Northern Territory Government Water Demand Management Strategy
The Office of Water Security is excited to announce the release of the Northern Territory Water Demand Management Strategy, a whole-of-government initiative aimed at improving water efficiency and demonstrating Government leadership in water management in the Northern Territory.
The Strategy builds on the highly successful and long-standing demand management programs developed by Power and Water Corporation over the last two decades (including the Living Water Smart program which has been aimed at urban residents in Alice Springs initially, and now Darwin). The strategy aims to embed this knowledge and water saving practices into government processes.
The strategy plays a key role in encouraging water wise behaviour within the Northern Territory Government (NTG) and will improve water security for Territorians and outlines 5 policy measures agencies are required to implement to improve their water use efficiency.
- A commitment to reduce NTG agency water use by 20% by 2027/28.
- Mandated annual reporting of water use in agency annual reports.
- Embedding water efficiency into NTG procurement practices.
- Accelerating the rollout of smart water meters across all priority NTG sites.
- Provision of water efficiency training for agency staff.
Agency-specific demand management plans are being developed for our largest agencies, covering about 90% of water use in greater Darwin. These plans will be tailored to the specific business activities of each agency and will outline specific reduction targets, savings measures, roles, responsibilities, and monitoring mechanisms over the next three years.
The Office of Water Security in partnership with Power and Water Corporation, will provide support to each of the agencies as they develop and implement their demand management plans, which will prioritise cost-effective measures tailored to each agencies’ operations.
We'll closely monitor progress against these measures and report annually, ensuring accountability and transparency in our water management practices.
The Strategy underscores the Office of Water Security’s commitment to sustainable water resource management in the NT. For more details on how this initiative supports delivery of the Territory Water Plan, go to the Water Security website.
