Sally Rewell is a Production Officer at Sydney Water’s Rouse Hill and Castle Hill Water Recycling Plants. Sally graduated from The University of Sydney with a Chemical Engineering degree, and in 2010, she earned a Graduate position at Sydney Water.
Sally loves that every day she is “breaking down the barriers and preconceived ideas that women can’t work out on the field.”
Sally was inspired to apply for a position at Sydney Water as she could see a reflection of her values in the job description, helping the community and environment.
Sally’s first placement in the graduate program was in Strategic Asset Management located at the head office. In this role she gained valuable experience working in a corporate environment, but felt the field is where she truly belonged describing her working style as practical and hands-on.
Sally’s day-to-day role involves monitoring the plant processes to ensure operating licenses and recycled water guidelines are met, helping colleagues out in their roles, coaching and training new staff, and working on new projects.
“This line of work is challenging at times, but that’s what makes it fun. There are always problems to solve in a very short time frame, so I’m always kept busy.” Sally hopes to continue her career at Sydney Water, “I love working with and mentoring people, so I look forward to the opportunity to manage people one day.”
Sally has said, “the smell of screenings at the treatment plants linger in your clothes and shoes, which can be quite smelly.” However, Sally’s advice is, “do not listen to people who believe it’s too dirty for women in a treatment plant. It’s quite a technical role.”
Sally is now furthering her knowledge by studying a Masters of Engineering Management at UTS.
Utility regularly features profiles on women making their mark in the world of public utilities. Read about the work Jenny Gannon, Melanie Dunnill and Julia Johns are doing around Australia.
