Integrated Water Management Plan

Water is central to the health of our cities and towns. Current water supplies are facing increasing demand from a fast-growing population. In the Upper Merri Creek sub-catchment water is being put at the centre of the neighbourhood design through landscaping and design approaches that mimic natural water cycles. The Upper Merri Creek Integrated Water Management Plan will outline how exactly this aspiration will be delivered.

Capire worked with community members of the Upper Merri Creek sub-catchment to co-design a long-term vision. The co-design process enabled us to build their understanding of the complex challenges facing this sub-catchment and consider local community preferences and capacities. It also provided the community with the opportunity to contribute to the development of different options being considered in the Integrated Water Management (IWM). Taking a place-based approach is critical to the success of any IWM project. It factors local community preferences and capacity with local resources, and the roles and responsibilities of different authorities and regulators. It was important to have a conversation with the community because it does involve change. Without community buy-in, IWM can’t be delivered to its full potential.

Following the engagement, the vision and the challenges were taken to the Upper Merri Creek Symposium where project partners, industry stakeholders and the community came together to hear and discuss ways to work together to deliver on the vision.