We’re proud to share that BTW Company has won the Innovation Forum Award at the Water New Zealand Conference & Expo in Kirikiriroa – Hamilton for our Aerial Sludge Sensing for Wastewater Pond Management solution.
Jodie Hurley represented the BTW team and accepted the award, recognising a practical innovation designed to make wastewater pond monitoring safer, more repeatable and easier to verify. A special thanks to Keith Preston, Technical Director – Survey & Spatial, for his work developing the solution and continuing to lead its research and development.
Part of BTW’s Wai Eye – Water Infrastructure Intelligence capability, the system uses an airborne sensor to assess wastewater pond sludge. No boat crew. An airborne sensor.
• Senses and samples consistently
• No one touches the sludge (removes hazards and risks)
• Repeatable and verifiable
The system is operated by independent qualified surveyors and CAA-certified UAV pilots, providing smart tools for compliance while improving safety, data quality and decision-making.
Wai Eye is aligned with Te Mana o Te Wai, with a focus on:
• Accessibility
• Transparency
• Better decisions
• Data security
This award is a great acknowledgement of the investment our team is making in technology and innovation to add value, improve safety and compliance, and support better environmental outcomes across Aotearoa.
Thank you also to WSP New Zealand, sponsor of this year’s Innovation Forum, and to Water New Zealand for providing a platform to showcase bold, practical solutions to some of the sector’s biggest challenges.


