Water for cities and homes
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.
Water saving and reuse
There are major challenges facing Australia in managing water resources due to increasing populations and demand, limited surface water sources and the ongoing severe drought. Even without Australia's frequent droughts the continuing growth of Australian cities and high per capita water consumption limits water availability.
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.
Australian Government Water Fund
The Australian Government Water Fund is a $2 billion Australian Government program to invest in water infrastructure, improved water management, and better practices in the stewardship of Australia's scarce water resources.
The Australian Government supports water conservation and alternative water supply technologies and practical on-ground water projects that will improve Australia's water efficiency and environmental outcomes. The fund is made up of three programs:
- Water Smart Australia Programme ($1.6 billion)
- Raising National Water Standards Programme ($200 million)
- Community Water Grants ($200 million)
As at 27 April 2007, a total of $1.298 billion in funds has been committed from the $2 billion Australian Government Water Fund:
- $1.1 billion - Water Smart Australia
- $76 million - Raising National Water Standards
- $118 million - Community Water Grants
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.
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