Managing water demand

To ensure the best use of water, service providers have an important role to play in raising community awareness about the need to use water wisely. Using water more efficiently reduces water demand and extends the time until a water shortage might occur.

Service providers can manage water demand in several ways, including:

• water restrictions and permanent water conservation measures
• managing assets to minimise system leakage
• having systems in place to minimise theft or other unauthorised water losses
• rebate programs or 'device swap' initiatives to support the uptake of water efficient appliances
• promoting ways to be water efficient to businesses and the community, including with the provision of educational materials promoting waterwise behaviours
• requiring water efficiency management plans for particular water users.

You can find more information about the use of demand management initiatives, such as water restrictions and rebate programs, in Drought management plans and water restrictions: guideline for development (PDF, 2.1MB).

Promoting water efficiency

Resources are available to support waterwise messaging in the community (including social media tiles, graphics and stickers) and a range of fact sheets and posters. Visit the Queensland Government's waterwise community resources.

To further support water efficient behaviour, service providers can educate their community about the local water supply and about the water treatment process by providing tours of their water and wastewater treatment plants. Resources are available to assist with the planning of tours.

Queensland councils and water service providers can order free waterwise resources by emailing a request with contact and postal details to: waterwise@rdmw.qld.gov.au.

For more information about water education in the community, email waterwise@rdmw.qld.gov.au.

Water efficiency management plans

A water efficiency management plan (WEMP) can help businesses and industry customers understand their water consumption and find and implement measures to improve water efficiency. Customers can be directed to prepare a WEMP by a water service provider (including a council), or by the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water. This can result in high water users reducing their urban water demands.

The following resources are available to help prepare a WEMP:

• Water efficiency management plan information sheet (PDF, 91KB) provides an overview of WEMPs for businesses
• Guidelines for preparing a water efficiency management plan (PDF, 282KB) provide assistance with preparing a WEMP, including the details required and the processes to follow
• WEMP template and a template user guide.

Also consider...

• Read more about water sources in Queensland.
• Learn more about how businesses can reduce their water demand.
• Find out about water restrictions.
• Read about Seqwater's South East Queensland water security program.