Current Water Sensitive Performance

Achieving city–states

Greater Darwin has a changing climate with highly seasonal rainfall and an increasing population. Wet-season rain is stored in dams but high temperatures and rapid evaporation during the dry season mean that much of it dissipates, placing water security firmly on the city's agenda.

Darwin Harbour has good water quality and supports a healthy ecosystem however pollution from stormwater and licensed wastewater discharge is a growing threat, particularly as more of its catchment becomes urbanised.

Using large volumes of drinking water to maintain a green urban landscape year-round threatens the city’s water security. Urban water demand is very high and is growing faster than the population.

Change strategy: how to become more water sensitive

Darwin’s harbour can be protected by managing discharges into the harbour such as treated wastewater and diffuse runoff from urbanised areas of the catchment. Urban water management approaches that deliver multiple outcomes for the community will maintain this lifestyle into the future.

Greater Darwin’s water security can be improved by:

  • increasing the volume and reliability of centralised water supplies
  • diversifying the water sources
  • harnessing water sources from within the city
  • managing water usage.

Resources relevant to Darwin

Research application

  • Ideas for the Greater Darwin Region identifies what a water sensitive Darwin could look like and the drivers for this vision. It also proposes ideas to implement this new direction including:
    • establish a common vision for Darwin that articulates the role of water
    • engage Darwin’s diverse community
    • establish a high-level steering group for water
    • Create a water sensitive urban design template for new development
    • strengthen science-to-policy partnerships
    • create a water resource planning framework that formally integrates concepts such as risk, resilience and sustainability in evaluating water supply options
    • implement pilots and trials of new technologies
    • create a local capacity building program.

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Last updated: 6th Jan 2022