Eurobodalla Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy

1 Introduction
1.1 Overview
Eurobodalla Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy
Water is a precious natural resource essential for the maintenance of ecosystems and
human activities. NSW is now at the limits of its available water resources and there is clear
evidence of the degradation of our rivers, groundwaters and estuaries. In response, new
water legislation has been introduced in NSW to provide for the sustainable and integrated
management of the State’s water sources for present and future generations.
Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) by local water utilities is a way of managing
the urban water cycle in which all parts of the water system are integrated so that water is
used optimally. This optimal use should result in minimal impact on the water resource and
on other resources and users. For a local water utility this means that the three main urban
services – water supply, sewerage and stormwater – should be planned and managed in an
integrated manner to ensure that the maximum value is obtained from the resource, and
that environmental impacts are minimised. Integration also means that local water
management is integrated with other human waste management and recycling processes
such as garbage removal, and various external elements. These elements may include
issues of global importance such as the greenhouse effect, as well as the natural
processes within the catchment areas, Commonwealth and State policies, neighbouring
water utilities and the community.
1.1.1 The Integrated Water Cycle Management Process
The IWCM process is based on three simple questions, which are:
What is the problem? relates to water cycle management impacts (or perceived
impacts) as well as water management problems. To answer this question
necessitates an understanding of the catchment in order to set a benchmark on the
resource needs and availability.
How do we fix the problem? looks at addressing water management problems
and requires an understanding of State Government water reform policies, which
describe key water management issues and the appropriate management
responses to them. Since there is more than one management option, a balanced
outcome planning is used to select the best overall option.
The last question, How do we know the problem is fixed? is the process by
which we confirm that all impacts are managed to the desired level and water use is
optimised using social, economic and environmental objectives.
1.1.2 Balanced Outcomes Planning
The balance outcomes process aims to give equal weight to each of the three parts of the
triple bottom line (environment, social and economic) when choosing new management
options. The six steps of balanced outcomes planning are:
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