Ricardo Completes Independent Review of Tasmania’s Water Accountability Framework

Ricardo has successfully completed an independent review of Tasmania’s Water Accountability Framework for the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas), a significant milestone in the state's commitment to sustainable water management. This review is a key component of Tasmania’s Rural Water Use Strategy, aimed at strengthening the state’s ability to sustainably manage its water resources in the face of emerging challenges including the quality and availability of those resources.

Experts from Ricardo’s Water Management and Markets team collaborated closely with Tasmanian stakeholders to assess the current framework, which includes the Water Accountability and Reporting Policy, the Rural Water Meter Policy, and the Rural Water Meter Decision Framework. The review identified critical areas for improvement, drawing on best practices from other jurisdictions and offering tailored recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of Tasmania’s water accountability.

Critical Need for a Robust Framework

Water accountability is central to effective water resource management, ensuring that water use is measured, managed, and reported accurately. The Tasmanian Government recognised the need for a thorough review to address challenges such as climate change, population growth, and the increasing complexity of water management. These factors have amplified the demand for credible and reliable water use information, necessitating an updated and more robust framework.

Approach and Methodology

Ricardo’s approach to the review was comprehensive, involving an analysis of Tasmania’s existing policies and frameworks against contemporary practices in other regions. The team engaged with stakeholders to understand their objectives and concerns, ensuring that the proposed changes would be both practical and aligned with the state’s future water management needs.

The review process highlighted opportunities for improvement, including the design of a new Catchment Risk Assessment Framework. This framework is intended to inform risk-based water accountability measures, providing a more targeted approach to managing Tasmania’s diverse water resources.

Outcomes and Future Directions

The Tasmanian Government accepted all report recommendations. Implementation of the recommendations by the Tasmanian Government will occur between 2024 to 2027, and comprise:

• Designing a new Catchment Risk Assessment Framework to inform risk-based water accountability measures.
• Updates to water accountability policy and regulatory settings.
• Updating compliance & enforcement systems and data management and reporting systems.

Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Jane Howlett, said the review will increase NRE Tas's understanding of water use and improve how we make water allocation, planning and investment decisions.

“The report found that Tasmania’s current water accountability framework has served Tasmania well but requires modernising to meet challenges from changing climate, population growth, growing complexity in water management arrangements and more demands on our water resource,” Minister Howlett said.

Ricardo’s independent report, ‘Review of Tasmania’s Water Accountability Framework,’ was released by the Tasmanian Government Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Jane Howlett, on Tuesday, 27 August 2024.

Expanding Ricardo’s Impact in Water Management

The successful completion of this project demonstrates Ricardo’s expertise in delivering high-impact, independent reviews that shape future policy directions. With a proven track record in water management and environmental sustainability, Ricardo can support your organisation in addressing the complex challenges of modern water resource management. Contact our experts for a bespoke review of your water management plans >