Burma star

 

From Past Lessons to Future Safeguards: A Reflection on Asbestos, Heritage, and Purpose in the Water Industry

This week, as part of my onboarding in my new role, I completed my asbestos awareness training. It’s one of many training sessions I’ll complete in the coming weeks as I begin a new chapter in my career, focused on nutrient removaland environmental protection.

I expected the course to be technical and practical — and it was.
But I didn’t expect it to uncover a deeply personal story from my own family’s past.

During the training, as I learned about the legacy and dangers of asbestos exposure — how it silently affected so many lives — I discovered that my grandfather had died from asbestos-related illness. I never knew this before. It prompted me to search again for his wartime records, something I’d done many times over the years without success.

And then, there it was.
After decades of searching, I found his WWII medal card, in his own handwriting.

It turns out my grandfather served in Burma, earning the Burma Star for his part in the campaign leading to VJ Day in 1945. The very asbestos that took his life was almost certainly from his time in service.

To hold that small piece of history — to see his signature and know his contribution — is deeply moving. It connects me to a legacy of service, resilience, and sacrifice. And it reminds me why our work today matters so much.

In the water industry, we carry a profound responsibility:

  • To protect communities from unseen risks — whether they are chemical, microbial, or environmental.

  • To ensure that the mistakes and exposures of the past are never repeated.

  • To design systems that safeguard both people and the planet.

In my new role, I’ll be working on nutrient removal from treated water before it’s discharged into our rivers — helping to reduce nitrate and phosphate pollution, protect aquatic ecosystems, and support the health of our rivers and biodiversity. It’s technical work, yes — but it’s also deeply human. Because clean, healthy water underpins everything: our environment, our wellbeing, and our future.

As I begin this chapter, I’m grateful for both the training that equips me to do my job safely, and the unexpected gift of rediscovering my grandfather’s story — a reminder that every generation builds on the shoulders of those before us.

Here’s to honouring the past, protecting the present, and building a future where no one’s health is sacrificed for progress, and where our rivers and ecosystems can thrive.

💡 Reflections

  • Every lesson in safety is written in the experiences of those who came before.

  • In environmental science and water management, our work is deeply human — it’s about protecting life in all its forms.

  • Training isn’t just compliance — it’s a commitment to the people, ecosystems, and stories that brought us here.

🏷️ Suggested hashtags:

#WaterIndustry #EnvironmentalProtection #NutrientRemoval #CleanRivers #Sustainability #Leadership #AsbestosAwareness #Heritage #SafetyCulture #VJDay #BurmaStar

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