Your Instructor, Rob Welke
With over five decades in the water pumping industry, Rob Welke is an independent consultant who has dedicated his career to understanding and improving pumping systems. He has never sold a pump or related product, ensuring his advice remains unbiased and focused solely on performance and efficiency.
Rob's hands-on experience since 1971 includes commissioning many dozens of pumps, pipelines, flowmeters, in water supply and irrigation systems, on up to 5,700kW pumps and 1.6m diam pipelines, providing him with firsthand knowledge of what works, what doesn't, and the reasons behind these outcomes. His passion for energy efficiency has led to the identification of over $750,000 in annual electricity savings in water pumping systems over the past decade.
During his 25-year tenure at SA Water in South Australia, Rob collaborated with professional water engineers to monitor the energy efficiency of 130,000 kW of pumping equipment and associated pipelines up to 1.6 meters in diameter. Since 1992, he has applied his expertise as an independent consultant across various water pumping industries.
In 2015, Rob developed the Pumping System Master Class, later retitled to Sustainable Pumping, a training course that compiles material from his extensive career and features “fit for purpose” energy efficiency software he created for the course. This bespoke course has been presented as both classroom and online, to over 750 water professionals in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and the EU, in 94 classes since 2015.
Rob has practiced as a Para-Professional Mechanical Engineer since 1971 and holds a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, is a Certified Irrigation Agronomist and Irrigation Auditor with Irrigation Australia, and possesses a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment. His comprehensive background ensures that participants receive training that is both technically rigorous and practically applicable.
“Robert has a knack for detail unlike any I’ve encountered. His ability to cut through peripheral detail to target the fundamental causes enable Rob to fulfil his brief in a timely and thorough manner. What I appreciate most about Robert is that he will not compromise on quality and therefore delivers the best possible outcome. Whatever problem you find yourself with, he will find the optimal solution.”
A Legacy of Expertise:
Decades of Innovation in Pumping Systems
During the early 1970s, Rob Welke began his career as an assistant to the Pumping Engineer at SA Water. His versatile skill set and innovative thinking quickly set him apart, leading to a rapid rise within the organisation. Rob became a key figure in numerous pumping system investigations and was even recognised as a “poster boy” for SA Water’s Pump and Pipeline Testing branch.
The featured newspaper photo, taken by The Advertiser in 1973, captures Rob testing a pump at the Millbrook Pumping Station as part of a “Job Week” promotion—an early testament to his hands-on expertise and dedication to the field.
From these formative years, Rob’s career snowballed, and his ability to think beyond conventional solutions saw him selected for critical investigations within the Investigations and Technical Policy Branch of the Engineering & Water Supply Department (now SA Water).
Today, much of what Rob teaches is built on the foundations of this era—decades of real-world experience that provide unmatched depth to his training in sustainable pumping systems.
Podcast
In this Pod Cast, The Good Drop with Hawkes & AD, both Water and Wastewater Engineers from WSP in Brisbane, explore Rob’s background, and how his early childhood experiences on the family farm have shaped Rob’s experience and attitude to present day Sustainable Pumping.
In the conversation, Rob discusses his passion for pumping system energy efficiency and sustainability, and talks about his training program which is the conduit for sharing his knowledge.
“Robert Welke your broad experience in the subject combined with a perfectly organized structure of the course really hit the spot. Enjoyed every second of it. Very excited about using the tools provided!”
Diego Carrillo - Technical Manager EMEA/APAC
Lindsay International, Netherlands
“If you’re interested in upping your game and refining your pump knowledge this is the opportunity. The tools provided as part of the classes are very useful for design as well as sales. Don’t miss this wonderful chance to differentiate yourself from the competition!
Jim Phene, President, Epiphene
California, USA