Queensland’s 12th water and sewerage benchmarking report has been completed using 2021/22 data and is available from the links below.
Following positive feedback from members, the report is again being published as a package that includes two sets of slides formatted for display with charts for all water reporting entities separated into (1) medium, large and extra-large service providers (>1,000 connections), and (2) small and indigenous service providers. The package includes a document providing explanatory notes and additional insights that should be read in conjunction with the charts. The slide deck and explanatory report contains a suite of indicators and benchmarking data for all 72 of Queensland’s council owned urban water/sewerage utilities.
Please download all three documents for the complete package.
State Benchmarking Report 2021-22 Explanatory Notes - Release Date 31-Jan-2023: - State Benchmarking Report 2021-22 - Explanatory Notes
State Benchmarking Report 2021-22 MLXL - Release Date 31-Jan-2023: - 2021-22 Benchmarking Report for Medium, Large and Extra Large Service Providers
State Benchmarking Report 2021-22 SIND - Release Date 31-Jan-2023: - State Benchmarking Report 2021-22 for Small and Indigenous service providers
This was the eighth year Service Providers in the State reported via the Key Performance Indicators Reporting Framework.
The benchmarking of Queensland’s water and sewerage data allows competition by comparison and is nationally and internationally accepted as the best tool to improve the water and sewage industry.
Benchmarking is essential to maintain an effective and efficient water industry and is common in other jurisdictions, nationally and in other countries. For example:
With amendments to the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act in June 2014, a number of new reporting dates and requirements have been introduced. There has been some confusion expressed by members due to the terminology used in the Act and we hope that this reference table will assist our members.
Most reports and plans must be made available for inspection and purchase but a number of documents must now be published online including Drinking Water Quality Management Plan Reports.
Reporting on performance is essential for water utilities, which are natural monopolies, to provide surety and transparency to consumers as well as to satisfy regulatory requirements and allow benchmarking and competition by comparison.
All service providers report to the Regulator and provide annual reports and Council reports. Reporting on specified water and performance indicators is also required under legislation by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Bureau of Meteorology and the National Water Accounting Framework.
In Queensland, all larger (>10,000 connections) Service Providers are required to report through the National Performance Reporting (NPR) framework (which is not available to smaller utilities).
A collective approach to managing and distributing water performance indicators was commenced by qldwater in 2008 through the SWIM program.
SWIM was developed by qldwater, on behalf of Water Service Providers, to simplify the task of water data reporting. With your support and use of SWIM, we can continue to encourage government water data reporting to be rationalised and streamlined. We urge you to submit your annual water data through swimlocal on time so that its future as a water-industry-driven system is assured.
We welcome your feedback on SWIM. For more information please contact David Scheltinga.
Guidance Memo NPR 2024-25 for service providers with less than 10000 connections - Release Date 20-Sep-2023: - The National Performance Report 2024-25 reports for the period 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 and applied to water and wastewater service providers with less than 10,000 connection properties.
National Performance Report Framework Water and Wastewater Service Providers 2023 - Release Date 20-Sep-2023: -
This document is to be read alongside the National Performance Report Framework: water and wastewater service providers, performance indicators and definitions handbook 2023. It is a guide for existing reporting entities regarding the review process. It compares the performance indicators in the 2023 handbook with the 2018 handbook and provides guidance for adapting collection systems to effectively capture relevant data for the updated performance indicator set. The 2023 handbook comes into effect from the 2024-25 reporting year. For reporting years before 2024-25, the 2018 handbook applies. However, during the 2023-24 reporting year, some indicators have been retired in anticipation of the changes outlined in the 2023 handbook.
2022-23 Urban NPR Reporting Memo - Release Date 26-Jun-2023: - National Performance Framework (NPR) Reporting Memo for the 2022-23 reporting period
2022-23 Urban NPR Handbook - Release Date 26-Jun-2023: - National Performance Framework (NPR) Handbook with indicators and definitions for the 2022-23 reporting period
State Benchmarking Report 2021-22 MLXL - Release Date 31-Jan-2023: - 2021-22 Benchmarking Report for Medium, Large and Extra Large Service Providers
State Benchmarking Report 2021-22 Explanatory Notes - Release Date 31-Jan-2023: - State Benchmarking Report 2021-22 - Explanatory Notes
State Benchmarking Report 2021-22 SIND - Release Date 31-Jan-2023: - State Benchmarking Report 2021-22 for Small and Indigenous service providers
State Benchmarking Report 2020-21 Explanatory Notes - Release Date 04-Feb-2022: - 2020-21 SWIM Benchmarking Report Explanatory Notes
State Benchmarking Report 2020-21 MLXL - Release Date 04-Feb-2022: - 2020-21 SWIM Benchmarking Report for Medium, Large and Extra Large Service Providers in Queensland
State Benchmarking Report 2020-21 SIND - Release Date 04-Feb-2022: -
2020-21 SWIM Benchmarking Report for Small and Indigenous Council Service Providers in Queensland
State Benchmarking Report 2019-20 Explanatory Report - Release Date 09-Feb-2021: - This document provides explanatory notes and additional insights into the data that should be read in conjunction with the PowerPoint charts. This explanatory report (and charts) contain a suite of indicators and benchmarking data for all 72 of Queensland’s council owned urban water/sewerage utilities.
State Benchmarking Report 2019-20 MLXL - Release Date 09-Feb-2021: - This PowerPoint document contains charts for a suite of indicators and benchmarking data for Medium (1,000 to <10,000 connections), Large (10,000 to 50,000) and Extra-large (>50,000) service providers.
State Benchmarking Report 2019-20 SIND - Release Date 09-Feb-2021: - This PowerPoint document contains charts for a suite of indicators and benchmarking data for Small (<1,000 connections) and Indigenous service providers.
SWIM NPR Reporting Memo 2019-20 - Release Date 19-Aug-2020: - National Performance Framework (NPR) urban reporting memo 2019-20
SWIM-Urban-NPR-Indicators-Definitions-Handbook - Release Date 19-Aug-2020: - National urban water utility performance reporting framework: Indicators and definitions handbook (2020 minor corrections version)
QG KPI Definitions Guide 2020 - Release Date 16-Jul-2020: - Queensland Government Key Performance Indicators Definitions Guide - released July 2020
DNRME Drought Survey Reporting Guide - Release Date 14-Jul-2020: - DNRME guide to fortnightly water supply reporting 2019
DNRME Guide to 4-monthly water security survey - Release Date 14-Jul-2020: - Queensland Government Drought and Water Security Reporting - 4-monthly water security survey reporting guide released June 2020.
SWIM Indicator Definitions 2020 - Release Date 14-Jul-2020: - List of all indicators reported via SWIM
SWIM Indicator Definitions 2019-20 - Release Date 10-Jul-2020: -
SWIM Indicator Definitions 2019-20 XLS - Release Date 10-Jul-2020: -
State Benchmarking Report 2018-19 - Release Date 14-Dec-2019: - This is the ninth annual Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report for Queensland. Produced by qldwater, it contains a suite of indicators and benchmarking data for all 72 of Queensland’s urban water/sewerage utilities. The data is presented in figures that provide comparative information to enable each service provider to compare its performance against that of similar sized service providers.
Greenhouse Gas Calculator 2019 - Release Date 02-Sep-2019: - Greenhouse Gas Calculator 2019
State Benchmarking Report 2017-18 - Release Date 04-Mar-2019: - The eighth annual Queensland Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report contains a suite of indicators and benchmarking data for 70 of Queensland’s 71 urban water/sewerage utilities. The report provides comparative information to enable each Service Provider to compare its performance against that of similar sized Service Providers.
NPR Guidance Memo 2018 - Release Date 17-Jul-2018: -
SWIM Technical guidelines for estimation of GHG emissions - Release Date 26-Jul-2018: -
National Performance Reporting Framework Indicators Definitions Handbook 2018 - Release Date 17-Jul-2018: - National urban water utility performance framework: Indicators and definitions handbook 2018.
NPR Indicators and Definitions Release Notes 2018 - Release Date 17-Jul-2018: -
SWIM Indicator Definitions 2018 - Release Date 17-Jul-2018: -
SWIM Indicator Definitions 2018 Excel - Release Date 17-Jul-2018: -
SWIM Indicator Definitions All Years - Release Date 17-Jul-2018: -
SWIMLocal Annual Data Tool User Manual 2018 - Release Date 17-Jul-2018: -
SWIM Summary Indicator Changes from Last Year - Release Date 17-Jul-2018: -
SWIM NGER Wastewater Greenhouse Gas calculator - Release Date 26-Jul-2018: -
State Benchmarking Report 2016-17 - Release Date 27-Mar-2018: - The seventh annual Queensland Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report produced by qldwater contains a suite of indicators and benchmarking data for 71 of Queensland’s urban water/sewerage utilities. The data is presented in figures which provide comparative information to enable each Service Provider to compare its performance against that of similar sized Service Providers.
BoM Category 7 Handbook 2017 - Release Date 30-Jun-2017: - BoM Category 7 Handbook 2017
SWIM Indicator Definitions 2016-17 - Release Date 05-Sep-2017: - SWIM Indicator Definitions for 2016-17
State Benchmarking Report 2015-2016 - Release Date 24-Feb-2017: - The sixth annual Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report produced by qldwater contains a suite of indicators and benchmarking data for 71 of Queensland’s urban water/sewerage utilities.
SWIM KPI Definitions Guide November 2016 - Release Date 01-Nov-2016: - Key performance indicators for annual performance reporting for Queensland urban water service providers - definitions guide November 2016.
Fact or Furphey Factsheet Oct 2016 - Release Date 12-Oct-2016: - Fact or Furphey - Making sense of water and sewerage services. An overview of KPI data captured by DEWS and offers explanations about possible data inconsistencies.
NPR Guidance Memo 2015-16 - Release Date 01-Aug-2016: -
NPR indicators and definitions handbook 2016 - Release Date 01-Aug-2016: -
SWIM Data Retrieval Tool User Manual - Release Date 01-Aug-2016: -
SWIM Indicator Definitions 2015-16 - Release Date 01-Aug-2016: -
SWIM Indicator Definitions 2015-16 Excel - Release Date 01-Aug-2016: -
SWIMLocal Annual Data Tool User Manual - Release Date 01-Aug-2016: -
SWIM Metadata Help File 2016 - Release Date 01-Aug-2016: -
SWIM QG KPI definitions - Release Date 01-Aug-2016: -
SWIM Ecoli calculation tool - Release Date 10-Mar-2016: -
SWIM Metadata Help File - Release Date 10-Mar-2016: - SWIM Metadata is information used to assist in the interpretation of data, including location information for a monitoring site and information about the methods used to generate the data. This document outlines the metadata used in the SWIM system.
State Benchmarking Report 2014-2015 - Release Date 08-Mar-2016: - The 5th annual Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report produced by qldwater contains a suite of indicators and benchmarking data for 58 of Queensland's Service Providers. The report provide comparative information to benchmark performance amongst similar sized service providers.
Gympie Tender Cooloola Coast SCADA Upgrade - Release Date 18-Feb-2016: - The Cooloola Coast SCADA Upgrade project is to implement a robust and reliable SCADA system to operate and monitor the watr and sewerage assets in the Cooloola Coast Region including the upgrade of telemetry assets at the WTPs, Water Distribution Sites, WWTPs and Pump Stations. qldwater has archived other project documents (which are listed in the Invitation to Offer) and they are available on request.
Gold Coast Tender Laboratory Information management Systems - Release Date 31-Dec-2015: - Tender to provide SaaS hosted solution to manage and track lab information by enabling storing, monitoring and reporting of water quality testing data. qldwater has archived other project documents (which are listed in the Specifications document) and they are available on request.
Fact or Furphey KPI - Release Date 29-Sep-2015: - This fact sheet or the information it contains may be useful for communicating further with customers concerned with the new KPI reporting system being introduced by The Department of Energy and Water Supply (DEWS). Results will be publicly available, giving communities an overview of the general state of their water and sewerage infrastructure and services. The easy to understand Q&A format offers possible explanations for questions arising from data.
Fact or Furphey KPI Word Version - Release Date 29-Sep-2015: - The Fact or Furphey fact sheet is available in Word version in the member-only section of the site for members who want to adapt it and brand the information themselves.
ARCHIVE DEWS-Comparative-Reporting - Release Date 21-Jul-2015: - As part of the Performance Reporting framework, the Department of Energy and Water Supply will prepare an annual comparative report based on data submitted by service providers in their annual performance report. It will compare the performance of water and sewerage providers across Queensland allowing customers to see how their service provider performs relative to similar providers and to allow benchmarking of similar service providers.
ARCHIVE DEWS-Factsheet-Performance-Reporting - Release Date 21-Jul-2015: - Department of Energy and Water Supply fact sheet on annual performance reporting. The comparative report aims to allow customers to see how their service provider performs relative to similar providers and to allow benchmarking of similar service providers.
ARCHIVE DEWS-Introduction-to-performance-outcome-framework - Release Date 21-Jul-2015: -
2013-2014 Benchmarking Report - Release Date 27-Mar-2015: - The 4th annual Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report produced by qldwater provide comparative information to benchmark performance against similar sized serviced providers.
SWIM Annual List of Indicators 2015 - Release Date 06-Mar-2015: -
NPR indicators and definitions handbook - Release Date 30-Jul-2014: - This Handbook provides detailed definitions for all indicators included in the National Performance Report to ensure consistency in reporting across jurisdictions.
2012-2013 Benchmarking Report - Release Date 24-Jun-2014: - Queensland’s Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report 2012/13 This is the third annual Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report to be produced by qldwater for Queensland.
NPR Auditing Requirements - Release Date 13-Mar-2014: - These audit requirements are designed to guide water utilities, jurisdictional audit coordinators and external auditors (NPR participants) in the conduct of audits of NPR performance data. Auditing is intended to provide enhanced confidence in the accuracy, completeness and reliability of reported information.
eFlash #209 - 4 September 2013 - Release Date 05-Sep-2013: - 1. Amendments to the Regulatory Framework - Draft KPI Comments Due. | 2. LGAQ Submission on Infrastructure Charges. |
eFlash #207 - 20 August 2013 - Release Date 20-Aug-2013: - 1. SWIM 2012 /13 Annual Water and Sewerage Data Due Dates. | 2. Changes to Building Over Infrastructure Legislation. | 3. AWA North Queensland Regional Conference - Townsville 29 & 30 August . |
eFlash #206 - 7 August 2013 - Release Date 07-Aug-2013: - 1. Orica Australia Best of the Best Queensland Water Taste Test - CQ Regional Winner. | 2. SWIM Annual Data Reporting for 2012-13 Now Open. |
eFlash #201 - 7 June 2013 - Release Date 07-Jun-2013: - 1. Origin Goes Pear Shaped. | 2. 2013 Operator Award Winners Announced. | 3. WQ Water Conference and Best of the Best Water Taste Test - Longreach 27 June. | 4. BoM Water Standards Meetings. | 5. SWIM Update. | 6. WSAA Regional Forum - Townsville 11 July 2013. |
eFlash #196 - 28 March 2013 - Release Date 28-Mar-2013: - 1. Water Demand Management Factsheets. | 2. qldwater on tap Campaign. | 3. Public Release of Queensland's Urban Potable Water & Sewerage Benchmarking Report 2011/12. | 4. Photographs for Tenth Anniversary Publication. |
2011-2012 Benchmarking Report - Release Date 26-Mar-2013: - Queensland’s Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report 2011/12 is the second annual Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report to be produced by qldwater for Queensland.
eFlash #181 - 16 October 2012 - Release Date 16-Oct-2012: - 1. Queensland's Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report - Trial 2010/11. |
Queensland’s Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report – Trial 2010/11 - Release Date 15-Oct-2012: - Queensland’s inaugural Urban Potable Water and Sewerage Benchmarking Report – Trial using 2010/11 data
eFlash #178 - 18 September 2012 - Release Date 18-Sep-2012: - 1. Positive State Government Response to Industry Requests about New Code for Building Over Public Water Infrastructure. | 2. Annual Water and Sewerage Data Due from ALL Queensland Water Service Providers in early October. |
SWIM Users Manual - Release Date 09-Jul-2012: - SWIM User's Manual 2012
SWIM Indicator Definitions - Release Date 30-Jun-2012: - Definitions and related information for SWIM indicators.
eFlash #170 - 28 June 2012 - Release Date 28-Jun-2012: - 1. SWIM and SWIMLocal Training . |
eFlash #168 - 25 June 2012 - Release Date 22-Jun-2012: - 1. 2011-12 NPR Reporting Handbook and Auditing Requirements. | 2. Technical Reference Group Discussion Topics - from 8 June Meeting. |
eFlash #166 - 8 June 2012 - Release Date 08-Jun-2012: - 1. Amendment of the Water Information Requirements in the Water Regulations 2008. | 2. Annual Water Data Reporting via SWIM for 2011-12. | 3. SWIMLocal Data Management Software Release. |
ARCHIVE Emerald Training Slides Section 1 - Release Date 13-Apr-2012: - Water legislation and SWIM training workshop focused on the risks involved in provision of water and sewage services and the legislation and controls in place to mitigate those risks. Section 1 - Introduction and Water Quality Legislation
Annotated List of Regulatory Reporting Requirements Updated March 2012 - Release Date 31-Mar-2011: - Annotated list of reporting requirements for Queensland Service Providers. This list was updated in March 2012 and supersedes all previous copies.
e Flash # 144 - 11 November 2011 - Release Date 11-Nov-2011: - 1 SWIM News. | 2. Property Service Policy. |
e Flash #143 - 3 November 2011 - Release Date 03-Nov-2011: - 1. New Edition of Drinking Water Guidelines. | 2. ABS Water Account Collection 2010-11. | 3. Recent posts www.qldwater.com.au Member's Forums. |
e Flash #141 - 25 October 2011 - Release Date 25-Oct-2011: - 1. ABS Water Supply and Sewerage Services Survey 2010/11. | 2. Property Service is Licenced Work?|
e Flash #140 - 20 October 2011 - Release Date 20-Oct-2011: - 1. Final Version of Productivity Commission Inquiry into National Urban Water Sector. | 2. Australian Bureau of Statistics Water and Sewerage Survey. |
e Flash # 138 - 10 October 2011 - Release Date 10-Oct-2011: - 1. SWIM Users Information
Greenhouse Gas Calculator 2011 - Release Date 01-Nov-2018: -
e Flash # 136 - 29 September 2011 - Release Date 29-Sep-2011: - 1. Important Information for SWIM Users. | 2. Information from the DERM Greentape Reduction Program. | 3. International Acclaim for SEQ Water Grid's Advanced Water Treatment Plant. | 4. Queensland Police Service Media Reporting Summary. |
Position Description - SWIM Project Officer Position - Release Date 14-Sep-2011: - qldwater are advertising for the SWIM Project Officer Position. Full details on attached position description with expressions of interest due by Tuesday 18 October 2011.
e Flash #130 - 9 August 2011 - Release Date 09-Aug-2011: - 1. Final Council Decisions for Allconnex Water. | 2. SWIM Annual Data Submission. | 3. IPWEAQ Powers & Responsibilities of the Local Government - Water. | 4. AWA Contaminants of Concern in Water Conference - Call for Papers. |
e Flash #126 - 28 June 2011 - Release Date 28-Jun-2011: - 1. Free SWIM Workshops. | 2. Quality Control Practices Document and Excel Templates. | 3. Quality Control Reports. |
e Flash #125 - 22 June 2011 - Release Date 22-Jun-2011: - 1. qldwater Website Difficulties. | 2. Support for Queensland Water Skills Partnership. | 3. SWIM Training Workshops. | 4. SWIM Comparitive Reports and Water Industry Benchmarking. |
e Flash #122 - 8 June 2011 - Release Date 08-Jun-2011: - 1. SWIM Training Sessions. | 2. Dial Before You Dig Incident Reporting Tool (DIRT) Presentation. |
SWIM Data quality control practices - Release Date 09-May-2011: - Data Quality Control Practices for Implementation in the Queensland Water Industry describes a set of practices that has been identified by qldwater in consultation with SPs. This document aims to provide guidelines describing the use of those quality control practices, in a form that users may immediately adopt to improve local Quality Control Practices. This information is being provided in the form of a document that is ready to be incorporated in to SP operational procedures to make it easie
SWIM Greenhouse Gas Calculator - Release Date 17-Mar-2011: - NSW Greenhouse gas calculator 2011
e Flash #105 - 20 January 2011 - Release Date 20-Jan-2011: - 1. Flooding. | 2. Staff Movements. | 3. IPWEAQ State Conference. | 4. Postponement of BoM Reporting Workshop. |
e Flash #99 - 8 December 2010 - Release Date 08-Dec-2010: - 1. Australian Bureau of Statistics Request for 2009-10 Water Data - reminder. |
e Flash #98 - 19 November 2010 - Release Date 19-Nov-2010: - 1. Australian Bureau of Statistics Request for Water Data. |
e Flash #93 - 4 October 2010 - Release Date 04-Oct-2010: - 1. Release of Drinking Water Quality Management Plan Guidelines for Large Water Service Providers. | 2. SWIM Water Data Due for ALL Queensland Service Providers by 8 October. |. 3. Productivity Commission Inquiry into Australia's Urban Water Sector. |
e Flash #89 - 24 August 2010 - Release Date 24-Aug-2010: - 1. Changes to Water Reporting Requirements. | 2. Reminder About Comments on National Water Skills Business Plan. | 3. 2009/10 SWIM Reporting Year. |
e Flash #86 - 7 June 2010 - Release Date 07-Jun-2010: - 1. Urban Demand Management Guidelines. | 2. Water Industry Operators' Awards. | 3. WIOA Workshop, Rockhampton 23,24 June 2010. | 4. SWIM Queensland WSP 09-10 Annual Data Reporting - coming soon. | 5. Water Conference Stanthorpe. |
SWIM Indicator Handbook - Release Date 12-Oct-2009: - SWIM has been designed to streamline reporting of five major reports. This document summarises the number of indicators required to satisfy complete reporting for each of the five reports, and demonstrates the benefits of streamlined reporting through SWIM.