Water

Water Industry in Australia and New Zealand

The water industry encompasses any businesses or organisations involved in storing, purifying and supplying water. This includes organisations that run dams, filtration plants, pumping stations, water catchments, pipelines for water transport, reservoirs and wastewater treatment plants. Over 28,000 people are employed by the industry and has an estimated annual revenue of around $23 billion in Australia. Water is integral to the prosperity of a nation, and as the driest inhabited nation on Earth, Australia must be prepared for anything that could potentially threaten our water source. Most of Australia’s drinking water supply comes from surface water, which refers to water that comes from any above-ground body of water. Groundwater and water from desalination plants are also large contributors to the drinking water supply in Australia.
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Australia Water industry legislation

Some Australian legislation that may be applicable to your business in the water industry may include, but may not be limited to:
  • Canberra Water Supply (Googong Dam) Act 1974 (ACT)
  • Pollution of Waters by Oils and Noxious Substances Act 1986 (Vic)
  • Water Act 1989 (Vic)
  • Water Act 2007 (Cth)
  • Water (Indigenous Values and Uses) Direction 2018
  • Water Industry Act 2012 (SA)
  • Water Management Act 2000 (NSW)
  • Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 (Qld)
  • Emergency Management Act 2013 (VIC)
  • Emergency Management Act 2005 (WA)
  • State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 (NSW)
  • Disaster Management Act 2003 (QLD)
  • Emergency Management Act 2004 (SA)
  • Emergency Management Act 2006 (TAS)
  • Emergency Management Act 2013 (NT)

New Zealand Water industry legislation

Some New Zealand legislation that may be applicable to your business in the water industry may include, but may not be limited to:
  • Biosecurity Act 1993
  • Fisheries Act 1996
  • Food Act 2014
  • Hauraki Plains County Eastern Water-supply Empowering Act 1935
  • Health Act 1956
  • Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
  • Irrigation Schemes Act 1990
  • Public Bodies Contracts Act 1959
  • Public Works Act 1981
  • Reserves and other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Act 1924
  • Reserves and other Lands Disposal Act 1932
  • Resource Management Act 1991
  • Urban Development Act 2020
  • Wellington Waterworks Act 1871
  • Emergency Management Act 2013
These lists are not exhaustive, and there may be additional legislation that is applicable to your business’ circumstances.

Water and Wastewater Treatment Crisis Management

Australia’s water supply can be affected by the country’s variable climate conditions, droughts and natural disasters. Such events can not only have an impact on the amount of water available for use but also the quality and purity of the water. Problems with water quality can lead to levels of contamination that prevent water from being used for consumption and can lead to illnesses and public distrust in water treatment plants if not resolved urgently. Shortages of water caused by drought and weather conditions can reduce and eliminate crop and livestock production on farms, which can negatively impact the food supply chain. The manufacturing and mining industries also heavily rely on accessibility to large amounts of water to continue production. As a country with one of the highest rates of water consumption per capita in the world, ensuring that the population can reliably access safe water is crucial.
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Business continuity plans for water and wastewater companies

Resilient Services has provided many companies and government agencies within the water and wastewater industries with business continuity plans, emergency exercises, emergency management plans and RTO training exercises focusing on incident control training. We have also been engaged by many regulators of the water industry, providing risk analyses and further training programs.

Enquire for services in the Water Treatment Industry

Fill out an enquiry form or call us on 0439 005 271 to find out more and to see how we can help your business prepare for the unknown.

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