Why I work in water: Chris Jardine

Tricky weather conditions and difficult locations are just two of the challenges facing Hunter Water’s Civil Maintenance team as it works around-the-clock to provide customers with the best possible service.

Field Supervisor (South) Customer Delivery, Chris Jardine, coordinates the 24/7 maintenance, operation and emergency repair of Hunter Water assets.

This includes thousands of customer and maintenance jobs each year across more than 10,000 kilometres of water and sewer networks.

Chris says Civil crews have built a positive reputation within the community for speedy responses and quick, effective fixes when dealing with issues such as water outages.

“We are regularly receiving customer satisfaction emails saying we’ve provided a fast response and great service,” he says.

“The focus for us is to make sure we are restoring the service as quickly as possible.”

After previously working closely with Hunter Water as a contractor, Chris jumped at the opportunity to join the water utility in April 2008.

Over the past 13 years, he has been heavily involved in Hunter Water’s response to several major storm events in the Hunter Region, including the April 2015 superstorm and the April 2021 floods, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.

His leadership saw him gain recognition at the 2021 Values Awards – an annual event that acknowledges people within the organisation who exhibit the essence of its values.

While he is humbled to have received the ‘Leading’ award, Chris says his team’s willingness to work together during these events has been a highlight from his time at Hunter Water.

“I’m proud to be a part of a high-performing team that values and looks out for each other,” he says.

“Whether it’s long, 40-degree days on the road or rainy winter nights when knee deep in mud, our team steps up to ensure Hunter Water’s essential services are provided to our customers.

“In major events, like the superstorm and the floods, we have people coming back from leave to help out – the team understands that’s what we are here for.”