Planning for resilience and water security in South East Queensland
Plan for water security in a changing and uncertain future
Across Australia planning is needed to consider climate extremes, including drought and flood, in ways that reflect the values of the community
• A resilient and adaptive plan for future water security
• Improved stakeholder relationships
• Better understanding of community values
Seqwater is the sole bulk water supplier for the South East Queensland Region and is tasked with delivering a safe, secure and cost-effective water supply.
The severity of the Millennium Drought combined with population growth highlighted the need for the region to improve its resilience, with the largest regional dam reaching 15 per cent storage capacity in 2007.
Seqwater’s Water Security Program includes planning for extreme weather to improve the resilience of supply and adapt to changing conditions such as climate change to secure South East Queensland with drinking water for 30 years.
Extensive community consultation and forums helped shape the program. Water infrastructure investments, particularly new sources of water are long-term decisions. The cost, benefits and implications will be felt by generations to come. South East Queensland’s Water Security Program helps to make the right decisions based on community values for the region at the right time.