Transparent water information
We are focused on delivering timely, accessible and responsive water information and services to our customers.
We are working with our stakeholders to develop innovative information, communication and technology strategies, which will enable our customers to easily access water information and services.
This aligns with the Queensland Government priority to be a responsive government.
Our approach
We are investigating technology and digital solutions to ensure customers and the community have better access to accurate and timely water information. Our key objectives are to:
- encourage more efficient use of the resources available
- support water markets and trading and access to unallocated water
- improve the effectiveness of our compliance activities
- increase public confidence in how our water resources are regulated.
This work will include:
- developing systems to capture data to measure and monitor water use more effectively and efficiently
- making more information about water authorisations publicly available and accessible
- establishing future water information system requirements.
Projects and timelines
Note: Some initiatives being delivered under these projects are still being scoped. These will be added once we finalise details.
Core water platforms project
This project will establish the technical capabilities to support more flexible and efficient ways for us to do business now and into the future.
(* initiatives receiving Commonwealth funding)
| Current initiatives | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Develop and implement a future water accounting framework that improves systems and processes to enable automated reconciliation of actual and authorised take | 2021–2023 |
|
Develop and trial a mobile application for Queensland’s licenced water users to simplify and improve the accuracy of the meter reading process* The WaterIQ app trial is underway for up to 12 months from September 2022 with participants from the Central Condamine Alluvium. | 2021–2023 |
| Publish water trades data to provide transparent access to information on the price, location, and volumes of unsupplemented temporary water trading data | 2021–2023 |
| Develop and implement an improved licencing process to assess and finalise seasonal water assignment dealings with licencing applications | 2021–2023 |
| Enable access to business intelligence and reporting tools to improve data and information management and support continuous improvement | 2021–2023 |
| Develop and trial automated processes and new communication channels for recommending and publishing announced entitlements or allocations under water sharing rules | 2021– 2023 |
| Develop a state-wide portal for the department to record and manage supplemented and unsupplemented water authorisations, and riverine authorisations under the Water Act 2000* | 2021–2023 |
|
Develop and trial a web portal for entitlement holders to access information about their water entitlements, resource conditions, and water trading information and notifications* The WaterIQ website trial is underway for up to 12 months from September 2022 with participants from the Border Rivers Alluvium. | 2021–2023 |
Foundation project
This project will establish consistent and sustainable data management and business processes to support enhanced digital capability and services.
(* initiatives receiving Commonwealth funding)
| Current initiatives | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Establish an information management framework to define the resources, roles and accountabilities for the management of content across the business; and data and information management processes and compliance | 2021–2023 |
| Develop data products and services to enable strengthened data and information management including a Data Strategy, a Water Data Audit and Information Asset Register, a Data Glossary and Data Model and provision of the required data platform* | 2021–2023 |
| Develop and implement a process management framework to identify the high-level activities, business requirements and processes we need to have in place to meet our information and systems objectives | 2021–2023 |
Enhanced measurement project
This project is evaluating a range of new and emerging approaches to water measurement and compliance, in partnership with the New South Wales Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Water NSW, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Geoscience Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology.
(* initiatives receiving Commonwealth funding)
| Current initiatives | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Scope, trial and evaluate innovative approaches to cross border measurement and monitoring of overland flow water in the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin* | 2021–2023 |
| Investigate and evaluate opportunities to apply remote sensing technology, water balance modelling and lower-cost measurement tools to measure water flow and storage in the Northern Murray-Darling Basin* | 2021–2023 |
The Queensland Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water (DRDMW) gratefully acknowledges the Australian Government’s financial contribution to the Rural Water Futures Program through the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and the Murray-Darling Basin Communities Investment Package, delivered under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan by the Queensland DRDMW, through funding from the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Completed projects
| Project | Timeline |
|---|---|
|
Undertake a water dashboard trial in 2 water management areas to provide water users with information on their entitlements, water availability and their usage Note: The trial has enabled us to better understand our customers’ information needs and will help us to further enhance our systems so that water users across the state can access accurate, timely water information. | Completed March 2018 |
| Develop a water entitlement viewer - an interactive online platform to access information about water entitlements | Completed February 2019 |
| Develop a future state roadmap that sets the direction for transforming the water business, including water information systems to support contemporary, effective and sustainable water management and compliance | Completed December 2019 |
| Require resource operations licence holders to report to us on the condition and quality of their hydrometric monitoring networks | Completed August 2020 |
More information
Last updated: 06 Dec 2021