Territory water plan
The Territory water plan is the Northern Territory’s (NT) first whole‑of‑government strategic plan for water.
The plan aims to deliver water security for all Territorians, now and into the future
With aspirations for a growing population and an economy of $40 billion by 2030, and the challenge of climate change, we need a plan for water security that fits the Territory context.
Priority areas and actions in the plan aim to balance the needs for safe and reliable water for drinking and economic development with maintaining healthy country and ecosystems, and improving the liveability of the Territory.
Priority actions in the plan will:
- prioritise safe drinking water for all Territorians
- support sustainable development for the Territory
- drive efficiency and productivity in water use
- deliver good governance, transparency and accountability in water management
- protect environmental and cultural values
- support the Territory’s resilience to climate change and its impacts on water security
- secure the Darwin region's future water supply.
Read the Territory water plan PDF (3.5 MB).
Watch a video about the plan.
Read the Territory water plan video transcript.
Developing the plan
The Office of Water Security has worked with all levels of government and community, stakeholder organisations and business groups to shape a plan to deliver the right balance of actions to deliver better water security over 3 years (starting in 2023) and into the future.
A summary of feedback received on the draft plan and earlier directions paper is available on the Have Your Say website.
Progress on the plan
Work has already commenced on a number of priority actions in the plan, including:
A progress report will be released in 2024.
- developing new safe drinking water legislation
- the NT Government leading the way to improve its water efficiency
- securing the Darwin region’s future water supply
- securing investment from the National Water Grid Authority and partners for infrastructure to deliver water security outcomes in remote communities
- seeking feedback from Aboriginal peak organisations in the NT on the design of an Aboriginal Water Advisory Council.
The Office of Water Security
The Office of Water Security was created to develop the plan, lead its implementation and coordinate key water reforms across government to deliver a secure water future for the Territory.
The Office of Water Security is part of the Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security and reports to the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Security.
To get in contact with us, email watersecurity.ntg@nt.gov.au
For more information about the Territory’s water resources, including water management laws, policies, permits and licenses, go to the Northern Territory Government website.
For more information about water supply across the Territory, go to the Power and Water website.