State of play: a review of recreation in drinking water catchments in the Southwest Region of Western Australia

Abstract

This report was commissioned by DEC and DSR to address divergent views on Policy 13 andprovide an independent, balanced analysis of the information available in relation to recreation indrinking water catchments. The report focuses on legislative and management issues associatedwith a review of public drinking water supply area (PDWSA) zoning in the Southwest1 of WesternAustralia. The review of State-wide Policy 13 includes elements relating to exclusion of recreationfrom PDWSAs as a means for minimising risk to drinking water supply quality. The Department ofEnvironment and Conservation (DEC) and Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR) haveconcerns in relation to the review in terms of access to public land, how this might function in thecurrent legislative context and how control of access may be subsequently applied in practice.Stated elements of the review relating to public access are considered to contravene some of thecore functions of DEC as a manager of public lands for recreational access.