Statement of Planning Policy No. 2.7 - Public Drinking Water Source Policy.

The objective of this policy is to ensure that land use and development within Public Drinking Water Source Areas (PDWSAs) is compatible with the protection and long-term management of water resources for public water supply. The Policy Measures are: Local and regional planning strategies should identify PDWSAs based on advice from the WRC. Within the Perth Metropolitan Region, Priority 1 and 2 source protection areas should be included in the Water Catchments reservation, or the Rural Water Protection zone respectively, or covered by a special control area for water protection in the MRS and corresponding town planning scheme. The specific classification of land within source protection areas should be in accordance with the recommendations of any land use and water management strategy published by the WAPC, such as the Jandakot Land Use and Water Management Strategy (1995) and the Gnangara Land Use and Water Management Strategy (2001), or any water source protection plan approved by the WRC. Local government planning schemes and decisions on land use and development within the Perth Metropolitan Region should be consistent with these strategies and with relevant gazetted Statements of Planning Policy, such as Statement of Planning Policy No. 3: Gnangara Crown Land (1995) and Statement of Planning Policy No. 6: Jandakot Groundwater Protection Policy (1998), to ensure that priority is given to the protection of highest quality public drinking water. Acceptable land uses in source protection areas are those which are compatible with, or can be managed to be compatible with, the sustainable use of the water resource and the retention of environmental values associated with that resource.
The purpose of this policy is to inform local governments and the Town Planning Appeal Tribunal of those aspects of State-level planning policy concerning the protection of PDWSAs which should be taken into account in planning decision-making. The policy will also guide the WAPC in undertaking its planning responsibilities, and in integrating and coordinating activities of State agencies which influence the use, development and management of land contained in PDWSAs. The Water and Rivers Commission (WRC) is responsible for managing and protecting water resources. Existing and future drinking water sources are protected by the declaration of Underground Water Pollution Control Areas (UWPCAs), Water Reserves and Catchment Areas under the Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Act 1909 and the Country Areas Water Supply Act 1947. These are collectively known as PDWSAs. The legislation enables the WRC to control potentially polluting activities. Permits are required from the WRC to commence activities which are potentially polluting in the Perth Metropolitan Region. The WRC has identified the following priority classification for PDWSAs: Priority 1 source protection areas are defined and managed to ensure there is no degradation of the water resource in these areas. Priority 2 source protection areas are defined to ensure that there is no increased risk of pollution to the water source. Priority 3 source protection areas are defined to manage the risk of pollution of the water source.