Integrated urban water management
Investments to achieve more effective and efficient approaches to urban water demand management and supply planning, including water sensitive urban design.
Announced projects include:
Assessing the public safety, community acceptance, economic, environmental, and community engagement aspects of managed aquifer recharge, for stormwater use in Australia
Identifying the reforms needed to improve urban water performance, help the sector achieve its reform objectives, and better manage future risks and challenges.
Developing more efficient and effective approaches to urban water demand management and supply, and planning - including water-sensitive urban design.
Contributing to global developments on the issue of endocrine-isruptive compounds on the environment, and informing Australian communities and stakeholders on the state of science in this area.
Examining the case for further market-based reforms in the urban water sector and gather evidence to inform policy consideration.
Reviewing water quality regulatory approvals processes and practices across Australia, looking in particular at approval pathways for new and emerging water recycling and reuse technologies.
Developing resources and tools to assist urban water service providers and government agencies to determine more accurately how much water is used in their regions, how much water is available, and how they can best provide or support water services for their regions in the future.
Developing best practice information and guidelines for the design and installation of urban greywater and stormwater systems.
Building on international and national experience in assessing and communicating the risk associated with recycled water for drinking and environmental release.
Introducing minimal performance standards for existing water efficiency labelling products, and expanding the scheme to include additional products.
Developing tests to determine the toxicity levels of hundreds of chemicals associated with recycled water, developing accurate indicators for monitoring these chemicals and to assess the efficiency of various engineered and natural treatment systems in Western Australia.
Adding to Australia's knowledge with regard to assessing and communicating risks associated with using recycled water.
This project will develop and document an understanding of the body corporate based infrastructure and governance mechanisms underlying decentralised water management for large urban developments.
Designing and developing principles to assist large and small enterprises develop and evaluate water efficiency plans in Victoria. This will provide a framework for businesses across Australia to ensure water efficiency plans are effective.
Helping Australian residents become water-smart gardeners (using less water and achieving the same result) through the development of best practice guidelines and tools.
Developing a methodology to assess implementation of a national recycling guidelines framework for the management of recycled water quality.
Producing a discussion papers that will canvass the risks and benefits associated with the use of recycled water for drinking purposes and explain how these risks can be avoided or managed.
Providing further guidance and insight into the practical constraints faced by those in urban water management and to stimulate further innovation and capacity building in urban integrated water cycle management, including water-sensitive urban design.
Providing support for the states and territories to support planners and developers when planning for and evaluating WSUD techniques and proposals.
Reviewing the institutional and regulatory models for achieving integrated urban water cycle planning.
Accelerating and enhancing the development of national guidelines for water sourced from managed aquifer recharge schemes.
Helping to identify how to better integrate urban water management and planning by examining current policies, education strategies, the impact of these policies and the extent to which they have been integrated with other long-term planning for urban areas.