such as fixing burst water mains, addressing sewer leaks, and responding to customer-reported issues in the field. A large portion of the day-to-day program remains driven by real-time response; when a community member reports water on a footpath, BAS crews are deployed to locate and repair the fault. The skill set is evolving quickly. Like many utilities, Barwon Water is accelerating into a more digital operating model, with sensors and monitoring becoming standard across networks. BAS is adapting to a future where a leak is detected by data before a customer notices it, requiring teams to blend traditional trade knowledge with new tools for pinpoint detection, location, and verification. Alongside civil operations, BAS supports the mechanical and electrical backbone of water infrastructure, including pumps, switchboards, instrumentation, and plant maintenance. Trades across the business include electricians, fitters, fabricators, and civil operators—traditional roles that are now increasingly intersecting with modern systems and monitoring. A GROWING PROJECTS FUNCTION FOR COMPLEX, “FIDDLY” WORK One of BAS’s most notable growth areas is project delivery. While Barwon Water retains responsibility for major capital works, BAS has established a strong niche in projects typically in the $2–$3 million range, jobs that are too complex or interface-heavy to be managed efficiently through conventional models, yet not always suitable for outsourcing to a principal contractor with major margin layers. These are often brownfield projects, work that must be completed while essential services continue flowing andwhere sequencing, stakeholder coordination, and risk management are central to success. That capability has expanded rapidly. BAS is now on track to deliver roughly $25 million in capital projects for Barwon Water within a year, work that did not exist as part of its early mandate but has become a major part of the operating model. THE THREE-PART GROWTH PLAN BAS describes its growth trajectory through three complementary lenses. First, the business must grow in line with Barwon Water’s needs. As the parent authority expands, modernises, and shifts technologies, BAS must keep pace with the service demands and capabilities required to support the region’s essential assets. Second, BAS is scaling external works. The logic is simple: margin generated in the external market supports Barwon Water’s ability to keep customer bills lower. BAS bids in open tender markets and competes for work, but it does so with the governance, safety, environmental standards, and “care for country” mindset that come from operating inside a water authority environment. Sometimes that premium approach is exactly what a client 26 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 08, ISSUE 02
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