About the regional water strategies
Regional water strategies identify critical challenges that we need to tackle over the coming decades and outline the actions that we will undertake to respond to those challenges. The best and latest climate evidence, along with a wide range of tools such as policy, planning, behavioural, regulatory, technology and infrastructure solutions, have been used to chart a progressive journey for our water needs over the next 20 years.
These tools will help to build a road map for improving water outcomes for regional NSW over the next 20-40 years.
From draft to final strategy
Regional water strategy development commenced in 2019. Each strategy has been developed using an evidence- and risk-based approach informed by extensive community consultation at each step of the process. The NSW Government has taken a 6-step approach to preparing and implementing regional water strategies as shown below. Read more about these phases of strategy development and what we heard during our community consultation.
Draft regional water strategies prepared in consultation with the regions community | Community feedback sought | Implementation | ||||||||
Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | |||||
Identify opportunities and challenges for the region | Understand the future water needs of the region over the next 20 to 30 years | Identify long list of options to meet the challenges and aspirations of the region | Identify key regional challenges. Assess and prioritise options into shortlist proposed action | Finalise key challenges and actions. Develop implementation plan. Integrate new solutions with existing initiatives | Implement and monitor the final strategy and review it regularly | |||||
Final strategies
Macquarie-Castlereagh Regional Water Strategy
A 20-year Macquarie-Castlereagh region-specific strategy to improve the security and certainty of our water resources.
Far North Coast Regional Water Strategy
A 20-year Far North Coast region-specific strategy to improve the security and certainty of our water resources.
Namoi Regional Water Strategy
A 20-year Namoi region-specific strategy to improve the security and certainty of our water resources.
North Coast Regional Water Strategy
A 20-year North Coast region-specific strategy to improve the security and certainty of our water resources.
South Coast Regional Water Strategy
A 20-year South Coast region-specific strategy to improve the security and certainty of our water resources.
Border Rivers Regional Water Strategy
A 20-year Border Rivers region-specific strategy to improve the security and certainty of our water resources.
Gwydir Regional Water Strategy
A 20-year Gwydir region-specific strategy to improve the security and certainty of our water resources.
Western Regional Water Strategy
A 20-year strategy to improve the security and certainty of our water resources in the western region.
Greater Hunter Regional Water Strategy
The Greater Hunter Regional Water Strategy is designed to manage the region’s water needs.
Status of all regional water strategies
The map below provides an overview of the status of each of the 12 regional water strategies.
Regional water strategies still in development
Read more about the process of developing regional water strategies, the current status and timelines of all the strategies.