The City of Karratha has been named Platinum Waterwise Council of the Year at an event recognising Western Australia’s leading Waterwise councils, businesses and developers.
Held in Perth on 6 May, the 2026 Waterwise Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in water efficiency and sustainable water management across the State.
In receiving the Platinum Waterwise Council recognition, the City of Karratha becomes the first local government outside of Perth and Mandurah to achieve the State’s highest level of Waterwise accreditation.
The City received the Platinum Waterwise Council award in recognition of initiatives including the implementation of climate-responsive urban landscaping, installation of smart water metering, upgrading on-site waste water treatment and reuse and upgrades to ageing water infrastructure at Karratha Airport.
Upgrades to water distribution infrastructure and centralised monitoring systems at the airport, combined with on-site wastewater treatment and reuse, delivered an 86 per cent reduction in water consumption over three years and reduced per-passenger water use by 80 per cent.
At the Karratha Leisureplex, upgrades to the Building Management System, additional submeters and targeted maintenance works delivered a 42 per cent reduction in water use.In addition to the Platinum Waterwise Council of the Year award, the City also received Gold Waterwise Aquatic Centre recognition for the Karratha Leisureplex, Roebourne Aquatic Centre and Wickham Recreation Precinct.
City of Karratha Mayor Daniel Scott said the City was proud to be recognised as a leader in sustainable water management.
“Receiving Platinum Waterwise status is a fantastic achievement for our entire organisation, and reflects the strong commitment we have made to sustainable water use across our operations and facilities,” Cr Scott said.
“From smart metering technology through to water recycling, more climate-responsive landscaping and significant infrastructure upgrades, these initiatives are helping us build a more sustainable and resilient future for our region.
“I’d like to thank our staff and partners whose innovation and ongoing efforts have contributed to this outstanding result.”