Freshwater is vital for the Tasmanian economy, environment, and way of life. Historically, Tasmania has been in the fortunate position of having access to relatively abundant and good quality freshwater resources. However, there is a range of emerging challenges which will influence the future sustainable management of our freshwater resources, including the quality and availability of those water resources.
To address this, the Tasmanian Government developed the
Rural Water Use Strategy. This Strategy proposes a collaborative, science-based and long-term approach that will ensure that Tasmania has a modern water management framework to deliver on the needs of our rural water users, rural communities, water-dependant industries, and the environment, and are sustainable in the face of a changing climate.
The Rural Water Use Strategy comprises of 4 key goals and 32 actions, aimed to guide the future water management arrangements in Tasmania. To facilitate the delivery of the Strategy, an
Implementation Plan has been developed, outlining a schedule of activities spanning from 2022 to 2025.
In September 2023, NRE Tas released the second
Rural Water Use Strategy Progress Report, highlighting the significant progress made in implementing the outlined activities since the release of the Strategy.
With the ongoing implementation of the Strategy and the collective efforts of all involved, we are confident that Tasmania's freshwater resources will be effectively managed and safeguarded for future generations.
Rural Water Use Strategy (PDF 2Mb)
Rural Water Use Strategy Implementation Plan 2022 (PDF 1Mb)
Rural Water Use Strategy Progress Report 2023 (PDF 2Mb)
Headline Activities Underway: