WaterSmart Strategy

The goal of the WaterSmart Strategy is to make Brisbane a water smart city, to support the liveability of our city by managing water sustainably. The strategy builds on Brisbane City Council's first integrated water strategy, released in 2005, and takes Brisbane one step closer to becoming Australia's most sustainable and livable city. The strategy was published in 2010.

The WaterSmart Strategy outlines Council's policies on urban water management and how best to face the challenges of increased population, more demands on our open space and parklands, changes to our climate and the quality and condition of our infrastructure. We need to be more conscious of our use, reuse and care of water and waterways in response to these challenges.

Brisbane must become a water smart city to ensure:

• our waterways are healthy for future generations
• our water resources and systems are sustainable
• buildings, public spaces, roads and services demonstrate designs with water and flood risk in mind
• Brisbane's community is connected to water and takes actions to manage water sustainably.

Downloads

You can download the strategy in full:

• WaterSmart Strategy  (PDF - 5.57Mb)*
• WaterSmart Strategy (Word - 151kb) 

* Parts of the PDF document may be inaccessible to website assistive technologies. For assistance, phone Council on 07 3403 8888.

Goals

There are four goals at the core of the strategy:

1. A water smart community that celebrates water, is well-informed and makes decisions with water in mind.
2. Well-designed subtropical city which embraces its waterways and is shaped by the natural movement of water.
3. A healthy river and bay which are resilient and able to adapt to pressures and change.
4. Sustainable water use so we have what we need now and for future generations.

Water Sensitive Cities

To help achieve our WaterSmart vision, Council is participating in the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) - Water Sensitive Cities. Brisbane City Council joins over 80 like-minded organisations looking for practical and innovation solutions and mechanisms to make towns and cities more water sensitive. With a research budget in excess of $100 million, research will guide capital investments of more than $100 billion by the Australian water sector and more than $550 billion of private sector investment in urban development.

More information

For more information about the WaterSmart Strategy, email the project team.