Corporate Member Spotlight: City of Launceston
by Justin Matters
PHOTO: City of Launceston
The AWA are proud to announce our new Corporate Member for Tasmania, the City of Launceston.
Erica Deegan, Team Leader Water outlined the importance of being part of the Australian Water Association and why Launceston is poised for water sustainability.
Tell us about the City of Launceston
Launceston is the regional hub of Northern Tasmania and enjoys a rich natural and social history. Located at the head of the picturesque Tamar Valley, the Launceston region is renowned for its award-winning wines, gourmet dining experiences, magnificent natural features and friendly residents. Our city is human scale. A series of green and wild spaces linked by heritage streetscapes and thoughtful adaptions. A real blend of old-world and new, tradition and innovation. The City of Launceston municipal area covers an area of 1,405 square kilometres with a population of around 71,000 residents. The City of Launceston is Tasmania’s largest municipal council in terms of population and revenue. Launceston boasts all the major facilities of a much larger city, many of which are owned and operated by the City of Launceston. Launceston has a close connection to the water, being settled on the floodplain at the mouth of the kanamaluka / Tamar Estuary, where the North and South Esk Rivers meet. Flooding has shaped the Launceston, with the lower lying areas of the City now being protected by an extensive flood levee system.
What does water sustainability mean for the City of Launceston?
The City of Launceston strives to be a leader in all aspects of sustainability. We are working towards zero emissions and zero landfill; to be an adaptive, resilient and smart city; and to value, protect and promote our unique natural capital. Our commitments in the sustainability space are outlined in our Sustainability Strategy and our Sustainability Action Plan. Considering water sustainability, we are undertaking a multi-pronged approach to ensure that we use water the best we can in our facilities, as well as looking for options for ecosystem protection and improvements, particularly in our urban waterways. We are currently undertaking a water audit across the City of Launceston's assets prior to developing and implementing a water conservation and efficiency plan.
What are you most excited about working with the Australian Water Association on?
The City of Launceston looks forward to working with the AWA through local knowledge sharing and networking. We are seeing an ever increasing expectation of increased environmental sustainability from members of the public and see opportunities for industry collaboration through the AWA to build networks, learn from others and ensure we are doing the best we can for our community.
What is a focus area for the City of Launceston?
Improvements to our urban waterways. The City of Launceston sees its purpose to protect, promote and restore urban waterway health. There are a number of council endorsed strategies and plans which include placing value on waterway health and actions on how to move towards healthier aquatic ecosystems. The City of Launceston has implemented a multi-pronged approach to urban waterway management and understands the need for collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to achieve improvements. Through our Sustainability Action Plan, Stormwater System Management Plan and Urban Waterway Health Program, we are working broadly to realise improvements to our waterways.
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