Brisbane, Australia – The Wivenhoe Dam Upgrade Project has been selected as one of the first recipients of the inaugural 2005 Asia Pacific Public Participation Awards for its demonstration of innovative public participation techniques on a given project. The award for the category of Public Participation Enhanced Decision-making, is given to the project team that best demonstrates a comprehensive and cooperative public participation program at work to achieve project success.
The $70 million Wivenhoe Dam upgrade project is currently being delivered by the Wivenhoe Alliance which includes SEQWater (client and owner) MWH, Leighton Contractors, Coffey Geosciences and the Department of Commerce (NSW). The project includes the addition of a 165-meter wide spillway and related work to ensure the dam can safely handle a 1 in 100,000-year flood. The award was given for the approach taken by the Wivenhoe Alliance team in involving public participation to achieve SEQWater’s stakeholder objectives and KPI’s in the selection of the preferred dam upgrade option. Throughout the option selection phase the team sought, listened to and applied stakeholder and community feedback to deliver a solution that has received unprecedented acceptance from stakeholders such as the Brisbane, and Ipswich City Councils, and Esk Shire Council, as well as the community and the media. The public participation program included a Local Industry Participation Plan, a Communications Plan and various methods of consultation such as community reference groups, newsletters and public displays at the local markets.
The comprehensive public participation program put in place by the Wivenhoe Alliance has led to strong relationships with the stakeholders and the community, contributing the development of a much broader legacy program that is directly tied to a major environmental legacy.
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About MWH
Headquartered in Broomfield, Colo., MWH is a private, employee-owned firm with approximately 6,000 employees worldwide. The company provides water, wastewater, energy, natural resource, program management, consulting and construction services to industrial, municipal and government clients in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, India, Asia and the Pacific Rim. For more information about MWH, please visit the company’s Web site at www.mwhglobal.com.
