Environmental values - Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 1997
The purpose of the Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 1997 (EPP Water) is to achieve the objective identified by the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) — to protect Queensland’s waters while allowing for development that is ecologically sustainable.
This purpose is achieved within a framework that includes:
- identifying environmental values (EVs) for Queensland waters (aquatic ecosystems, water for drinking, water supply, water for agriculture, industry and recreational use)
- deciding and stating water quality guidelines and water quality objectives (WQOs) to enhance or protect the environmental values.
EVs and WQOs can be included in Schedule 1 of the EPP Water. The scheduling process is set out in the EPP Water. This process is based on the approach in the National Water Quality Management Strategy (NWQMS, 2000), Implementation Guidelines (1998) and further outlined in the Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (2000).
The Environmental Protection (Water) Amendment Policy (No. 1) 2007 updates current EVs and WQOs under Schedule 1 of the EPP Water. Corresponding spatial (GIS) datasets are available.
Last updated: 04 June 2008
