The State Planning Policy 2.9 Water (SPP 2.9), alongside the Planning for Water Guidelines, were published on 16 December 2025 and became operational on 18 December 2025.
The policy and Guidelines, ensures that planning and development considers water resource management, applying appropriate measures to protect water quality and quantity and deliver sustainable outcomes for both water resources and development.
Water is a basic requirement of life. The health and wellbeing of the community, the environment and the economy are all dependent upon water that is of sufficient quantity and quality. Groundwater, surface water and desalinated water support a wide range of ecological and human use values such as habitats, drinking water, amenity, recreation, tourism, agriculture, fishing, aquaculture, mining, industry and cultural heritage.
Western Australia’s water resources are vulnerable and subject to increasing pressure from climate change and land uses, that can affect both water quality and quantity. Climate change in Western Australia has already resulted in changes to rainfall patterns, increased temperatures and sea level rise, which has in-turn impacted the reliability and quality of our water resources.
Land use change and development, required to support a growing population, can impact water resources through changes to hydrological regimes, ecological health, contamination, water demand, salinisation and eutrophication. Land use planning plays an important role in ensuring that future development is appropriately located and serviced with wastewater, stormwater, and groundwater management infrastructure. It also needs to ensure that water quality and quantity are managed, and that environmental, social and cultural values of water are protected.
The new SPP 2.9 and Guidelines replace:
- State Planning Policy 2.1 Peel-Harvey Coastal Plain Catchment
- State Planning Policy 2.2 Gnangara Groundwater Protection
- State Planning Policy 2.3 Jandakot Groundwater Protection
- State Planning Policy 2.7 Public Drinking Water Source Policy
- State Planning Policy 2.9 Water Resources
- State Planning Policy 2.10 Swan-Canning River System
- Policy measures that address flooding within SPP 3.4 Natural Hazards and Disasters
- Government Sewerage Policy
- Government Sewerage Policy Explanatory Guidelines
For further information and access to the Policy and Guidelines please visit State Planning Policy 2.9 Water.
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