CEO of the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, Tony Wong, announced at a forum on 26 November 2015 that the CRC will work with its industry partners and other stakeholders in South Australia to develop a plan to support Adelaide’s transition to a water sensitive city.
As the CRC begins the development of its second, three-year research program “Tranche 2”, Adelaide WSUD practitioners from across government, industry and research institutions were asked to assess where Adelaide sits on the city-state continuum for urban water management. The results indicated the need for a shift in governance structures, policy and practice if our aim to become a water sensitive city can be realised.
Figure 1 – City State Continuum for Urban Water Management (Brown et al, 2009)
Participants stated a need for Adelaide to:
- Develop a common vision and narrative of what a water sensitive Adelaide will look like across state government agencies, local government and industry.
- Identify opportunities for the development of services and products that will be needed for a water sensitive city.
- Embed water sensitive urban design into asset planning, renewal and maintenance.
- Understand the business case for a water sensitive city and how water sensitive cities can deliver prosperity.
Of great interest to attendees was the possibilities for research adoption pathways for Tranche 1 project outputs. Over the next 12-18 months, Water Sensitive SA will work closely with the CRC to share their research outcomes and apply the findings in practice