It's the final countdown to the awards

There's just four weeks to go before the water industry's biggest secret is revealed - just who are the winners of this year's Water Industry Achievement Awards (WIAA).

The winners will be announced at a prestigious dinner being held on May 21 at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham.

Details of event, organised by Faversham House Group (FHG) journals WET News and Water & Wastewater Treatment, are being kept under wraps, but one thing is guaranteed - it will be a night to remember.

It is the second WIAA event that WET News and Water & Wastewater Treatment have organised. The scheme, which made its debut last year, recognises and rewards excellence in the world-leading UK water industry.

Open to all companies concerned with this sector, the scheme benchmarks their outstanding successes in the following key areas:

• Partnering
• Recruitment, training and staff retention
• Community schemes
• Sustainable development
• Customer care
• Health and Safety
• Innovative technology

For the second year running, FHG's offices were inundated with entries. Having diligently sifted through all the entries, a final shortlist was put before our two distinguished panels of judges. One covered the main awards while the other, comprising technical pundits, concentrated on the Innovative Technology category.

Yet again, both panels had their work cut out. The quality of entries were of
an exceptional standard, and the judges found themselves having to make difficult
decisions to establish the winner for each category.

So, congratulations to our finalists for making it through to this stage. Whether they are winners or losers on the night, let's celebrate their achievements anyway. Good luck!

Maureen Gaines
Editor, WET News