Farewell CRC for Water Sensitive Cities. Welcome Water Sensitive Cities Australia.
Welcome to Water Sensitive Cities Australia.
The CRC for Water Sensitive Cities (CRCWSC) wrapped up on 30 June 2021, having demonstrated that new ways to design and deliver urban water services work in practice, and in a range of settings nationally and internationally. Through works on-ground and in policy, the CRCWSC created new tools, processes and guidelines that are now being deployed in cities and towns across Australia.
These CRCWSC outputs are publicly available via the Knowledge Platform.
But the job isn’t done yet. Having proved water sensitive cities practices work, the next step is to make them the norm. One day, no matter where we are, we will see water sensitive practices in use and in projects large and small. This is now the mission of Water Sensitive Cities Australia.
Key to this mission is building and refining the institutions, regulations, technical tools and industry networks necessary to scale up and lock in water sensitive practice. Our experience from the past 9 years has demonstrated that no organisation can do this alone – success relies on collaboration and sharing lessons between cities.
So, Water Sensitive Cities Australia is welcoming foundation partners in Victoria and Western Australia to join the mission. In Victoria, we have Monash University, Melbourne Water, South East Water and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Our likely Western Australia partners (subject to finalising agreements) are the Water Corporation and the Department of Communities (joining as one Tier 1 partner), and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and the Department of Water and Environment Regulation (joining as another Tier 1 partner). Acting as an interim Advisory Board, these partners are actively shaping our mainstreaming activities.
These mainstreaming projects are our core activity, strategically scaling up the tools and practices developed by the CRCWSC. We are developing mainstreaming programs in Victoria and Western Australia. As they become more established, we plan to explore partnerships in other states. Our opportunities for engagement have been affected by COVID restrictions, but we remain committed to the partners and stakeholders we worked with across Australia with the CRCWSC, and will find ways of having these conversations.
After officially starting on 1 July, our initial projects and activities are now underway. You can read all about these activities in this edition of waterSENSE:
- how we’re continuously improving some key tools developed by the CRCWSC
- how we’re supporting water sensitive practice both nationally and internationally
- some recently released reports that support water sensitive practice.
We’re excited by this next phase of our journey.
If you’re interested in becoming a formal partner of Water Sensitive Cities Australia, please read our prospectus and complete a declaration form to show your interest. Or contact our CEO Ben Furmage for a conversation.