In the last few years, WSAA and its members have sought to establish how current operations and activities of the urban water industry fit within the SDGs. To further this work we are releasing a discussion paper, prepared by Monash Sustainable Development Institute (MSDI), provide utilities with support through the provision of tools and a framework to measure the impact of utilities going forward.
WSAA established a Working Group and engaged MSDI to write this Discussion Paper. The Discussion Paper includes a framework that identifies priority targets and indicators for water utilities to measure their impact on the SDGs now, and utility of the future targets and indicators for water utilities to consider their future impact. MSDI and the WSAA Working Group also identified a long list of targets that can guide strategic planning and management approaches in ways that support “priority” and “utility of future” indicator outcomes.
WSAA will now use the framework, including the priority targets and indicators to inform our response to the 2021 Bureau of Meteorology’s review of the Urban Water National Performance Report NWI indicators. The WSAA Working Group and broader membership will be involved in further definition of the targets and indicators. In the future WSAA will consider opportunities to measure and report on the Australian and New Zealand water industry’s impact on the SDGs.