Integrated Resource Planning

Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) is recognised internationally as a best practice planning framework which facilitates integrated urban water management. The IRP process has been used and developed over a number of years in Australia and internationally (Beecher 1996; Dziegielewski 1993; White and Howe 1999; White 1998; UK Environment Agency 2003; Turner et al 2006).

The full approach shown below (Turner et al 2008), requires detailed water demand forecasting for a specific region and the consideration of a full range of both supply-side and demand-side options to be assessed. This ensures that the lowest cost and most sustainable options are taken forward for implementation. It also requires the use of review and evaluation processes to enable adaptive management in the decision making process.

This form of adaptive management is now critical in the water industry as it faces new and emerging challenges such as climate change.

 Integrated Resource Planning Process

The following diagram illustrates the steps in the IRP framework (Turner et al, 2008)