Waterwise Council Program

The Waterwise Council Program established in 2009, is a partnership between the Water Corporation (WA water utility) and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. It aims to build a cooperative working relationship with local governments, to improve water use efficiency and adopt water sensitive cities concepts in their operations and communities. The program also acknowledges councils that are demonstrating leadership in sustainable water management. It is an opt-in program for councils in Western Australia, providing education, training, materials and funding opportunities, to improve water efficiency and build water sensitive communities.

Key figures: 

• 56 councils involved in the program
• Over 80% program participation rate among metropolitan councils, reaching over 1.6 million residents
• 40% participation in recognition scheme in first year
• 20% of councils nominated for platinum recognition in first year

• Collaboration: Build and foster collaborative working relationships between local governments, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Water Corporation and the community.
• Sustainable water management: Sustainably manage water use within council facilities, public open space and within communities.
• Liveable communities: Support councils to implement water sensitive urban design principles into their urban planning to create more liveable and productive communities.
• Leadership: Empower councils to become leaders in sustainable water management and water sensitive implementation.
• Education: Support councils to improve water literacy in the community.

The Waterwise Council Program initially focused on water use efficiency, but leading local governments were striving to achieve greater benefits across the water cycle. To recognise and encourage these achievements, the program was revamped in 2017 to embed the seven goal areas of the Water Sensitive Cities Index in a new recognition scheme. This is a key pathway to promote and celebrate water sensitive practice by local government.

Waterwise Council Endorsement Program: Under the program, local governments who successfully meet the criteria are endorsed as Waterwise. To become endorsed, participants must agree to and meet the following five criteria:

1. Sign a Memordandum of Understanding to demonstrate council commitment.
2. Create a five-year Waterwise Council Action Plan to determine opportunities and goals.
3. Ensure allocated team members complete free Waterwise training.
4. Adhere to their annual groundwater licence terms set by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, and scheme water usage terms set by the Water Corporation.
5. To retain their endorsement, councils are required to submit a program annual report, providing an update on each of their actions and initiatives.

Waterwise Verge Incentive Scheme and Best Practice Guidelines: Through the Waterwise Verge Incentive Scheme, the program provides funding to councils who promote low water use verge gardens within their communities through either rebates or verge replacement programs. Verge guidelines were also developed to provide councils with a benchmark to assess how their own policies compare with best practice. Councils are encouraged to use the guidelines to develop new best practice verge policies or update existing ones.

Benefits to endorsed Waterwise councils: Councils who are endorsed receive a number of benefits, including:

• opportunity to participate in liveability projects and trials, as per the Waterwise Council webpage
• free waterwise training for staff
• waterwise materials and presentations to promote water conservation to the community
• funding opportunities to implement water sensitive practices
• access to services such as data logging.

Award ranking and recognition scheme: The Waterwise Council Program recognition scheme acknowledges councils that are demonstrating leadership in sustainable water management, with Gold status for top performing councils and a Platinum award for the council of the year. Recognition criteria aligns with the Water Sensitive Cities Index to celebrate the great work councils are doing across the water cycle. This Index allows participants to benchmark their performance against seven urban water goal areas that characterise a water sensitive city, to help councils set targets and identify strategy priorities.

• Local waterwise champions: It's vital for each local government to have a waterwise champion, preferably two, to drive advocacy and behaviour change at different levels.
• Some councils require more organisational change than others: Some councils require a robust framework, change in policy and cross-agency support to obtain executive endorsement for adoption/investment in implementing the water sensitive cities framework.
• The Waterwise Council Program provides an important link to community: The program provides an opportunity to educate the community about water issues and strengthen people's connection to water.
• Resourcing constraints are a barrier in councils implementing water sensitive cities aligned initiatives: The program framework and supporting resources take into account the additional support councils require to deliver water sensitive cities initiatives.
• Local expertise: Each local government has its own specific challenges and motivations, so it’s important program advice and support isn’t one size fits all.

This program is highly transferable to other locations to help drive water efficiency outcomes and create water sensitive communities. It is a great demonstration of a partnership between state and local agencies leading the way and demonstrating water sensitive city outcomes to the local community.