Jo Lim, VicWater CEO will provide a brief welcome and housekeeping before our official ‘Welcome to Country’ commences.

The VicWater Conference will be hosted on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples, as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land. We pay our deepest respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Therese Tierney, VicWater Chair will provide the Official Welcome and give context to the conference program’s theme – Celebrating Excellence: Leading the Way Forward.

Vision Super Partner Address

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Please click here to watch a YouTube video with key take-aways.

Stephen Scheeler is the former CEO of Facebook Australia and New Zealand, where he played a key role in transforming the company from a fast-growing Silicon Valley start-up into a global media and technology powerhouse.

Today, Stephen is widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading voices on digital disruption, transformation, AI, culture, and leadership. Drawing on his experience at the forefront of big tech, he brings sharp insight, engaging storytelling, and a down-to-earth style that resonates with audiences of all backgrounds.

As data centre development accelerates across Victoria, balancing growth with sustainable water use is critical. This session explores how to plan for high-demand infrastructure while safeguarding long-term water security, addressing policy and planning challenges, and highlighting the role of collaboration in building resilient, future-ready systems.

This presentation explores how circular economy principles are reshaping the water sector—turning waste streams into valuable resources while reducing environmental impact. It highlights practical initiatives and innovative approaches that set new benchmarks, showing how embedding circular thinking into everyday operations can drive progress and position organisations at the forefront of a more sustainable future.

This presentation highlights the Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project as a practical example of environmental stewardship. It explores how environmental water management, habitat restoration, and strong partnerships—while meeting regulatory requirements—are helping restore ecosystem health, improve biodiversity, and reconnect the Murray River with its floodplain, delivering long-term environmental and community benefits.

TCV Economic Update

This presentation examines the role of ZEW (Zero Emissions Water) and ZEWCO (Zero Emissions Water Carbon Offsets) in supporting the water sector’s transition to net zero. It will outline how collaborative carbon reduction, offset generation, and sector-wide approaches can drive down emissions while creating shared environmental and economic value, highlighting how ambition, collective leadership, and a commitment to excellence can inspire meaningful progress toward a more sustainable and low-carbon future.

Water security is a growing challenge for Victoria as pressure on traditional supplies increases. This session will highlight leading-edge approaches and the sector’s role in driving innovation, exploring how solutions such as manufactured water, potable reuse, and desalination can strengthen resilience. It will also address key considerations around cost, reliability, and community confidence, showcasing how a commitment to excellence, bold thinking, and collaboration can help shape a more secure and sustainable water future.

A view from the UK water industry

Celebrating excellence isn’t just about recognition; it’s about sharing what works, learning from experience, and inspiring continued progress. The Celebrating Excellence in Innovation session with Jason Cotton – Program Director, Intelligent Water Networks, focuses on recognising outstanding projects that demonstrate innovation in action across the water sector, showcasing practical solutions, strong collaboration, and real-world impact highlighting how ideas are being translated into outcomes that deliver value today while shaping the future.

Saad Ahmed – Account Executive: Victoria and Tasmania, AWS in conversation with Jason Cotton –  Program Director, IWN

This interactive session will be facilitated by Jo Lim – CEO, VicWater and James Garriock – Executive Director, Tingwall