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Water policies review

The WAPC, has reviewed the State’s water planning policy framework and released Draft State Planning Policy 2.9 Planning for Water (SPP 2.9) and Planning for Water Guidelines for public comment.

Draft SPP 2.9 and Guidelines will help streamline and simplify the current planning framework to deliver greater clarity around how water-related provisions are implemented.

Once gazetted, it is intended that SPP 2.9 and Guidelines will replace water-related policies including State Planning Policy 2.2 Gnangara groundwater protection.

To view Draft SPP 2.9 and Guidelines and have your say on its content, please visit

The policy will help local government, land development proponents and the public to ensure that land use change and development over the Gnangara mound is compatible with the long-term use of the groundwater for public consumption.

The policy provides guidance on the compatibility of land uses in priority 1, 2 and 3 source protection areas in the underground water pollution control areas and guidance on planning requirements that need to be considered before rezoning, development, or subdivision can proceed in the policy area.

The objectives of the policy are to:

• ensure that all land use changes in the policy area are compatible with the long-term protection and management of groundwater quality and quantity for public drinking water supply, in accordance with priority source protection area classification objectives
• protect groundwater quality and quantity in order to maintain the dependent ecosystems, ecological values and integrity of wetlands and native vegetation, in accordance with recognised conservation values
• protect and/or enhance the quality and quantity of groundwater, in accordance with accepted water quality guidelines and standards for the following uses
  • domestic human use
  • industry
  • agriculture and
  • recreation and aesthetics.

Related policies