Water literacy

Community stewardship

Water literacy in SEQ

South East Queenslanders generally have higher water literacy levels

Maybe it's because they've had to contend with many disaster-scale flooding events, but SEQ residents tend to have a higher water literacy level than other Australian residents

Factors that affect waterway health

There is a generally good understanding of factors that positively and negatively affect waterway health amongst SEQ residents

Where the gaps are

There is generally lower knowledge about water treatment processes and drinking water supply systems

Water literacy includes knowledge about water sources, water management and water-related issues. Progress towards sustainable water management in urban areas is either influenced directly or indirectly by the practice and behaviour of individuals and communities. The relative “water literacy” of communities has been found to influence the willingness and readiness to adopt new practices or accept changes in practice.

Communities with higher water literacy demonstrate greater willingness to adopt new practices or accept necessary changes. Establishing and tracking the community’s knowledge and understanding of urban water management can be used as a foundation to guide more targeted engagement strategies to increase literacy in key areas.

Here's a snapshot of just some of the action over the past 5 years. These numbers will grow as more groups from across the region contribute their data.