System Leakage Management Plans

In October 2005 amendments to the Water Act 2000 took effect, requiring all Water Service Providers (WSPs) to prepare, and submit for approval, a System Leakage Management Plan (SLMP). In 2008 the Water Act 2000 was superseded by the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 (the Act) but requirements for SLMPs remained substantially the same. Note: in March 2011, the regulator announced that the deadline for SLMPs that had not yet been completed would be extended to 2013 (see e Flash #112). SLMPs that had already been completed must remain in place.

The Act requires that Service Providers have SLMPs in place to minimise the water losses due to leakage from their water supply distribution systems. The plan should document the actual level of system leakage, indicate the measures to reduce leakage and set out a plan to implement those measures that are cost effective for the service provider to implement.

A SLMP must be prepared in accordance with both the provisions of the Act and the DERM SLMP guidelines, and must be submitted by the water service provider for approval by the Regulator. To assist members in completing this requirement, qldwater created SLMP Template and Guidelines and Software to assist in Leakage Calculations and undertook training across the State funded partly by the Department of Local Government. The aims of these activities were:

  • assisting WSPs to fulfil the SLMP obligations of the Act and SLMP guidelines in a cost-effective and professional manner,
  • providing standardised approaches to data collection and analysis that are appropriate to the size of individual WSPs and individual Water Supply Areas,
  • outlining 'best practice' approaches to the management of system leakage, and to related calculations and predictions, and
  • providing standard worksheets for assessing system leakage and an initial estimate of potential leakage savings.

Both documents are freely available to Queensland Water Services Providers from qldwater.

Relevant Documents

SLMP Software Package - EXAMPLE ONLY SLMP Software Package - EXAMPLE ONLY - Release Date 02-Dec-2007: - The SLMP Excel Software Package has been individually licensed and emailed to each council. This easy to use package is freely available to be emailed to all Queensland Water Service Providers upon request (see Contact Us). (0KB)

Do I need a SLMP or DMP? Do I need a SLMP or DMP? - Release Date 12-Sep-2007: - This easy to use flowchart has been created by QWD to assist Water Service Providers in determining whether a Drought Management Plan or System Leakage Management Plan needs to be completed. (0KB)

Clarification on qldwater SLMP Template Clarification on qldwater SLMP Template - Release Date 02-Jul-2007: - List of clarification points on the QWD's SLMP Template based on frequently asked questions arising at the training workshops and from requests from other members. The attached sheet provides a short list of FAQs based on the main sections of the Template. (38KB)