Collaborating with industry
Addressing the world’s most complex water and urban development questions requires a joint effort.
While the CRCWSC has a strong interdisciplinary research focus, we also focus on translating end user driven research into on-ground environmental, social, and economic change. Collaborations and partnerships between the CRCWSC and our government and industry participants are critically important in shifting conventional practices and enabling transformation.
Collaboration is at the very heart of the CRCWSC. Projects have been specifically designed to facilitate collaboration with CRCWSC participants, with the aim to foster collaborative research across the 13 research provider organisations, and to drive the synthesis, communication and adoption of research outputs amongst all participants.
With an annual revenue of over $15 billion, and a responsibility to manage assets worth over $120 billion, the urban water industry is critical to Australia’s economy, society, and environment, and provides water and wastewater services to over 20 million Australians.
In the next 15 years, some $100 billions of capital investment will be made in urban water infrastructure to sustain an increasing standard of living and to meet growing community expectations.
Our stakeholders and end users are public and private organisations in the following sectors:
- water infrastructure and services;
- urban and land use planning;
- housing and land development sector;
- local government;
- state planning and regional development;
- environmental protection; and
- education and training.
The CRCWSC collaborates with the water and urban development sectors via a number of channels that include:
- working with CRCWSC participants at a city or regional scale by helping to create water sensitive Australian cities;
- establishment of, and engagement with Regional Advisory Panels;
- working with partners to innovate and synthesise knowledge by creating water sensitive developments; and
- creating global partnerships.
Creating water sensitive Australian cities
All Australian cities are experiencing pressures associated with a changing climate, population growth, along with rapid urbanisation and densification. Water sensitive cities also have complex needs and challenges dependent on specific factors such as geography, climate, past and present water management, and the social and political context. This is why each city needs to embark on its own journey of transitioning to becoming a water sensitive city.
The CRC for Water Sensitive Cities employs an interdisciplinary research delivery approach focused on specific cities and regions. It draws on the knowledge of experts in those regions, as well as the experience and lessons from other areas, to help deal with local problems and provide tailored solutions.
Explore how Australian cities are becoming more water sensitive below.