Gold Coast Water, Australia

What is it? Gold Coast Water is the water and wastewater utility for the Gold Coast on Australia's eastern seaboard. GCW services a population of 525,000 residents and 10.1 million tourists annually.

What has it done? GCW was the architect of the Gold Coast Waterfuture Strategy, a benchmark for long-term water supply strategy in Australia. A number of the plan's initiatives were successfully adopted or brought forward by the Queensland state government in 2008. Among these were the construction of the Pimpama recycled water treatment plant, the handover to the Queensland government of the Gold Coast desalination plant, the completion of the Gold Coast's 50-year draft recycled water strategy and the raising of the Hinze Dam. GCW is also playing a major role in the strategic planning of the Southern Regional Water Pipeline.

Why is it shortlisted?

• In the face of population growth and Australia's 12th consecutive year of drought, Gold Coast Water has cemented its position at the cutting edge of sustainable water resource management.

• GCW's diverse approach to water resourcing has removed Gold Coast City's almost exclusive reliance on climate-dependent surface water sources.

• GCW's exemplary approach to water conservation and reuse deserves nothing less than global recognition.