Territory Water Plan nominated for the Australian Water Association’s Organisational Excellence Award
In 2023, the Office of Water Security finalised the Territory Water Plan. In recognition of their hard work, and together with other government agencies and the Power and Water Corporation, they won the Organisational Excellence Award at the NT Water Awards. The Territory Water Plan is now nominated for this category at the national Australian Water Awards.
In October 2023, the Office of Water Security, along with other NT Government agencies and Power and Water Corporation won the Organisational Excellence Award at the NT Water Awards. The award was for the NT Government’s development of the Territory Water Plan recognising the significant and innovative water initiatives that drive prosperity, sustainability and transformative change.
As a new government initiative, the Territory Water Plan aims to ensure there is water security for all Territorians now and in the future. As a definition, water security is people having an acceptable quantity and quality of water, economic opportunities, and meeting their cultural and environmental needs.
To develop the plan, there was extensive consultation with community, stakeholders and cross government collaboration. One of the main issues identified was access to safe and secure drinking water, particularly in remote communities.
The plan includes 16 priority actions that will be delivered over the next three years. Some of these actions include infrastructure to secure water for Darwin, new safe drinking laws, and reform of NT’s Water Act. It’s important to note that improving water quality will take time, and the actions are only the beginning.
Priority actions also focus on enhancing Aboriginal participation in water decision, and understanding the Aboriginal cultural values of water.
To learn more, watch this video.
As the NT Water Award winners, the Office of Water Security will represent the NT in the Australian Water Awards at the Australian Water Association’s Ozwater’24 conference in Melbourne 30 April – 2 May 2024.
The Territory Water Plan provides direction for reform of water policy, laws and programs in the NT, and demonstrates that these are very exciting times for water in the Northern Territory. To read the plan, please visit the Water Security website.
