In the context of a revised business model and the changing environment, and to underpin the financial strategy, the department has identified the following 10 priorities for the next five years.
1. within sustainable limits, allocate water to support economic development
- undertake allocation planning and/or review allocation limits in all proclaimed areas to underpin a level of management through licensing appropriate to the status of each water resource management area
- resolve over-allocation through finalising departmental policy for recovery of over-allocated systems, completing allocation plans for highly allocated and over-allocated areas and implementing appropriate management actions.
2. optimise water use through improved management of licensed water use, an increased focus on compliance and enforcement and the expansion of metering in priority areas
- improve licensing processes to enhance, efficiency and service delivery
- improve existing licensing systems to enable online licence applications, introduce improved workflow processes, automate parts of the licence assessment process and integrate with other government land information systems
- develop new water entitlement systems to support contemporary water resources management and legislation, and provide for an accurate water register, rapid and transparent water accounting, effective water trading, and immediate reporting of resource and management performance against criteria
- strengthen and target compliance and enforcement through improved licence conditions and policies and dedicating resources to investigate and act upon potential breaches
- proceed with the state-wide installation of water meters to improve management of the resource and accountability of water use, focusing initially on high priority areas and then in other areas, depending on the availability of funding from the Australian Government.
3. move Perth towards becoming a Water Sensitive City
- utilise the licensing of the Integrated Water Supply Scheme to maintain use of water sources within sustainable limits and drive efficient use of public water supply
- complete drainage and water management plans to meet land development needs for priority urban areas in Western Australia
- optimise the availability and use of alternative urban water sources
- Identify town planning mechanisms for the delivery of strategic drainage and water management planning outcomes
- ensure maximum use of the department's land planning resources for the assessment and provision of urban water management advice to other decision-making authorities in an appropriate, consistent and targeted manner
- build intellectual capacity in the land development industry, government sector and the community to ensure the application and implementation of published policy and 'best practice'
- facilitate the creation of stormwater management demonstration sites, including the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of 'best practice'
- finalise the cross-government Gnangara Sustainability strategy.
4. protect and recover public water supplies
- complete water source protection plans for public water supplies
- develop protocols for efficient and effective implementation of water source protection plans with the Water Corporation and Water Purity Committee.
- Undertake a review of recreation policy and priority protection policy in drinking water catchments
- assess current and future salinity recovery water supply catchments and develop and implement options for salinity recovery of potential water supply catchments, including the priority Collie and Demark rivers
- ensure maximum use of the department's land planning resources for the assessment and provision of water source protection advice to other decision-making authorities in an appropriate, consistent and targeted manner.
5. facilitate a competitive and innovative water industry to deliver a high standard of water services at efficient prices
- review and recommend pricing policies that are equitable, transparent and contribute to full cost recovery
- develop water industry policies, codes and regulations that encourage competition (for example, a third party access regime)
- implement water services legislation and policies to support the efficient and effective delivery of water and wastewater services
- encourage the water recycling and fit-for-purpose water solutions
- promote the efficient operation of a water market and facilitate water trading.
- Encourage innovation in water supply sourcing, treatment, storage and discharge
- oversee water source planning to ensure reliable and safe water supply
- encourage on-going development of an efficient irrigation industry.
6. protect waterway health and recover priority waterways
- prepare waterways management plans and support river action plans for priority waterways to maintain and improve the values of these waterways
- Support and undertake research into waterways condition, values and threats to assist with establishing priorities for regional waterways management activities
- understand and manage the risks and impacts of water abstraction and water use on in situ values through water allocation planning and licensing
- develop and implement approaches to protecting wild rivers and their catchments and other high environmental value waterways
- seek opportunities to improve the monitoring of the health of waterways to establish long-term trends; and assist with planning, implementing and evaluating management activities to improve waterways' health
- review waterways legislation and implement changes that will improve efficiency and effectiveness and clarify responsibilities for waterways management
- continue to seek funding for incentives that encourage and aid landowners and other land managers to protect and manage waterways on their properties and raise community capacity to manage and enhance waterways in priority areas.
7. target water resource assessment to support water resource management and state development according to a schedule determined by the current status of the resource and the projected demand for water
- progress the State Groundwater Investigation Program for an improved understanding of groundwater systems
- align groundwater and surface water monitoring and data management with current water management and reporting, and future planning needs
- meet funded commitments to the Commonwealth Water Smart Australia program groundwater and surface water assessment in priority areas of Gnangara, Pilbara, South-West and Collie to support development of water allocation plans
- assess the interaction of climate variability and change, and vegetation changes on water resources, with a particular focus on water supplies for the greater Perth area
- develop and use predictive tools to better understand catchments, waterways and groundwater resources
- develop strategies to characterise risk and impacts on receiving waters
- undertake systematic reviewing of performance and response of groundwater resources.
8. undertake state and regional water planning to ensure the state maintains a strong strategic approach to planning for the future of water resources
- identify water demand projections in all regions and sectors in WA to focus investigation, assessment, management and planning efforts and to advise the private sector of development opportunities
- develop strategic directions for water cycle management for each region to ensure water resources meet future demands and are soundly managed
- identify short-, medium- and long-term issues of strategic importance to the department (such as interception and climate change) that may have an impact on the optimal use of water, and develop strategic policies that conceptualise and integrate positions about water assets, values, risks and impacts
- apply climate change adaptation and innovation in different regions that will define pathways for external partnerships and, importantly, carry out vulnerability mapping and provide a regional decision framework to improve the community's adaptive capacity.
9. modernise WA water management through legislation, policy and technologies that stimulate efficiency and optimal use of water
- implement legislation to give effect to agreed, contemporary water reforms across the full scope of water cycle management
- create capacity in the water management systems to change consumptive pools when circumstances change, e.g. through climate change impacts
- complete the development of information systems for water access entitlements, water allocations and approvals to enable trading and transactions as well as to accommodate new entrants
- have in place electronic web-based systems for licensing applications, assessment and fee payments
- fast track the state-wide installation of water meters, focusing initially on priority areas to improve the accountability of water use
- continue to work with the Commonwealth Government on the development of national water accounting standards.
10. establish market-based mechanisms to release additional water for allocation and support enhanced water trading.
- implement a robust water trading policy by developing pre-conditions for a trading regime, including policies and legislation that unbundles land and water titles
- facilitate permanent and temporary trading by establishing a publicly available water market system and titles register consistent with national standards
- implement release mechanisms including sale of new water to support water markets and to encourage sustainable use to the highest economic value
- identify options for integrating water with land-use planning and water planning approaches to achieve better outcomes for industry and community.
These priorities deliver on expectations for a reliable, secure water supply for the state, with supporting management regimes, that is commensurate with economic growth and sustainable development.