Water warrior marks 25 years of making waves at SA Water

Starting as a trainee at SA Water’s Kadina Depot in 1997, Field Operations District Leader Shane Whelan has reached a milestone quarter of a century at the state-wide utility.

Having been an integral part of the team in Kadina since the beginning of his career, Shane has been employed in many roles over the years, rising through the ranks to his current leadership position in 2005, with a dedicated team behind him.

“The Field Operations Team have a fantastic working culture, with our jobs encompassing a wide range of duties, from meter reading, land management, fault repairs and water quality sampling,” Shane said.

Managing the water networks across the Yorke Peninsula, Shane's leadership has been instrumental in driving positive change within the organisation, particularly in enhancing safety measures and fostering teamwork.

“Being able to have input into so many great initiatives during my time, and seeing them rolled out has been fantastic – achieving 25 years at the business is certainly one of those,” Shane said.

“The implementation of accuweigh into all heavy fleet, PVC recycling and ensuring we have a fatigue management process in place just a few of the projects I have been involved with.”

Also playing a pivotal role in the development of the Kadina Depot, Shane emphasises its importance to the Yorke Peninsula community and the hard working crew stationed there.

“The depot at Kadina is something I’ve worked on for many years and will still do so for many more,” Shane said. The installation of the native garden and mural are projects I am proud to have spearheaded. The depot serves our community and the team based at it very well.

“More recently, being part of the broader River Murray flood response was an incredible, collaborative experience that allowed me to work with our people from across the state.”

Field Operations Regional Manager Chris Tscharke said Shane has a contagious passion for his team and the community.

“The 25-year milestone is testament to Shane’s hard work and perseverance,” Chris said.

“He is a highly valued member of our team and this is great recognition of his enthusiasm and commitment to both the business and our customers in Yorke Peninsula and the surrounding communities.

"Shane has provided immeasurable contributions to the community, our field operations team and SA Water more broadly.”

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