water (GWW), graduated from the University of Ballarat (now Federation University) in 1991 at a challenging time for the Australian economy. His degree in Civil Engineering had him looking for jobs in local government. At the time, there were few engineering jobs. Despite getting interviews, Middleton was struggling to land a position.

“Out of the blue, I got a phone call from my Public Health Engineering lecturer, telling me that Ballarat Water Board was looking for someone to fill a three-month contract, so I gave them a call,” said Middleton.

With what is now Central Highlands Water, that contract turned into nearly two years, a permanent position and the start of a career in the water industry.

Middleton noted that this is a field in which he is always learning and adjusting. “An enormous amount has changed between what we were doing in the early ‘90s and what we are doing now. This is particularly the case regarding our mindsets around customers and project delivery. While I have grown into it from the engineering and delivery sides, being a director for the last 11 or 12 years has added a unique dimension,” said Middleton.

VicWater and Water Corporations

As the peak industry association for water corporations in Victoria, VicWater’s purpose is to assist its members in achieving extraordinary performance. They also help to influence the future of the Victorian water industry. VicWater’s slogan is “better together” as they advocate on behalf of its members to the Australian Government, Victorian Government, and the community.

“This is one of the unique things about the state of Victoria. Every one of our metropolitan and regional water utilities is a member,” Middleton said. “We exist solely to serve our members, and we work in a way that assists our members and develops the industry.”

Another aspect of VicWater that is central to its ethos is the sharing of knowledge. Middleton pointed out that VicWater’s programs are built around the importance of sharing knowledge between the different water authorities across the state. This helps the industry and VicWater take on a stronger advocacy role. This is critical as VicWater, under Chief Executive Officer Jo Lim, moves into a new strategic planning phase.

As chair, Middleton sees his position as that of a steward. He believes VicWater should continue understanding and refining its priorities and addressing the challenges ahead.

“We are having a range of conversations, internally and with our members, about how we can best support them. We run several forums, including a Chair’s Forum and a Managing Director’s Forum. They provide an opportunity to look at broad, industry-wide topics and where we can work together to solve them or at least move forward,” said Middleton.

Middleton nominated climate change and cybersecurity as significant issues for the water industry – not just for Victoria but for Australia and the world. When touching on cybersecurity, he pointed out that the security of our data, systems and resources is prominent in the minds of all VicWater’s members, considering their roles as managers of critical infrastructure. Members are doing a lot of work in this area from a systems and people perspective.

Future of Victorian water

As the Chair of GWW, Middleton has a role in system-wide planning.

“We have a lot more to do with the Greater Melbourne Urban Water and System Strategy (GMUWSS), as it is a big picture strategy for how the industry will supply eight million people with water in the most appropriate way. The strategy is now out for consultation. It’s an impressive and well-thought-out strategy that contemplates a range of futures for Melbourne. GMUWSS proposes different adaptive pathways, depending on what happens with population growth and climate change, among other issues,” said Middleton.

Middleton also pointed out that these adaptive pathways are cognisant of the need to increase the amount of water in the system sooner rather than later. He believes that VicWater can help the industry collaborate, particularly given the different challenges facing water corporations across the state. That might include reusing stormwater, integrated water supply planning, and building an additional desalination plant – there are many aspects that big water is involved in. VicWater has a vital role to play.

Role of Traditional Owners

Middleton raised the issue of Traditional Owners and their role as the custodians of Country. In 2015, Water for Victoria and Water is Life laid clear foundations around water for Traditional Owners and Traditional Owner engagement.

“At City West Water, now Greater Western Water, we take that seriously,” said Middleton. “Connection to Country, the way water interacts with Country, and the links with Traditional Owner values became, and remain, a big part of our strategic plans. . At GWW, we employ a Traditional Owner advisor whom we consult with broadly to ensure that we understand the Traditional Owner perspective.”

Middleton also highlighted the appointment of Matthew Burns to the GWW board in June 2021. Burns is a Taungurung Traditional Owner and current Chief Executive Officer of Taungurung Land and Waters Council (TLaWC). In his role, he has been heavily involved in the truth-telling process. He also brings insight into the process of heading towards a treaty for Victoria.

Customer communication

An issue facing many consumers across Australia is cost-of-living pressure. Consumers also expect their water bills to remain stable. Water corporations face increased cost pressure to manage their infrastructure and provide the same quality of services.

Middleton knows this is a continuous juggling act. The role of the Essential Services Commission (ESC) in regulating utility prices across the state differs from other states. GWW is preparing its first Price Submission for the ESC one year after other water utilities due to the integration to become GWW.

“A big part of our Price Submission process is consulting with our customers to understand what they are willing to pay for from a level of service perspective,” said Middleton.

Listening to customers informs a set of prices that balances levels of services, expanding services and cost-of-living pressures.

Middleton believes that water corporations must talk to their customers and communities daily. They need to understand their needs and incorporate that knowledge into how they deliver their work.

“As part of VicWater’s new strategic plan, Jo Lim will ensure that we actively engage with our members to understand what they need from us. That way, we can ensure we are delivering to those needs. It’s the core tenet of VicWater: if we do not have members, we do not have an organisation. We need to be deliberate, focused, and innovative in serving their needs,” said Middleton.

Middleton understands that VicWater’s members have different needs, given that they have rural, suburban, and urban constituents. While there would be some commonalities, each member deals with specific environments, customer bases, and challenges around water scarcity and climate change.

Conclusion

Middleton has been in the water industry for more than 30 years, primarily in Australia and New Zealand. His experience in the field puts him in a unique position to understand the importance of customer communication and engagement. By becoming the Chair of VicWater, he reflects their slogan, “Better Together.”