Water quality publications
Hard copies of a number of these publications are available from the Community Information Unit.
National Water Quality Management Strategy
These guidelines have been endorsed and released by the Environment Protection Heritage Council (EPHC), the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council (NRMMC) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). These guidelines are not mandatory and provide guidance on water quality management.
Policies and process for water quality management
- Document 1: Water quality management - an outline of the policies - 1994
- Document 2: Policies and principles - a reference document - 1994
- Document 3: Implementation guidelines - 1998
Water quality benchmarks
- Document 4a: An Introduction to the Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality - 2000
- Document 4: Australian and New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality - 2000 (often referred to as the ANZECC guidelines) (order printed copy)
- Document 5: Guidelines for managing risks in recreational water - 2008
- Document 6: Australian drinking water guidelines - 2011
- Document 7a: Australian guidelines for water quality monitoring and reporting - Summary - 2000
- Document 7: Australian guidelines for water quality monitoring and reporting - 2000
Groundwater management
Diffuse and point sources
- Document 9: Rural land uses and water quality - a community resource document - 2000
- Document 10: Guidelines for urban stormwater management - 2000
Guidelines for Sewerage Systems
- Document 11: Guidelines for sewerage systems - effluent management - 1997
- Document 12: Guidelines for sewerage systems - acceptance of trade waste (industrial waste) - 1994
- Document 13: Guidelines for sewerage systems - sludge (biosolids) management - 2004
- Document 14: Guidelines for sewerage systems - use of reclaimed water - 1999
(also see related documents 21-24 Guidelines for recycled water below) - Document 15: Guidelines for sewerage systems - sewerage system overflows - 2004 (order printed copy)
Effluent Management
- Document 16a: Effluent management guidelines for dairy sheds - 1999
- Document 16b: Effluent management guidelines for dairy processing plants - 1999
- Document 17: Effluent management guidelines for intensive piggeries - 1999
- Document 18: Effluent management guidelines for aqueous wool scouring and carbonising - 1999
- Document 19: Effluent management guidelines for tanning and related industries in Australia - 1999
- Document 20: Effluent management guidelines for Australian wineries and distilleries - 1998
Water recycling
- Document 21a: A guide to the National guidelines for water recycling - National Water Quality Management Strategy: Overview of the Australian guidelines for water recycling: Managing health and environmental risks - 2008
- Document 21: Australian guidelines for water recycling: Managing health and environmental risks (Phase 1) - 2006
- Document 22: Australian guidelines for water recycling: Managing health and environmental risks (Phase 2) - Augmentation of drinking water supplies - 2008
- Document 23: Australian guidelines for water recycling: Managing health and environmental risks - Stormwater harvesting and reuse - 2009
- Document 24: Australian guidelines for water recycling: Managing health and environmental risks - Managed aquifer recharge - 2009
Other water quality publications and reports
- Latest publicationBlackwater events and water quality fact sheet - 2012
- Latest publicationBlue-green algae (cyanobacteria) and water quality fact sheet - 2012
- Latest publicationBushfires and water quality fact sheet - 2012
- Latest publicationInland acid sulfate soil and water quality fact sheet - 2012
- Latest publicationSalinity and water quality fact sheet - 2012
- Indigenous cultural & spiritual values in water quality planning - 2012
- Independent Evaluation of the National Water Quality Management Strategy - Final Report - 2011
- Desktop review - Impact of bushfires on water quality - 2011
- National guidance for the management of acid sulfate soils in inland aquatic ecosystems - 2011
- Assessing the need to revise the Guidelines for groundwater protection in Australia: A review report - 2010
Includes the following documents:- Groundwater Guidelines Literature Review - Milestone Report
- Groundwater Guidelines End-user Analysis - Milestone Report
- Groundwater Guidelines Review - Final Report
- Groundwater Guidelines Regulatory Review - Final Report
- Groundwater Guidelines Regulatory Review - Appendices A B
- Water Quality Guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park - 2009
- Final Report on a Stakeholder Workshop on 2 December 2008 for the Future Development of the Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality - March 2009
- A Preliminary Review of the Development Needs of the National Water Quality Management Strategy Guidelines 1-22 - March 2009
- Final discussion paper on implementation of the National Water Quality Management Strategy - 2008
- Assessment of the Approach taken for the Adaption of the CSIRO Pesticide Impact Rating Index (PIRI) to Tasmanian Conditions - Final report - 2008
- Better Water Workshop Series: Moving forward with the National Water Quality Management Strategy - 2008
- Better Water Workshops Series: Final Evaluation Report - 2009
- Water quality targets: a handbook - 2002
- Random Audit of Historical Water Quality Monitoring Data and Associated Operational/Landscape and Climate Data - First report - 2007
- Random Audit of Historical Water Quality Monitoring Data and Associated Operational/Landscape and Climate Data - Second report - 2007
- The Framework for Marine and Estuarine Water Quality Protection: A Reference Document - 2002
- Improving water quality: Stories of progress and success from across Australia - 2012
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