Program Partnerships

Including the WSUD Program, the National Consortium was established by existing Australian capacity building initiatives in 2007 to provide uniformity in the absence of a national policy.  Where applicable, members share resources and information; leveraging off one another’s strengths, their networks and reducing resource duplication.

• Clearwater (Victoria)
• Hunter & Central Coast Regional Environment Strategy (HCCREMS) (New South Wales)
• New WAterways (Western Australia)
• Water by Design (South East Queensland)
• Department of Planning and Local Government (South Australia).

The following organisations have committed to participate in the Cities as Water Supply Catchments Research Program through a Sydney Metropolitan Consortium led by the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority via the WSUD Program.  Further,  Kate Black, WSUD Program Manger has been appointed to represent NSW stakeholders on the Research Program’s Management Committee:

• Fairfield City Council;
• Hornsby Shire Council;
• NSW Department of Planning;
• Parramatta City Council;
• City of Sydney;
• Warringah Council.

The Sydney Stormwater Sustainability Group was developed in 2006 to maximise the longevity of capacity building interventions undertaken within the region.  In abeyance since July 2008, the Group will recommence in March 2010.  Meeting bi-annually the group act as a regional discussion forum for furthering interests and/or involvement in sustainable urban water management.  Group members include:

• Landcom;
• Local Government and Shires Association (LGSA);
• Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils;
• NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW);
• NSW Department of Planning (DoP);
• Rouse Hill Infrastructure Consortium;
• Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils;
• Sydney Coastal Councils Group (SCCG);
• Sydney Metro Catchment Management Authority;
• Sydney Water Corporation;
• Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC);
• WSUD Program.

Since its inception (2002), the WSUD Program has worked in conjunction with the Stormwater Industry Association (SIA).  In a renewal of this relationship and in recognition of the many opportunities a closer working relationship would provide, Kate Black WSUD Program Manager has been appointed to the NSW Executive Committee.

The Water for Life: Water Education Plan for greater Sydney 2008-2012 was developed as part of the Water for Life Education Program as a collaboration between the Department of Water and Energy, Sydney Water, Department of Environment and Climate Change, the Sydney Catchment Authority and the members of the Water for Life Reference Group.  The Group included the Australian Water Association, the Local Government and Shires Associations, the Department of Education and Training, the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, the NSW Council on Environmental Education and the Australian Association for Environmental Education.

To ensure closer parallels between the Water Education Plan and Sydney Metropolitan CMA capacity building initiatives (including the WSUD Program), Kate Black, WSUD Program Manager was appointed to represent the Sydney Metropolitan CMA in early 2009.

Other regional initiatives with whom the WSUD Program works very closely in an informal capacity include the following organisations:

• E-water Cooperative Research Centre;
• Lower Georges River Combined Councils Committee;
• National Urban Water Governance Program;
• National Water Commission;
• Parramatta River Catchment Group  – Stormwater Committee;
• Sydney Coastal Councils Group;
• Sydney Water Corporation’s Every Drop Counts Program;
• Urban Sustainability Support Alliance.