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When former 91ɫ��Ƭ Engineering student Sadia Khaja stood on the Ozwater stage in May to present her honours research, she felt immense gratitude—not only to be among so many diverse and highly experienced water leaders from across Australia—but for the opportunity to share work that had been directly shaped by lived experiences. Wearing an Aboriginal flag pin kindly gifted by friends in Walgett, she began with an acknowledgement of Country and recognition of National Sorry Day which coincided with the event; a reflection of the connection between Country, water, and reconciliation that underpinned her research.

For Sadia, Ozwater was an opportunity to amplify research that centres the perspectives and experiences of First Nations people in relation to drinking water, while aiming to provide practical value to the communities of Walgett and Bourke.  Her project, which received the Humanitarian Engineering Honours award in 2025, systematically examined drinking water systems in regional Australia, seeking to identify and address the interconnected barriers to water security in these areas.

“Having studied Environmental and Humanitarian Engineering, I was eager to undertake a research project that would allow me to bring together the technical and social dimensions of both disciplines,” said Sadia.

“This project allowed me to look at how water is sourced, treated, and delivered—but also how access to water intersects with broader issues of inequality, justice, and human wellbeing.”

Community-led research in Walgett and Bourke

To complete her research, Sadia developed a dual-framework method to analyse and measure the demographic, technical, social and institutional dimensions of drinking water systems. The findings were then used to recommend practical, actionable strategies for improvement tailored to these townships, with each represented through itemised steps summarised in a visual graphic.

This framework was applied to Walgett and Bourke, two communities in regional New South Wales. In Walgett, 91ɫ��Ƭ Global Water Institute works with the Dharriwaa Elders Group (DEG) and the Yuwaya Ngarra-li community-led partnership on an initiative focused on water and food security. In Ngemba-Baakindji Country (Bourke), 91ɫ��Ƭ Global Water Institute has been working for five years with the 91ɫ��Ƭ Faculty of Arts Design, Landscape Architecture program, with a broad network of community, industry and nutrition and occupational therapy students from the University of Sydney on the development of the Brave Space Garden and the Bourke Community Garden.

“The Yuwaya Ngarra-Li initiative created the foundation for a genuinely community-led and culturally connected project,” said Sadia.

“Working closely with the Dharriwaa Elders Group and the community in Bourke was one of the most rewarding aspects of my research. I learned so much through listening to and collaborating with these community members.”

Identifying barriers to water security

Sadia’s assessment identified several systemic barriers to water security in both communities including fragmented governance, limited data transparency, stranded infrastructure investments and unclear accountability, and psychological deterrents such as stigma and perceived risk.

However, both communities demonstrated positive pathways for resilience and advocacy, and findings highlighted the need for holistic, participatory, and transparent water governance to improve drinking water safety.

During her research, Sadia was able to visit Walgett and Bourke and talk with Elders, community members, and representatives from both local councils, which provided valuable insights into different perspectives on water management and community priorities.

“Bringing together these different viewpoints helped deepen my understanding of the challenges and opportunities surrounding water services in regional communities,” said Sadia.

Based on her findings, she proposed some key recommendations to improve water security in these communities. They included strengthening local workforce capacity and regional collaboration, integrating Traditional Knowledge with climate modelling in planning, embedding First Nations leadership and accountability in decision-making, and improving transparency around water quality monitoring.

Shaped by humanitarian engineering

As a non-Indigenous Australian, Sadia has long been interested in how engineering and research could contribute to meaningful reconciliation.

“Being able to explore this through an academic lens while learning directly from Elders and community members was both a privilege and an invaluable learning experience,” said Sadia.

And when she picked up the Humanitarian Engineering minor in her second year, it quickly became fundamental to shaping her career ambitions.

“My interest in maths and science led me to engineering, and my love and commitment to caring for the natural environment made Environmental Engineering an easy choice for my major,” said Sadia.

“I then became fascinated by the intersection between engineering, society and human development, and how technical solutions can effectively be designed to serve those that are disadvantaged or marginalised, who have the least resources, and are in the most complex multi-faceted contexts,” said Sadia.

Building a career at the intersection of water and people

After graduating, Sadia completed an internship with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh where she worked on projects focused on sanitation systems and climate adaptation. She then commenced a role as a Graduate Water Engineer in Hydrology, where she is continuing to build her technical expertise in areas like flood resilience and modelling, waterways engineering, and environmental management strategy.

“Looking back, I may have stepped into my degree somewhat blindly at the time, but a current-day (graduated) version of myself can confirm it was the right decision and would open up more opportunities than I could’ve imagined,” said Sadia.

“Looking ahead, I’m committed to continue working at the intersection of water and people, whether that be through public health and sanitation, disaster risk reduction and resilience, or water security more broadly.

“Wherever or whatever shape my work takes, I am excited by the opportunities to keep learning, contributing and collaborating with communities to create meaningful impact.”