Final regional water strategies

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