Water for cities and towns
Australians consume about 19,000 gigalitres (GL) of water a year. About 20 percent of this water goes to urban and industrial uses. Water shortages and the longer-term security of water supply for towns and communities are serious concerns for Australia, particularly in light of the drought which now grips large parts of Australia.
Latest news
- Stormwater harvesting and reuse - second round funding now open
Water saving and reuse
There are many opportunities to make better use of supplies of water that we have already developed, explore alternative sources, employ new technology and infrastructure, improve and refine management practices and draw on better information.
The Australian Government has implemented a number of initiatives to encourage water savings and water reuse, in line with the National Water Initiative objectives of facilitating water use efficiency and innovation in urban and rural areas.
- National Water Security Plan for Cities and Towns
- Urban Water and Desalination Plan
- Stormwater Harvesting and Reuse
- Green Precincts Program
Other water-saving initiatives
Water efficiency labelling and standards
The Australian Government, in collaboration with state and territory governments, has introduced a Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme. The WELS scheme requires certain types of household water-using products to carry rating labels to reflect their relative water-use efficiency.
Water recycling
The Australian Government, in collaboration with state and territory governments has commenced work on a suite of guidelines for managing the health and environmental risks associated with the use of recycled water. The first phase of the guidelines focuses on large-scale treated sewage and grey-water to be used for non-drinking purposes. The second phase will focus on stormwater reuse, managed aquifer recharge and recycled water for drinking.
National guidelines for residential customers' water accounts
Developed as part of the National Water Initiative, these guidelines are voluntary and provide a significant opportunity to engage customers in water conservation through informative water bills.
Water reform in the urban sector
Water reform in the urban sector was a significant element of the 1994 Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Water Reform Framework. Reforms such as the introduction of two-part tariffs in which users pay a delivery charge as well as a charge for the amount of water used has encouraged more efficient and significantly lower water use per person in urban areas.
The next phase of urban water reforms was identified in the National Water Initiative, which has now been signed by the Australian Government and all state and territory governments.
National Urban Water Planning Principles
At its meeting on 29 November 2008 the Council of Australian Governments agreed to adopt the National Urban Water Planning Principles.
The Principles provide Australian governments and water utilities with the tools to better plan the development of urban water and wastewater service delivery in a sustainable and economically efficient manner. Proper planning will facilitate a balance in supply and demand and build community confidence in diverse sources of water supply.
More information
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For up-to-date information about the Australian Government's Water for the Future plan.
See also
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