Water Sensitive Futures Program

Commencing in 2015/2016 as the Water Quality and Conservation Program, the EMRC’s Water Sensitive Futures program provides a detailed assessment of water consumption and assistance with the Water Corporation’s Waterwise Council Program reporting. The programs intent was to continue the momentum of the ICLEI Water Campaign.

Through this program a consistent cycle of review and reporting supports the identification of any potential issues at facilities reducing water wastage and costs. The program also aims to identify opportunities that align with the Water Sensitive Cities Index framework.

The program involves three modules:

  • Water Data Management – including quarterly performance reviews of water data, quarterly water team meetings, and annual water data analysis report and snapshot.
  • Water Sensitive Actions – including technical support to progress strategies, plans and actions to meet water conservation goals, and integration of the Water Sensitive Cities Index framework into strategies and plans.
  • Waterwise Council Action Plan (WCAP) Accreditation – including annual reporting to Water Corporation for Waterwise Councils re-endorsement.

Water Corporation Waterwise Councils

The Waterwise Council Program is a free program in partnership between Water Corporation and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation for all local governments in Western Australia. It was established in 2009 to help councils improve their water efficiency and management.

All five EMRC members Council’s participate in the Waterwise Councils Program with four achieving Gold Waterwise Council status: City of Bayswater, Town of Bassendean, City of Swan, and Shire of Mundaring. 

Currently the EMRC assists three member Councils and one other local government with their annual Waterwise Council reporting, including application for Gold Waterwise Council and assistance with Waterwise Aquatic Centre re-endorsement.

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Water Sensitive Cities (WSC) Index

The Water Sensitive Cities Index is a benchmarking tool for mapping a city’s current urban water management performance against 34 indicators characterising a water sensitive city. The 34 indicators relate to seven goals of a water sensitive city.

The Index is used to assist governments, organisations and communities to communicate their water goals and achieve targets through conceptual models or frameworks. Following benchmarking, some of the identified WSC outcomes have been included as Gold Actions in councils’ Waterwise Council Action Plans.

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Three EMRC member Councils, City of Swan, City of Bayswater and Town of Bassendean, participated in the 2021 Greater Perth WSC Benchmarking Index.

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Helpful Links

Past Water Projects

International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) Water Campaign

Launched in 2000, the ICLEI Water Campaign was a global freshwater management program focused on reducing water consumption and improve water quality through partnerships and policy change in local government.

The ICLEI water campaign had 5 milestones:

  1. Assess current water consumption patterns and practices affecting water quality;
  2. Set goals to improve the current situation in both water consumption and water quality;
  3. Develop and adopt an action plan to achieve the specified goals;
  4. Implement actions in the action plan and quantify the benefits; and
  5. Monitor, review and report on the outcomes of councils’ water management initiatives in both consumption and quality.

WA Government funding for the program ceased in mid-2015.