DIRECTORATE: RDM COMPLIANCE

AIM: To establish Resource Quality Objectives (RQOs) to ensure that resource quality and reserve requirements are achieved by auditing the implementation of the Resource Directed Measures (RDMs).

The directorate assesses the “state of the nation’s” water resources against resource quality objectives, and report on the implications of this resource quality. This would particularly involve the following focus areas:

• Development of sustainability indicators

AIM: To develop indicators to measure compliance with resource quality objectives.

The sustainability indicators will be developed to highlight the implications of not meeting resource quality objectives, particularly in terms of public health, ecological, social and economic impacts. This work involve (a) the identification and implementation of sustainability indicators to assess and audit compliance with protection measures and (b) the development of reporting procedures to allow state of water resources reporting.

• Resource Quality Assessments

AIM: To assess the quality of the nation's water resources.

Assessing the state/quality of the nation's water resources, and assessing resource quality of significant resources against the RQO and the Reserve, to ensure that the water resources are managed sustainably in the public interest. This includes preliminary evaluation of water resources management in catchments for which objectives are not being met. This work involves (a) the development and implementation of water resource assessment procedures, (b) the prioritisation of water resource assessment studies, and (c) ensuring that water resources are managed sustainable in the public interest.

• Communication

AIM: To co-ordinate and communicate the results of the resource quality assessments.

Coordinating and communicating the results of the resource quality assessments, including the requirement for strategic or other interventions. This work involves (a) the co-ordination of results reporting emanating from resource quality assessment and audits, and (b) the compilation of documents to ensure strategic or other interventions, as and when required.