Building resilience with innovative water strategy: Ku-ring-gai council

Case study: Strategy to help transition to a water sensitive city

Discover how Wave was engaged by Ku-ring-gai Council to develop a water strategy which would aid in transitioning to a water sensitive city.

• Water strategy

• Kuring-Gai lands, Sydney north shore

Key facts

The problem

Ku-ring gai Council sought to transition towards becoming a water sensitive city. They aimed to ensure good water sensitive governance, improve ecological health, boost productivity and resource efficiency as well as increase community engagement.

Wave Consulting Australia was engaged to develop Ku-ring-gai Council’s new innovative water strategy ensuring that it aligned actions with their goals.

The council’s goals were as follows:

• achieve equity of essential services

• ensure good water sensitive governance

• ensure quality urban space

• improve ecological health

• improve productivity and resource efficiency

• increase community capital

• promote adaptive infrastructure.

The solution

In close collaboration with the staff of Ku-ring-gai Council, we formulated a comprehensive action plan to propel the council closer to its vision of becoming a 'water sensitive city.'

The strategy was based on the Water Sensitive Cities Index, a framework developed by the CRC Water Sensitive Cities (CRCWSC) that has been used around the world to benchmark and assess regions and their transition to a water sensitive city. The strategy was the result of a three-year process within council, beginning in 2018, when the Water Sensitive Index tool was first used by council.

The strategy outlined 31 specific actions aligned with council’s seven goals.

These actions were linked to 9 targets, including:

• community engagement

• waste reduction

• potable water savings (such as a 50% reduction in council consumption)

• increases in alternative water use.

The strategy included specific recommendations regarding capacity building and governance, which are critical to the transition to a water sensitive city.

Each goal set by the council underwent rigorous examination, with meticulous attention given to devising appropriate actions that would significantly enhance water sustainability.

The outcome

Ku-ring-gai Council was provided with an innovative water strategy that served as a necessary roadmap for how they could make an effective transition towards their vision of a water sensitive city.

The implementation of this strategy will ensure that the ‘Green Heart’ of Sydney would remain for future generations to come.

The Water Sensitive Cities Strategy is published on the KRG website.