Water for the Future priorities
Priorities
Water for the Future is focused on four priorities:
1. Taking action on climate change
The Government is building the scientific and technical expertise to understand how much water Australia's river and groundwater systems are capable of providing into the future.
Answering this question is fundamental to the question of long term water security, providing the information to underpin improved planning, decision making and water resource investment by governments and industry stakeholders.
2. Using water wisely
Climate change undoubtedly means we need to be able to do more with less. In rural areas, the Government will work with the States to improve key irrigation infrastructure in order to minimise system losses and enhance water use efficiency. In urban areas, the Government has a $250 million rainwater and greywater program to help families invest in saving water at home.
The Government will also provide $250 million for new and replacement water infrastructure in our cities and towns.
The Government is working with the States to better coordinate efforts in enhancing the effectiveness of water markets and assessing water supply in remote communities, including Indigenous communities.
3. Securing water supplies
Desalination plants, recycling schemes and stormwater projects are currently being built around the country as a means of better securing urban water supplies. Importantly, the Government's $1 billion National Urban Water and Desalination Plan, which will support such initiatives, will also be used to leverage further urban water reform by the States.
4. Healthy rivers and waterways
In the Murray Darling Basin in particular, it is clear that we have a problem with over-allocation of water resources. The Government is currently in the water market purchasing entitlements from willing sellers, at a fair market price, to put water back into the environment.
An initial $50 million round of water entitlement purchasing has been completed to help restore the health of Murray-Darling Basin rivers and wetlands. A second round will seek water entitlements from willing sellers in the Queensland and northern New South Wales. More about Restoring the Balance in the Murray-Darling Basin Program
Key
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