AUSTRALIAN’S have been great inventors for years, we can claim the Victa lawnmower, and the Hills Hoist among some of our greatest inventions.

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Now, the team at Tomago’s Ampcontrol have come up with something that is just as practical and life changing.
An off-grid water treatment plant.

The “Gilghi” is capable of providing remote and regional communities with access to continuous clean water has received international recognition for its social impact.

Gilghi has been awarded the 2020 Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Chris Binnie Award for Sustainable Water Management.

The Chris Binnie Award acknowledges and celebrates outstanding civil engineering achievement in the field of sustainable water management and how it has benefited society.

The first Gilghi was designed and built right here at AMPcontrol in Port Stephens.

It was developed in conjunction with project partner Aurecon, Gilghi is a fully transportable containerised water treatment unit that transforms source water into clean, safe drinking water.

The smart combination of solar, battery storage technology to optimise power, advanced treatment filtering systems and remote monitoring allow the unit to be fully maintained and supported by the local community.

Ampcontrol Managing Director and CEO Rod Henderson said he was thrilled to see Gilghi receiving international recognition for the benefits it can provide communities that have limited or no access to clean drinking water.

“The transformative technology of the Gilghi unit has had a remarkable impact on the wellbeing of the local communities where deployed delivering immediate access to locally sourced, great-tasting, and contaminate free drinking water.

“For remote communities’ access to clean, safe drinking water can’t be taken for granted.

“Gilghi is a proven sustainable water solution that has the potential to be a game-changer when it comes to addressing water security in Australia, as well as developing nations around the world,” said Mr Henderson.

ICE water panel member and Exeter University visiting Professor Chris Binnie, was highly impressed by Gilghi’s value creation and its applicability to a bigger sustainability picture.

“Gilghi is a genuinely new project with a novel technological approach; the integration of the work of water process engineering and electrical engineering and solar panels was particularly pleasing. The solution provides a reliable and potable supply of water in a sustainable manner that does not increase CO2 emission,” Professor Binnie said.

“We are honoured to be globally recognised for the innovative products and solutions we design and manufacture in Australia that makes a meaningful improvement to people’s lives,” said Mr Henderson.

Gilghi’s international honour follows a haul of Australian award wins in 2020 including Australian Engineering Excellence Award, Good Design Award, and the Australian Water Association Award.

By Marian SAMPSON