International program – What’s it all about?

The purpose of the Australian Water Association’s International Program is to ensure that the expertise and experience of our members and the wider Australian water sector are profiled and positioned to play a key role internationally. The expertise and technological innovations developed over Australia’s 20 year water reform journey (NCP 1994 and NWI 2004) are in high demand and globally recognised. There exist many commonalities between the reforms that Australia has emerged from and the reforms being undertaken in many countries overseas. Managing the impacts to the water sector from a changing climate is central to these common challenges and a focus of the Association’s International Program.

To find out more read the International Program - Membership Value Summary.

International relationships

The Australian Water Association’s agreements with counterpart organisations have led to a greater exchange of information and increased visits to Australia by international water professionals. It has also seen the Association taking on significant DFAT-funded projects across the Indo-Pacific, which will lead to great opportunities for the Australian water sector. 

The alliances the Association has secured in ASEAN countries was an outcome of the Asian Business Engagement funding, an Austrade funding program. The success of the Association’s work in ASEAN encouraged ANZ Bank to join the Association as sponsor and partner in the international program. ANZ Bank is the principal sponsor of the Australian Water Association’s international program and is working with the Association in water sectors in Vietnam, Korea and Indonesia. 

MoU's have been signed between the Australian Water Association and the:

• Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KETI)
• Korea Water and Wastewater Works Association (KWWA)
• Malaysia Water Association (MWA)
• Pacific Water & Wastewater Association (PWWA)
• Vietnam Water Supply and Sewerage Association (VWSA)
• American Water Works Association
• Federation of Thai Industry (FTI)
• Persatuan Perusahaan Air Minum Indonesia – Indonesian Water Supply Association (PERPAMSI)
• Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU)
• Philippines Water Works Association (PWWA)