Territory water plan video transcript

[Nerida Horner, Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security, on screen and voiceover]

The Territory water plan is the Northern Territory’s first strategic whole of government plan for water, and it was released in June 2023.

The plan has the long term goal to deliver water security for all Territorians, now and into the future.

It’s a plan which provides direction for the NT Government and partners like utilities, businesses and the community to work together to make sure that we have water security for all.

[Susannah Clement, Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security, on screen and voiceover]

The plan was developed by the Office of Water Security. We are a small team who works across the NT Government on strategic water policy.

We consulted with government colleagues, and community and stakeholder groups that all have an interest in water from across the NT.

And we did this through workshops, forums, meetings and community surveys.

[Rowan Reilly, Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security, appears on screen and voiceover]

We heard that access to safe and secure drinking water, particularly for remote communities, was the most important issue.

This is reflected in the plan’s four priority areas of safety, supply, sustainability, and trust and confidence.

The plan has 16 priority actions which the NT Government will deliver over the next few years. Some of these actions include:

• infrastructure to secure water for Darwin as it grows
• new safe drinking water laws to ensure water quality across the NT meets health guidelines, and
• reform of the NT’s 30 year old Water Act.

However, improving water security will take time, and we recognise that the actions in the plan are just a start.

[Susannah Clement appears on screen and voice over]

It is so important that Aboriginal people’s voices are properly heard and respected when it comes to water, particularly in the NT, where there is a high proportion of Aboriginal people, and many living on Country.

Actions in the plan aim to encourage participation in water management, or help us work together to better understand Aboriginal cultural values of water.

[Simon Wurst, Power and Water Corporation, appears on screen and voice over]

Being part of the plan’s development was so important given Power and Water’s role in supplying water to across all corners of the Territory. Power and Water is the main provider of water in the NT, supplying 18 urban centres, 72 remote communities as well as a number of outstations.

The Territory water plan gives us a blueprint to plan for the future of safe and secure supply for our customers.

What we appreciated about the process is we are now more than ever connected with government and our communities, working together to deliver the actions in the plan we have all committed to.

[Lindsay Smith, Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communications, appears on screen and voice over]

A key outcome from the Territory water plan is addressing water security and water quality concerns in remote communities.

There are 3 actions in the Territory water plan associated with remote communities. The first of those is community information forums. The second is a prioritised infrastructure list. And the third is partnering with the National Water Grid Authority for infrastructure upgrades related to water in remote communities.

[Susannah Clement appears on screen]

This plan gives us direction. We have actions we want to do over the next three years; outcomes to achieve in the long term. It’s a really exciting time for water in the Territory.

[Northern Territory Government logo]

Return to Territory water plan.