Water Efficiency Management Plans (WEMPs) are a long-term demand management strategy requiring businesses to achieve water use efficiency. They are a key element of the Queensland Water Commission’s (QWC) water restrictions. While the development and implementation of a WEMP enables businesses to assess their activities and identify and implement water savings, the overall aim is for businesses to make the efficient use of water a part of normal day to day business operations.

The Drought Exit Strategy released by the QWC identified WEMPs as a permanent water conservation measure which will be retained regardless of the water restriction levels. The water restrictions and the WEMP process are statutory requirements enforceable under the Water Act, 2000.

WEMPs assist businesses to:

• Account for water use in a business or non-residential premise.
• Identify water saving measures that can be readily applied to a business or other non-residential premises.
• Prepare a plan for implementing the identified measures, including the identified savings, program priority and implementation timelines.

All WEMPs must:

• Be prepared in accordance with the QWC Guideline.
• Be submitted for approval to the relevant water service provider (WSP) (Allconnex Water is a WSP).
• Be capable of third party certification.
• Contain details (including dates) of how the business is achieving or plans to achieve a 25 per cent reduction of water use or best practice.

Best practice can be demonstrated by documenting and justifying why such measures are considered to be best practice. For example, businesses can assess and benchmark their activities and processes against industry accepted key performance indicators or relevant business or industry standards.

Further information

• Who is required to submit a WEMP?
• Customer Annual Report requirements – all WEMPs
• Cooling Tower Annual Report requirements – all WEMPs
• Business requirement - lodge documented evidence for water efficient water fittings
• Active playing surfaces
• Non-residential premises - existing swimming pools and spas

Please visit the Queensland Water Commission website for further information or contact the Allconnex Water Customer Contact Centre on 1300 000 WATER (1300 000 928).