Bulloo wins LGMA Awards for Excellence - Sustainability
LGMA QUEENSLAND AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 
Representatives from approximately 30 Queensland councils celebrated their success participating in the LGMA Queensland Awards for Excellence Celebration live streamed from the State Library of Queensland. The awards are convened by Local Government Managers Australia Queensland (LGMA Queensland) to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding work being undertaken by local governments across Queensland.
The Awards for Excellence recognise significant contributions to local government in the categories of Teamwork, Workplace Wellbeing, Community Shaping, Collaboration, ‘Doing More with Less’, Innovation, Sustainability, and Above and Beyond.
Peak Services is delighted to share that Bulloo Shire Council has won the Peak Services is delighted to share that Bulloo Shire Council has won the 2021 LGMA Awards for Excellence in the sustainablity category. Project managed by PeakConsulting, supported by Council, and with a 60% funding boost from the Queensland Government, the water-cooling system was delivered in 2021 and now provides a continuous supply of cooled water to the local community.
Water cooling goes green
Continuing their commitment to being a ‘Green’ council, in 2020, Bulloo Shire Council commissioned solar installations across 23 council facilities. This strategic and significant investment in solar energy and a new watercooling system will deliver long-term financial and social benefits, reduce risk to council and maximise renewable energy use across the community.
Project-managed by Peak Services, the water-cooling system now provides a continuous supply of cooled water to the community. The town of Thargomindah relies on bore water for its potable supply – water that comes out of the ground at 72 degrees. Previous reliance on cooling towers and ponds to marginally reduce the temperature delivered to the community incurred significant cost in power and ongoing renewal and maintenance.
The new, innovative water-cooling system uses reliable technology that is easy for Council to maintain. The entire system is now powered by solar and includes battery storage to maximise the use of renewable energy and minimize grid reliance, which is particularly important in remote communities where supply can be unreliable. The design incorporates redundancy to ensure the community has certainty of water supply at a refreshing 35 degrees Celsius.
The ability to deliver reliable energy and water to the community at a vastly reduced cost is just one of the reasons this project is a contender in the Sustainability Category and the Innovation Category of the Queensland Local Government Awards for Excellence.
Read more about this project here.
Congratulations to Bulloo Shire Council, Peak staff, and all category winners! This award highlights the dedication and innovation shown by council staff and teams working in the sector.