Residents in rural Queensland will soon be able to use a new platform, that will help them access better, more timely information and data about their water use and entitlements. As the project quickly moves toward completion, a delivery partner has been appointed for the $22.7 million a year Water Information Queensland (WaterIQ) program.
The Queensland Water Minister stated that the cloud-based tools will include a customer portal and mobile app. The Minister stated that water is the lifeblood in rural and regional Queensland and it is therefore important that important information about it is made as accessible as possible. Nowadays, daily life has been modernised to be at the click of a button, so this is just in line with the direction the industry is going, the Minister added.
Better information about Queensland’s water use will help stimulate economic development in regional communities, enabling businesses to thrive, diversify, expand and ensure our precious water resources are managed sustainably, protecting our unique environment.
A consortium of two firms is working closely with the department to deliver on the significant investment being made in the WaterIQ project.
The Minister noted that the Queensland water department is investing in technology and digital solutions to ensure customers and the community have better access to accurate and timely water information and services.
He said that these projects will harness existing data from a range of sources and make it easier for water users to provide information about their water usage. The work also includes the development of platforms that allow water users and regulators to access timely water data, water services and general water-related information.
Water users in rural Queensland will be able to input water meter readings via an app, streamlining the current process creating greater efficiencies. Entitlement holders will also be able to readily access their water entitlement information, and potentially, related water market information.
An internal, departmental staff tool is also being developed to support the customer facing tools and progressively replace out-dated processes, reduce red tape and shift compliance data and activities to more efficient, online processes for water users across Queensland.
WaterIQ is part of Rural Water Futures, a program which is driving more transparent and sustainable water resource management in Queensland, through the delivery of better systems, policies and processes. The app and customer web portal will begin user trials later this year.
The Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Water noted that the partner announcement and WaterIQ products are key for users who expect information to be available at their fingertips, through cloud-based tools today.
“Bringing this data together and creating opportunities for water users and government staff to get timely information that helps them on a daily basis is what government should be doing – making information transparently available and helping all stakeholders make informed decisions,” she said.
One firm in the consortium is an Australian company with Brisbane-based staff specialising in helping customers drive better outcomes with technology by an American multinational technology corporation. The other partnering firm is a global leader in the water industry. Operating in Australia since 2011, the firm has delivered transformative solutions to many large rural water businesses and government agencies across Australia.
