Archived: Water Efficiency Management Plans

Water Efficiency Management Plans (WEMPs) are created by non-residential customers and administered by Water Service Providers. They were created to "help businesses and other non-residential water users assess their current water use and identify additional water savings. The plans demonstrate if a water user is already at best practice in water efficiency or is planning to become water efficient in the near future".

Specifically WEMPs help businesses to:

  • account for water use in a business or other non-residential premises;
  • identify water saving measures that can be applied to a business or other non-residential premises; and
  • prepare a plan for implementing the identified measures, including the identified savings and program time lines.

Summary Facts - WEMPs

Mandatory In SEQ and when directed by the regulator in regional Qld.
Relevant Period 2008 - 2014
Exemptions Not mandatory in regional Qld except under direction.
Penalty Provisions not requiring customers to create (or ammend) WEMPs, not providing a report on customer progress within 20 days of a request by the Regulator.
Penalty units 100 - 500
Approved No (WSP approves customer's WEMP)
Reporting As requested.

WEMPs are administered by Water Service Providers and penalties can apply to businesses and other non-residential customers which do not complete their WEMP in accordance with the notification from the Service provider. Even streonger penalties are possible for customers who do not comply with their WEMP (s 53-55 of Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008).

Water Service Providers in South East Queensland were required under QWC Guidelines to participate in the WEMP process by specific dates in 2008 and a series of guidelines are available for different types of business.

In regional Queensland, WEMPs may be required at the discretion of Water Service Providers (see Guidelines) or can be required by the Regulator under certain circumstances. The Regulator can require a WSP to impose a WEMP on specific customer or a certain class of customers with a maximum of 500 penalty units for non-compliance by a WSP. Under certain circumstances, the regulator may require a WSP to notify their customers to amend or update their WEMPs with non-compliance attracting 500 penalty units from the WSP and 500 penalty units for a customer who does not comply with the resultant notice from the WSP.

A customer may also request an amendment to an approved WEMP. All WEMPs must be reviewed at least every 5 years. A report must be provided to the regulator with 20 days of request about progress on customers WEMPs with a 100 penalty units associated with not complying.

Documents Related to WEMPS

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