SA Water, as a provider of water and wastewater services, will play a leading role in a sustainable future for South Australian communities. We are committed to operating our business in an environmentally responsible manner. This Environmental Policy is part of our Strategic Plan and represents a broad commitment by SA Water to ecologically sustainable development.
In providing our services, we plan, build, operate and maintain, bulk water transfer systems and storages, water treatment facilities and distribution networks, wastewater collection systems and treatment plants, and other associated facilities. All of these activities can have an impact on the environment.
Through enacting our Strategic Plan and Corporate Environmental Management Plan and by achievement of our targets, we demonstrate our commitment to best practice environmental management that minimises our impacts on the environment and prevents pollution. In providing our services, we seek to engage with our stakeholders, contractors and suppliers and work together to achieve our environmental objectives.
To meet this commitment, we will:
- Comply with all environmental legal requirements and environmental agreements developed in any partnerships;
- Ensure that our practices and operations incorporate principles of ecological sustainability;
- Implement management systems for continual improvement of our operations and apply a risk management approach to minimise our impacts on the environment;
- Participate in the development of policies and programs relevant to SA Water's business including: water conservation; environmental flows; wastewater discharge and reuse; greenhouse gas emissions; biosolids management; solid waste management; chemical use and chemical waste management;
- Adopt an open and transparent approach to sharing information about our environmental performance;
- Encourage innovation and the development of sustainable technologies that have environmental benefits;
- Establish and improve relationships between SA Water and the communities we serve, to foster an understanding of environmental issues and identify actions to achieve improved environmental outcomes;
- Communicate this Policy to our staff and the community.