A Water Sensitive Cities Index to support transitions to more liveable, sustainable, resilient and productive cities

Abstract

There is growing emphasis globally on the importance of water system services in enhancing a city’s liveability, sustainability, resilience and productivity. However, achieving these outcomes, particularly against the backdrop of climate change and rapid urbanisation, requires significant realignment of the how water system services are planned, designed and delivered. Initiating and navigating this realignment is difficult and requires targeted and context-specific guidance. In response, the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities is developing a new benchmarking tool known as the Water Sensitive Cities (WSC) Index. The WSC Index is designed to facilitate assessment of the water sensitivity of a local municipality  or metropolitan city, set targets based on the best available research and inform management  responses to improve water sensitive practices. This paper presents results from a pilot study application of the WSC Index, demonstrating the value of the WSC Index as a tool to equip  stakeholders with the capacity to monitor, evaluate and ultimately improve their water system practices through the identification and prioritisation of management responses.