Gilghi Recognised with International Engineering Award

Gilghi, Ampcontrol’s innovative off-grid containerised water treatment solution has today been acknowledged with its first international accolade, receiving the Chris Binnie award for Sustainable Water Management from the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). ICE, a UK based professional membership body supporting in excess of 95,000 members bestow the Chris Binnie award to projects that have ‘benefited society by improving the sustainability of water’. Developed in conjunction with project partner Aurecon, Gilghi is designed to improve the accessibility of clean drinking water within remote communities. Utilising a stand-alone hybrid power supply consisting of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, a back-up diesel generator and battery storage, Gilghi is designed to stand up to the demanding environmental conditions experienced within the isolated communities in which it is deployed. The innovative water treatment solution is currently installed in the remote community of Gillen Bore, located 75km’s from Alice Springs, which until Gilghi's installation in 2019 relied on the continued truck transport of potable water due to the high salinity, hardness and low pH levels found in their existing bore water. Ampcontrol Managing Director & CEO Rod Henderson said he was thrilled to see Gilghi receiving international recognition. “The transformative technology of the Gilghi unit has had a remarkable impact on the wellbeing of the local community, which now has immediate access to locally sourced, great-tasting, and contaminate free drinking water for the first time. For remote communities’ access to clean, safe drinking water can’t be taken for granted. Gilghi is now a proven sustainable water solution that has the potential to be a game-changer when it comes to addressing water security across our country, as well as developing nations around the world,” commented Rod Henderson. Professor Chris Binnie, ICE Water Panel member and Exeter University visiting Professor 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 recognised on an international level for the innovative products and solutions we design and manufacture in Australia that make a meaningful improvement to people’s lives”, added Rod Henderson. Gilghi’s reception of this international honour follows closely the award of a number of Australian accolades including an Australian Engineering Excellence Award, Good Design Award and an Australian Water Association Award. For further information on Gilghi and the benefits it’s able to provide to remote communities, click here.