New publication: Opportunities for a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney

Sydney Water has collaborated with the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities (CRCWSC) to produce a report advocating for greater adoption of water sensitive cities principles and practice. ‘Opportunities for a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney: The importance of water in our city's future’ is part of ongoing presentations to the Greater Sydney Commission on the city’s future water management.

The CRCWSC was invited to facilitate a workshop in November 2015 to prepare best practice advice for the Commission. This report details the rationale for the adoption of water sensitivity in planning, including principles for adoption, and looks at the risks associated with current approaches to urban development and the alignment between water sensitive outcomes and the Commission’s objectives.

The report also presents opportunities on how the Commission could facilitate global best practice and deliver a water sensitive Greater Sydney, and is backed by research from the CRCWSC.

Researchers for the project “Statutory Planning for water sensitive cities” (Project B5.1), in recently examining the policy framework for water sensitive urban design in Sydney, helped provide an evidence-based rationale for reform of Sydney’s water management. Their report, New South Wales’ Planning Framework for Water Sensitive Urban Design, explained that while NSW has been slower to progress than other major Australian cities in the transition to a water sensitive city, there were unique opportunities to improve the planning and policy processes required to make the city sustainable, productive, resilient and liveable.