FAQs

The existing Water Management Plan 2017-2022 (external link) has achieved its 5-year implementation period and is due for review to address the City’s current and future water management needs related to water conservation and water quality improvements, set new water management goals and reflect Water Corporation requirements for transitioning to a Water Sensitive City.

Since endorsement of the Water Management Plan 2017-2022 the City has accomplished its corporate and community water conservation goals achieving a 23 per cent reduction in corporate potable water use and maintained residential potable water use below 96kl per capita. These goals were achieved through the implementation of a variety of policies, plans, programs and projects resulting in overall nutrient input reduction in South Perth catchments since 2017 levels. Read more about the key successes from the WMP.

You can find out more about the City’s approach to water management, including information on the Water Corporation’s Waterwise Council Program and useful documents such as the Water Sensitive Cities Benchmarking and Assessment Report, on the City of South Perth’s website (external link).

A Water Sensitive City is a status that cities/Local Government Areas (LGAs) strive to achieve. The Water Sensitive Cities Index (external link) online tool was developed by the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities (external link) to benchmark cities/LGAs and includes measures against a range of goals and indicators.

The Water Corporation’s Waterwise Council Program requires participating LGAs to complete Water Sensitive Cities Index benchmarking, develop a water vision, and an integrated water management plan with actions for transitioning towards Water Sensitive City status. The aim is to manage water to meet the LGA’s and community needs, and to support liveability, sustainability, resilience and productivity.

For more information on a Water Sensitive City framework, visit watersensitivecities.org.au/what-is-a-water-sensitive-city (external link).

In March 2021 the City held a Water Sensitive Cities Indexing workshop with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to benchmark its current water sensitive city performance against urban water indicators that characterise a WSC. The main objective of the workshop was to rate the City’s water sensitivity and benchmark the status that will help the City transition to more water sensitive sustainable practices and to develop an action plan to achieve a vision for future WSC status. The outcomes of this workshop were captured in the Water Sensitive Cities Benchmarking and Assessment Report (external link).

For more information, visit watersensitivecities.org.au (external link).

The survey feedback will be analysed and used to inform the stakeholder workshops and the drafting of the new Water Management Plan.