30 Mar 2026
Tasmania's Wild West Tappers strike gold nationally
Under pressure on the international stage and with mere seconds separating victory from defeat, Tasmania has taken out top honours at the 2026 Water Industry Operations Association of Australia (WIOA) Tran-Tasman Water Main Tapping Competition.
TasWater’s Wild West Tappers, Cameron Lusk and Lynden Thurston, delivered an incredible performance in a nail-biting final, stopping the clock at just 1 minute 20.72 seconds to be crowned national champions against Kūmānu from Nelson, New Zealand.
The Water Main Tapping Competition is a highly regarded industry event that tests the precision, speed and technical expertise of operational crews who carry out live water main connections - a critical task that allows new services to be connected without shutting down water supply to customers.
Teams of two are required to safely complete a live tap on a pressurised 100mm pipe, installing all fittings to industry standards under strict rules and safety requirements. Penalty times are applied for leaks, faults or incomplete installations, making accuracy just as important as speed.
TasWater General Manager Operations, Brendan Windmeyer said the win was a strong reflection of the skill and professionalism of TasWater’s operational workforce.
“This is an outstanding achievement and a real credit to Cameron and Lynden, as well as the broader TasWater operations team,” said Mr Windmeyer.
“Water main tapping is highly technical, safety-critical work carried out live on our network, and this result demonstrates the expertise, precision and pride our people bring to their roles every day.”
The WIOA Water Main Tapping Competition was first introduced in the late 1980s and has evolved into a national and international event, with Australian state winners progressing to compete nationally and, ultimately, internationally against New Zealand.