Product Overview

Summary: This Sustainable Water Use Standard Operating Procedure provides a practical, step-by-step framework for planning, using, monitoring and conserving water across your operations. It helps Australian businesses cut costs, meet environmental and regulatory expectations, and demonstrate genuine commitment to sustainable resource management.

Water is a critical input for many Australian businesses, from manufacturing and food processing to agriculture, hospitality and local government facilities. At the same time, increasing water scarcity, rising utility costs and tighter environmental expectations mean that unmanaged water use is a growing commercial and reputational risk. This Sustainable Water Use Standard Operating Procedure sets out a clear, repeatable system for how water is sourced, used, monitored, reused and discharged across your sites.

The SOP translates high-level sustainability goals into day-to-day operational practice. It guides staff through water efficiency planning, equipment selection and maintenance, leak detection, use of alternative water sources (such as rainwater and recycled water), and responsible discharge to sewer or the environment. By embedding measurable controls and responsibilities, it helps you reduce consumption and costs, support ESG and sustainability reporting, and align with Australian regulatory requirements and best-practice standards. The document is fully adaptable to different industries and site types, providing a robust foundation for both new sustainability initiatives and continuous improvement of existing water management programs.

Key Benefits

• Reduce overall water consumption through structured planning, monitoring and continuous improvement.
• Lower operational costs by minimising water and trade waste charges and avoiding penalties for non-compliance.
• Demonstrate environmental leadership and support ESG reporting with documented, auditable water management practices.
• Standardise sustainable water use practices across multiple sites, shifts and contractors.
• Support compliance with Australian environmental and water authority requirements by defining clear controls and responsibilities.

Who is this for?

• Operations Managers
• Environmental Managers
• Facility Managers
• Sustainability Managers
• WHS and Compliance Managers
• Site Supervisors
• Farm and Agribusiness Managers
• Manufacturing Plant Managers
• Local Government Asset Managers
• Hospitality and Accommodation Managers
• Property and Strata Managers

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose, Scope and Objectives
• 2.0 Definitions and Key Terms (Potable, Non-potable, Recycled, Trade Waste)
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Water Use Mapping and Baseline Assessment
• 5.0 Water Efficiency Planning and Target Setting
• 6.0 Approved Water Sources (Scheme, Groundwater, Rainwater, Recycled)
• 7.0 Operational Controls for Water Use in Processes and Facilities
• 8.0 Leak Detection, Reporting and Rectification Procedure
• 9.0 Use and Management of Rainwater and Recycled Water Systems
• 10.0 Cleaning, Irrigation and Cooling Tower Water Use Protocols
• 11.0 Monitoring, Metering and Record Keeping
• 12.0 Trade Waste, Stormwater and Effluent Management
• 13.0 Environmental and Regulatory Compliance Requirements
• 14.0 Contractor and Supplier Management for Water-Intensive Activities
• 15.0 Incident, Non-Conformance and Corrective Action Process
• 16.0 Training, Awareness and Communication
• 17.0 Continuous Improvement, Auditing and Review
• 18.0 Document Control and Version History

Legislation & References

• AS/NZS 5667: Water quality – Sampling
• AS/NZS 3500: Plumbing and drainage (for water supply, rainwater and recycled water systems)
• AS/NZS ISO 14001: Environmental management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
• National Water Quality Management Strategy (NWQMS)
• Water Management Acts and regulations applicable in each Australian state and territory (e.g. Water Management Act 2000 (NSW))
• Environment Protection Acts and associated regulations in relevant jurisdictions
• Local water authority trade waste and discharge guidelines