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australian city running out of water (KAAYATRI)✅

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australian city running out of water (KAAYATRI)✅

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU5pQiUud-0

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Lessons from the Australian city that nearly ran out of water | ABC News In-depth

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We would recommend Green Planet Plumbing ,they are simply the best.The two young men Ricky & Darrell who attended to our bathroom vanity installation were amazing. Nothing was a trouble to them and their work was of the highest standard. We will now always choose Green Planet Plumbing.
R & J Gale.

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Water Crisis: Is Australia Running Out of Water? - Green Planet Plumbing

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We would recommend Green Planet Plumbing ,they are simply the best.The two young men Ricky & Darrell who attended to our bathroom vanity installation were amazing. Nothing was a trouble to them and their work was of the highest standard. We will now always choose Green Planet Plumbing. R & J Gale.

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How to Conserve Water | National Geographic

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Of all earth's continents, only Antarctica gets less precipitation than Australia. Its average annual rainfall of just 470mm is also unevenly distributed: in the Northern Territory, Darwin receives around 1,700mm, while Adelaide in South Australia gets less than one-third of this-some inland towns survive on less than 200mm. Australia's limited and unpredictable rainfall is being exacerbated by climate change with the continent one degree warmer than a hundred years ago and receiving significantly less rain. In 2018, every state except for Tasmania and Western Australia received less than average rainfall while persistent high temperatures in Queensland contributed to record rates of evaporation. From 1996-2010 the Millennium Drought brought long-term water restrictions to the country's highly populated southeast and southwest. It was a catalyst for change. Driven by the twin challenges of declining water supply and growing demand, Australia has stepped up its efforts to secure its water future.

Despite the continent's vast size, nearly the entire population lives in cities. These are predicted to grow by an additional 20 million people in the next 30 years, with water consumption in larger cities expected to rise by 73% to more than 2,650 gigalitres. To meet this demand Australia is looking beyond its traditional rain-fed dams and reservoirs. Instead, it is turning to technology with all the mainland states investing in large desalination plants, each producing up to 674 gigalitres of additional freshwater to cushion city-dwellers against growth and drought. However, desalination is costly and controversial, using so much energy that its water is nicknamed 'bottled electricity'; Sydney's plant costs A$500,000 a day to run-even standing idle. This January it was switched on for the first time since 2012 and is expected to contribute 15% of the city's drinking water, staving off severe restrictions.

In Western Australia, dwindling rains have decreased runoff into Perth's reservoirs by 91% since the 1970s, forcing an increased reliance on groundwater. Australia's aquifers are being drained at unsustainable rates, but Perth is now actively replenishing them by pumping 10% of its treated wastewater into shallow aquifers that naturally filter and store the water until it is needed again. This process of augmenting freshwater supplies with treated wastewater, called Indirect Potable Reuse, could be crucial to futureproofing urban water supplies. In 2018 recycled water use increased in most urban centers and although no city directly uses treated wastewater as tap water, Perth has considered it. With the right technology and safeguards it could bring cities and homes close to self-sufficiency.

As well as increasing the availability of water, Australia is getting better at using less. Many products are rated and labelled for water efficiency, with homes increasingly adopting water-saving features from showerheads that regulate flow to dishwashers that use just 12 liters of water a load, a mere 10% of traditional rinsing and washing. More than a quarter of Australian homes collect and store rainwater for domestic use, contributing around 177 billion liters to residential water supplies. Together with domestic wastewater systems that treat and reuse greywater from sinks and showers, these integrated water management systems take pressure off municipal supplies for non-potable functions such as flushing toilets, washing clothes, and watering gardens. With around 40%-50% of Australia's domestic consumption used outdoors, most cities restrict garden hosepipes and irrigation systems through voluntary Water Wise Measures. In Victoria, the city of Melbourne has gone even further, putting permanent rules in place that have almost reduced daily water consumption to a target of 155 liters per person-well below the national average of 340 liters.

Careful use of water is even more important when it comes to rural homes and communities as these often rely entirely on declining rains and diminishing groundwater. Securing water for these isolated locations can be expensive and complicated, currently involving trucking in emergency supplies or laying lengthy pipelines from distant reservoirs. Along with increasing water capture, conservation, and reuse at both the domestic and municipal levels, technological innovations may offer solutions. In Murrurundi, New South Wales, an array of ten innovative hydro panels extract enough moisture from the air to supply a school with 1,500 liters of drinking water a month. It's estimated that a family could live off three panels and a whole town off 400 panels in what could prove a viable option for isolated rural areas.

Working with a hostile climate and poor soils, agriculture consumes around 70% of Australia's water footprint. However, the 2004 National Water Initiative committed state governments to more efficient and sustainable water management that included reversing widespread overuse by agriculture. A key initiative is the Murray-Darling Basin Plan covering the region responsible for most of Australia's food production. Across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory, water entitlements were bought from landholders to keep around 60% of the basin's water for the benefit of the environment and the long-term sustainability of supply. Meanwhile, billions of federal dollars have supported farm improvements such as more efficient drip irrigation, lining ditches to reduce water loss, and switching production to less thirsty crops. The plan has cut water use by one-third while managing the competing demands of consumers across five states and prioritizing the environment.

Since the late 1980s, an innovative water trading scheme has allowed landowners to loan or sell their water entitlements on an open market worth billions of dollars. This helps redistribute water to where it is needed most, including the environment itself.

The widespread acceptance that environmental sustainability is a crucial goal of water management is arguably Australia's most important change in water policy. A growing public awareness, together with investment in infrastructure, innovation, and conservation, has seen Australia praised for improving its water security. Even so, this year has seen many areas suffering again. Low rainfall and high temperatures in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, mean that Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne are facing water restrictions: low inflows to Sydney's dams have led to its desalination plant being switched on. This could be a major test of the plans, projects, and technologies put in place to mitigate the effects of drought; the question on everyone's lips is 'has Australia done enough?'

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Making Every Drop Count: How Australia is Securing its Water Future

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Of all earth's continents, only Antarctica gets less precipitation than Australia. Its average annual rainfall of just 470mm is also unevenly distributed: in the Northern Territory, Darwin receives around 1,700mm, while Adelaide in South Australia gets less than one-third of this-some inland towns survive on less than 200mm.

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Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth and water management is a constant challenge. 70% of Australia's continent landmass is classified as arid which means it receives annual rainfall of less than 250 mm or 10 inches per year. In Australia, large dams are built to store up to 7 years' worth of consumption. Construction of desalination plants has been one approach utilized but with so many odds against it including the lack of use of some plants for their intended purpose. Attitudes can be a bearer to adoption of water management in Australia. 10% of water is used for domestic use, hence if gray water can be recycled instead of dumping it that could relieve the burden on water resources within the households. Handling water consumption can also be approached from charging for wasting it, to the point that people do become conscious of not wasting water. In Western Australia, there are various restrictions on watering gardens, washing cars by hand with most people adopting semi-arid area gardens. What are the water management strategies in Australia? - the water management strategies used in Australia include conservation of water, water rights that are tradeable or sellable and desalination. This article addresses:

Drought and groundwater in Australia,

History of water management in Australia, and

Water management and sustainability in Australia

Why is drought an issue yet Australia has groundwater available?

Groundwater isn't always easily accessible for irrigation. The fact that towns exist in the outback is thanks to groundwater. They're built where its accessible. Rivers in the outback exist because of groundwater. Trees grow because their roots can reach down low enough to access groundwater but, grasses or wheat can't reach groundwater levels. So, irrigation is the only way. Just because there is a huge groundwater reservoir underneath the eastern half of Australia doesn't mean its easily accessible. Some of it is 3000m deep. Irrigation often relies on rivers and dams, which are filled by groundwater. If it does not rain, groundwater levels fall too deep, and rivers and dams dry up. So, it's no longer possible to grow things that solely rely on irrigation. Groundwater levels rise and fall, just like water levels in a lake or dam, and without rain the levels fall below existing wells. There's a limit how deep you can still go for water, and with the drought in Australia the groundwater levels have fallen because people have used water too much. What does this all mean for the local consumer of water in Australia? Well, the cost of water will get more expensive in the long run. Let us rewind the story and dive into the history of water management in Australia.

History of water management in Australia

Water management has been an ongoing contentious issue in Australia. Different priorities were placed on river-use by the colonies during negotiations to frame Australia's Constitution, which was drawn up, then agreed to at Federation in 1901. South Australia's economy was reliant on the connectivity that paddle-steamer trade enabled, whereas upstream, in NSW and Victoria, development through irrigation was a more pressing concern. As a result, water rights under Australia's Constitution are only clarified once, in section 100, to explicitly prevent the Commonwealth Government from curtailing a State's right to water for conservation or irrigation. This clause was included to satisfy concerns from the two upstream States that Commonwealth management would threaten the security of their water entitlement. Australia is a very dry continent. Droughts are extremely common and have been in all or recorded history. Decades ago, it was not uncommon for farmers to succumb to the pressures of droughts due to lack of water and crop failure. Most of Australia is desert, hence it is in a permanent state of drought. Occasionally that state of drought extends to areas typically used for agriculture.

Water management Current and Future Challenges

Australia has a massive challenge with water management. The responsibility of the past, present and future crises always points towards failure of government policies with regards to water management. The reality of the water management problem in Australia is that there isn't enough potable water to supply a growing population in the southern east of Australia and a few coastal areas. Thus, most cities and regional centers along the Australian coast with a significant population have installed desalination plants. Inland they have had to drill deeper bores and demineralize the fossil waters. Inland, dams have been built to allow for irrigation of margin land, but this has been interfering in the river flows causing buildup of sulfides in the riverbeds, which is killing the rivers downstream. Upstream, overuse of irrigation has in some cases caused heavy salination of soils. Elsewhere, irrigation has caused leaching of contaminants such as iron, radium and lead into the water ways. In places like the Ord which is far from NW of Australia there is plenty of water and arable land, but no one wants to live there. The other pertinent factor is high evaporation rates, and because Australia has no significant mountain ranges apart from the eastern coastal range, deep water dams are not a storage option. Piping water from the far north, over 2000 or 3000 kms to the major urban centers is not economically viable. Growing populations tend not to be where abundant water is.

Australia's millennium drought, a 13-year dry period unprecedented in the instrumental record, inspired a change in the extant water management principles. The Water Act of 2007 was introduced and required the preparation of a Basin Plan to set environmentally sustainable levels of water extraction and to reduce the over-allocation of water entitlements that threatened water security. The Act was unusual in that environmental considerations were initially interpreted as a non-negotiable constraint on other water uses because of the legislative context in which it was written. This framing shaped subsequent negotiations during the development of the Basin Plan. The road taken from conception of the Act provides internationally important lessons in legislating for sustainable water management in inter-jurisdictional river basins. On the other side of the coin, it creates new opportunities for ongoing improvement, including the mutual benefits derived from managing environmental water and irrigation water cooperatively.

Water Management Best Practices

Then how does the best practice on water management happen in Australia? It must occur within a pre-existing framework of laws, policies and principles that dictate which mechanisms are available to achieve a specified goal. However, what should not be taken for granted is the complexity of decision making which is marred with uncertainty and multiple legitimate stakeholder perspectives. Water systems are made up of a complex of series of interactions with social and ecological interdependencies.

To tackle future challenges whilst appreciating lesson from past experiences it is important to take multiple lines of evidence that are woven together to inform policy, rather than determine it. Sound policy and the reputation of the evidence base used to guide decisions to address water management challenges in Australia. Principles of negotiation towards a consensus, participative decision making and ensuring balance amongst environmental, social and economic impacts of policies should be core to the future of water management in Australia.

Your feedback is important to us. If you enjoyed reading this Global Road Technology industry update and found it informative, please let us know by leaving a REVIEW.
REFERENCES Cathcart, M. 2009. The Water Dreamers: The Remarkable History of Our Dry Continent. The Text Publishing Company, Melbourne, Australia. Kildea, P., and Williams, G. 2011. The Water Act and the Murray-Darling basin plan. Public Law Review 22(1), 9-14. Skinner, D., and Langford, J. 2013. Legislating for sustainable basin management: the story of Australia's Water Act (2007). Water Policy 15. 871-874. Williams, J. M., and Webster, A. 2010. Section 100 and State water rights. Public Law Review 21, 267-284

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Water Management in Australia: Current and Future Challenges | GRT

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Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth and water management is a constant challenge. 70% of Australia's continent landmass is classified as arid which means it receives annual rainfall of less than 250 mm or 10 inches per year. In Australia, large dams are built to store up to 7 years' worth of consumption.

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A koala bear lounges in a eucalyptus tree, lazily chewing leaves in a scene as Australian as one can imagine. But then the koala does something unusual: it climbs down the tree to drink water from a pool. Normally, koalas get nearly all their water from their food, and researchers have linked this new behavior to climate change. Australia is getting hotter and drier, the eucalyptus leaves are less succulent, and now koalas need to drink extra water to survive. It's a change that seems to reflect a growing awareness among Australians that they need to be more proactive about securing their fresh water.

Straddling the Tropic of Capricorn, Australia's climate ranges from a tropical north to a temperate south but the vast bulk of its three million square miles is hot and dry. Central Australia's immense 'outback' is made up of semi-arid bush and deserts where temperatures can soar above 50°centigrade and it might not rain for years. This makes Australia the world's driest inhabited continent-and it's getting drier. Its average annual rainfall is around 470mm a year, well below the global average, and predictions linked to climate change suggest this could halve again in coming decades. What rain that does fall varies greatly from year to year and is concentrated along the north and east coasts: while most of Australia receives as little as 600mm of rain each year, half the country gets less than 300mm.

2018 was particularly dry, 11% below the recorded mean for 1961-1990 at under 413mm. However, across the continent, Australia's rainfall is exceptionally varied and individual states felt the effects to different degrees. While Tasmania retained its very wet average with 1,389mm of rain, and Western Australia actually had 10% more rain than usual, other states suffered. The Northern Territory received 7% below average rainfall and Queensland 15% below average; Victoria was 26% below its mean rainfall and South Australia was 24% below with an average rainfall of just 171mm. But it was New South Wales that was among the hardest hit, with its average annual rainfall down 40% on the mean, bringing a devastating drought and severe restrictions across the state.

Australia's exceptional aridity is the result of a unique combination of factors. Cold ocean currents off the west coast means there is little evaporation to form rainclouds, while the Great Dividing Range that runs down Australia's east coast prevents rain from penetrating far inland. There are few mountains to force air upwards where it can cool into rain, and the region is dominated by the subtropical high-pressure belt that both warms and dries the air. What's more, the continent is extremely susceptible to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, a heating or cooling of the Pacific Ocean that can bring prolonged periods of high temperatures and drought.

From 1996 to 2010 the Millennium Drought scorched much of southern Australia. Its effects were acutely felt in the agricultural heartland of the Murray-Darling basin and in the densely populated southeast and southwest. Major cities including Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, and even Tasmania's famously wet state capital of Hobart, experienced serious water shortages-Melbourne's water storage dropped to 33%. But more rain isn't always the answer. Australia's floods can be equally extreme with tropical cyclones and storms bringing intense bursts of rainfall that overwhelm drainage systems and cause devastating damage. This January, a monsoon strengthened by a low-pressure system flooded Townsville in Queensland with 1.4 meters of rain in two weeks-twice as much as London gets in a year.

Human activity has made matters worse. Widespread deforestation has intensified flooding while also increasing the salinity of the soil so that the water flowing through it becomes brackish-unchecked this could damage millions of hectares of agricultural land. The overgrazing of sheep and cattle, key economic exports, has been a major factor in desertification with vegetation loss leading to a loss of usable water. Until recently farmers were allowed to draw unchecked amounts of water from rivers causing silting, salination, and fierce disputes between competing users. Similarly, groundwater sources such as aquifers have been used up faster than they can be naturally replenished, especially in the arid interior, so that they are now having to be actively refilled with treated wastewater.

Such restorative schemes could prove crucial as Australia's demand for water rises rapidly. Already one of the world's thirstiest countries, per capita water consumption averages 100,000 liters per person and the next thirty years will see its population boom by a further 40%. This is important because Australians consume 340 liters of water per person per day. Of this, outdoor use is particularly heavy, accounting for nearly half of household consumption through car washing, hosing driveways, and using garden sprinklers at around 1,000 liters per hour. While many Australians are increasingly water aware, Sydney has cut its average daily use by 200 liters per person since 1990, further water savings will be vital to minimize future water stress.

A key factor will be Australia's unusual population concentration with 80% living in a few large coastal conurbations. This brings the potential for significant water efficiencies through integrated infrastructure ranging from wastewater recycling to huge desalination plants. However, move away from the coastal cities and access to fresh water becomes more problematic. Many rural households rely on rainwater or bore water which is often tainted by its high mineral content. These local supplies are dwindling and increasingly need to be supplemented by purchasing tankers of freshwater or, where finances allow, laying pipelines for long-distance water transfer schemes to sustain larger towns.

Farming remains by far the biggest drain on Australia's water supply at nearly 70% of the water footprint. Half of Australia's agricultural profits comes from irrigated farming which is concentrated in the Murray-Darling Basin. Here, extensive over-extraction forced government intervention during the Millennium Drought with severe water restrictions that saw cotton production quartered, meat production halved, and rice farming stopped almost entirely. This has led to much tighter regulations and ongoing investment in more efficient irrigation schemes. Meanwhile, although industry only uses 16% of Australia's water footprint, water-heavy industries such as mining are on the rise, especially in the arid interior.

For now, Australia may have sufficient freshwater to meet its needs but the unreliability of its rainfall, the uncertainty of climate change, and the difficulties of supplying fast-growing cities and isolated rural communities poses problems. With river flows expected to drop by 10- 25% within ten years, pressure on Australia' water systems will grow as demand from population rises. To ensure its water security Australia must continue to adapt-people, as well as koalas, will need to change their behaviors to get the water they need.

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Failing Rains and Thirsty Cities: Australia's Growing Water Problem

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A koala bear lounges in a eucalyptus tree, lazily chewing leaves in a scene as Australian as one can imagine. But then the koala does something unusual: it climbs down the tree to drink water from a pool. Normally, koalas get nearly all their water from their food, and researchers have linked this new behavior to climate change.

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Australia’s water crisis, intelligence and national security

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A government failure to invest adequately in climate-change adaptation measures and poor civil-defence preparedness have angered an Australian public in the grip of devastating megafires. Canberra will need to spend big to redress these shortcomings and it will likely use the defence budget to pay f…

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The water issues faced by Australia brings a great impact to the government, economic and also the environment.One of the great impact is that the drought had caused aquatic anmimals and plant died due to the lack of water.The picture above show that the fish in the river died due to drought.

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effect of water crisis in Australia:farming erosion

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effect of water crisis in Australia:farming erosion

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Another great impact that affect Australia is farm erosion.This is in Australia . most of the water is used for agriculture field and this field provide many income for te contry. Since Australia faced with water crisis problem, the water supply is not sufficient caused many crops to be died.

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climate change warning for Australia to save water

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climate change warning for Australia to save water

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Due to climate change happened all around the world, the water level become decreasing nowadays. In Australia, climate change had caused water issues in Australia as the drought happened.This causes Australia's goverment starts to find the solution to solve this water crisis problem.The residents also realise the importance of water and try to use water more carefully and wisely to avoid the waste of water.

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Due to cliamte change, water crisis happen all around the world.Australia is the one of country which influence a lot of water crisis issues .Australia facing the problem of drought because the water supply of Australia are mostly depend on rainwater.Hence, the water issues in Australia give great impact to their residents and also affect agricluture, industry and also the daily activities of the residents.

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Australia's Water Project Failure: An Economic Breakdown

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Securing Australia's Water Resources [NGU LI KWONG](✅)

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Securing Australia's Water Resources [NGU LI KWONG](✅)

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According to research,the water supply in Australia had been decreasing year by year due to the high demands for water for domestic consumption as well as for industrial processing.The graph above shown that the water scarcity in Australia.From the fingure above,it indicates that of May through to October, the blue water footprint exceeds net available water, therefore, it implies that during these months the average environmental flow requirement is not achieved. When the blue water footprint moves into the yellow, orange and red colors, water scarcity is moderate, significant and severe, respectively.

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Australian Water Resources Project: The why

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Perth as a city has one of the driest climates in the world.

In this guide, we've put together a case study of Perth's water scarcity problems, and what they have done to address them.

Other dry countries and cities in the world might be able to learn something about how to address their own water scarcity and water quantity related issues.

Summary - Perth Water Scarcity Problems & Solutions

Unlike Perth, Cape Town stayed reliant on their dams to provide a public water supply (and Cape Town had a small water capacity per capita allowance).

Perth diversified to ground water and desalination plants to prevent a water shortage.

Water scarcity specifically in Perth was or is caused by a combination of these factors - a growing population, low natural rainfall levels in some regions, climate change related activity (declining rainfall, increased likelihood of droughts, increased annual mean temperature), declining flow into water supply sources like dams, rising evaporation rates, existing water supply storage capacity not being sufficient, groundwater levels decreasing and recharge rates being slow or uncertain

Perth's potable water (drinking water) supply is secure for now, but the non potable water supply is less secure and becoming more scarce

Perth now relies mostly on ground water (and ground water replenishment schemes where waste water is filtered and injected into aquifers) and desalination rather than their dams

The cons of desalination plants in particular are that they can also be costly to build and run, can be energy intensive, can emit air pollutants and greenhouse gases if they heavily use fossil fuels for energy, can damage the environment with their discharge and waste by products, and can give people a false sense that desalination plants are a long term solution for unlimited water

Recycling waste water and ground water replenishment may not be available everywhere - it can be location specific, or only available to cities with the expertise or money to finance it

Another option Perth is investing in is advanced water recycling plants (where waste water is treated and re-used)

Experts identify waste water recycling as perhaps the best long term solution for sustainable water supplies (even over desalination) because of it's potential and how much waste water, storm water, and run off water we currently lose or waste.

Other solutions that can help sustainably manage water supplies are increased cultural and social awareness of the value of fresh water, increased acceptance and openness in drinking recycled water, water restrictions, water policy, backyard bores, using the natural environment for filtering and water storage, diversifying water supply sources and becoming less reliant on rainfall and natural climate related water supply factors, monitoring annual per capita water usage numbers, water conservation and efficiency training for businesses, considering initiatives and penalties for corporate water use, water saving and water leak detection technology for public water supply pipes, upgrading water supply pipes, addressing conflict of interest relating to political parties and public water supply, and balancing urban and rural water needs

Water restrictions and water policy can help decrease demand for water

Perth has actually decreased it's water consumption per capita per year (but consumption can differ year to year)

Ultimately, what will be the best strategy for a city to address water scarcity in both the short and long term, depends on local characteristics of the city (geology/geography, and hydrology), finances, and the social, economic, and environmental impact of the different water supply options.

Each city will need a different strategy depending on their own local situation

Diversifying water sources, and less reliance on rainfall or natural/climate based factors for water supply is a good approach for all cities for the future.

This diversifies risk and makes a city less vulnerable to climate change and global warming.

Their water sources become more independent of variability from nature

Region and state officials and water managers from places like California have visited Perth to get ideas for addressing their own water scarcity issues

Firstly - Define What Type Of Water Is Scarce

These categories of water can be sourced from different water supply sources with some being more scarce than others.

In Perth's case:

- theconversation.com

Factors Contributing To Water Scarcity For Perth

The following factors contribute to Perth's water scarcity issues:

A Growing Population

A growing population can mean more of a demand for water over the long term. Perth's population grew by more than a third from roughly 2004 to 2014 (bbc.com).

We say 'over the long term' because year to year demand can actually decrease sometimes depending on things like water restrictions and water policy, with demand for water down by 8% [in 2013] compared with 2003 in Perth.

In comparison, for example, San Diego's consumption is an estimated 249,000 litres per capita per year. (theguardian.com)
Climate Change May Be Contributing To Dry Perth Climate
Climate change and global warming may be major reasons making Perth's climate drier, with declining rainfall and increased likelihood of droughts being a side effect of climate change
Decreasing Rainfall/Precipitation Levels
Perth's annual rainfall has been declining by about 3mm per year on average (theconversation.com)
Decreasing Rain Flowing Into Water Supply Sources
Decreasing rainfall means less rain is flowing into dams and other water supply sources ... about one sixth of the water is currently flowing into dams compared to the past (bbc.com)

Water flow from rainfall into Perth's dams has slumped by 80% since the 1970s (theguardian.com)

[Perth's] rainfall has declined almost 20 per cent since the 1970s, and the amount of water flowing into the city's dams has fallen from an average of 300 billion litres a year to just 25 billion litres. (abc.net.au)
Rising Evaporation Rates
Rising evaporation rates (which increase consumption and reduce water yields).

The overall effect is that soils and vegetation are often dry, meaning that rainfall will be lost to evapotranspiration rather than running off into rivers and dams, or recharging underground aquifers (theconversation.com)
Previous Supplies Of Freshwater Did Not Have Sufficient Capacity
[In 2013] Perth's dams received just 72.4bn litres of water - far less than the 300bn currently demanded by Perth's two million-strong population (theguardian.com)
Annual Mean Temperature Anomaly Has Increased
By 1℃ in southwest Western Australia in the past 40 years (theconversation.com)
Groundwater Levels In Perth Are Decreasing, & Aquifer/Groundwater Recharge Rates Are Unknown
According to theconversation.com:

Perth's hydrology means that they can use their local natural sands and aquifers to store excess run-off from roads and roads.

But, there's been less excess water from winter rains.

Unlike dam inflows, we don't yet know the full scale of the reduction in natural groundwater recharge rates.

About 70% of local road runoff and half of roof runoff already recharges the shallow unconfined aquifer, because it is the cheapest way to dispose of excess water in areas with sandy soils.

As well as reducing discharge costs, this practice helps to ensure that bores do not run dry in summer.

Perth also has large main drains that are designed to lower groundwater levels in swampy areas and prevent inundation.

Some of these waters could be redirected into the aquifer where there is a suitable site [to help in recharging groundwater aquifers]

Where Does Majority Of Perth's Water Supply Now Come From?

Although both are much more expensive than dam water, desalination and groundwater replenishment look set to secure Perth's drinking supply, because seawater is virtually unlimited, and wastewater availability increases in line with the city's growth

- theconversation.com

As of 2018, desalination provides almost half of Perth's water needs while the other half comes from ground water

- abc.net.au

Australia is the driest continent in the world apart from Antarctica.

This resource is useful as it shows water supply of Australia's major cities by water supply source (theconversation.com)

Perth shows desalinated and ground water as major supply sources. Surface water and recycled water are third and fourth.

What we see is that in another city, Adelaide, another option for additional water supply is transfer from another state's water source (transboundary water transfers).

How Perth Is Solving Their Water Scarcity Problems

Non Potable Water Supplies (non drinking water)
Injecting Wastewater Into Groundwater Aquifers (Known as Groundwater Replenishment)
This is a method of recycling wastewater, where the waste water pass through sandy soil for filtering first (or gets treated separately), and then gets mixed with groundwater in aquifers, before clean water is extracted for drinking and irrigation.

This has been a decade long trial for Perth that has turned out to be successful

... treated wastewater is added to these aquifers where it blends with the groundwater and is extracted later for water supplies (theconversation.com)

[the] treated wastewater ... injected into underground supplies [has also been] re-used as drinking water (abc.net.au)
Separate Wastewater Treatment Plants
An advanced water recycling plant can be expanded to produce 28bn litres of water each year when required ...

Groundwater replenishment could supply up to 20% of Perth's drinking water needs by 2060 (theguardian.com)

Potable/Drink Water Supplies
Desalination Plants
Large water desalination plants using sea water from the Indian Ocean via Perth can get up to half it's drinking water from these [two] desalination plants (bbc.com)

These plants use reverse osmosis seawater desalination technology and provide nearly half of the city's water supplies (theconversation.com)

As of 2018, these plants have been able to provide one-trillion-litres of water (abc.net.au)

General Water Supply Solutions
Awareness, & Cultural/Social View Of Water
Perth citizens see water as a scarce, valuable resource that is not to be wasted.

This means they are theoretically less likely to waste it than if cultural and social norms didn't place a high value on water.
Openness to Drinking Recycled Water
Citizens have to be open to drinking recycled water ... this is easier to do if citizens view water as a valuable resource.
Water Restrictions
For households (particularly for gardens, lawns and sprinklers) and per person.
Backyard Bores
Some citizens in Perth have backyard bores ... more than a quarter have them for watering their gardens.
Recycling (Treating & Re-using) Wastewater
Instead of dumping it or releasing it into the ocean.
Using The Natural Environment For Water Supply Processing
Such as natural sands for filtering, and groundwater aquifers as storage locations.
Become Less Reliant On Rainfall
Rainfall is usually relied upon to top up groundwater and above surface water sources like lakes, rivers etc.

Becoming less reliant on rainfall takes natural water replenishment means a city can shield itself from the effects of climate change more effectively.
Diversify Water Supply Sources
Relying on 2, 3 or more water supply sources is just smart from a percentages standpoint. If one water supply is diminishing, there are other options.

It also helps if these water supply sources depend on both natural and man made production and replenishment for more diversification - because you are then not reliant on the climate for water supply.
Monitor Per Capita Water Usage
This is an indicator of how effectively water is being used.

Knowing both potable and non potable water per capita water usage can help cities more effectively track their water management.
Water Saving Training, Schemes & Fines
Businesses and organisations that don't meet requirements risk fines and will be ineligible for the recognition scheme.

A total of 330 businesses have reportedly saved enough water to fill the equivalent of 20,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools since the Water Corporation started this project in 2007
Water Saving Technology
According to theguardian.com:

Organisations have made use of acoustic listening equipment to locate pipe leaks, helping to reducing water use by 10%, & other organisations have cut their water use by 25% by reducing the flow of their taps and installing dual-flush toilets, among other things.

If a leak is detected, maintenance to resolve the problem can be quickly deployed. Around 30m litres of water have been saved in the past two years this way.

The theme park has also installed two new filters, at A$100,000 (£46,700) a piece, saving 30,000 litres of water a day in peak season (will take 5 years to pay itself off)
Emphasise the importance of corporate social responsibility
For businesses and organisations to save water or use it efficiently.

Other water saving measures are:

- Using drains and ditches to channel water run-off into water storage areas

- Conserving water use particularly during summer - where it can be more of an issue

- Applying user pays water rates

- Metering of ground water users, like farmers and businesses, and monitoring for unproductive water use

- A problem that needs to be addressed is where water is in short supply, and water security tends to equal electoral security.

There is a conflict of interest here.

So, we need to remove the political conflict of interest from water supply ... independence and guarantee of tenure are ways to do this for certain water supply positions and organisations

- Even though cities might solve some of their water scarcity issues long term, towns and rural areas need adequate support from state and national government too.

Long Term Questions & Concerns With Perth's Current Water Scarcity Solutions

The above solutions and approaches Perth has chosen to address their water scarcity problems aren't perfect.

They come with long term pros and cons to consider ...

Desalination Plants
Can be expensive to build and operate
Desalination plants, depending on the size, can cost billions to build, and can be very expensive to operate.

[plants] remain costly to maintain, even if they do not supply desalinated water [and they are only on standy by mode]
Are energy intensive Can contribute to climate change
If desalination plants run on fossil fuels and not primarily renewable energy, greenhouse gases are emitted.

Wind and solar energy can help with this - but these forms of energy generation can be variable and hard to use as a primary energy source for such an energy intensive process as desalination.

Western Australian carbon emissions per capita are now the highest in Australia and among the highest in the developed world [and, desalination plants only add to this] (theconversation.com)
Cause increases water rates/prices
Use of desalination plants can increase water bills for households because of the cost to run them and the energy they use.

The average Perth household's water bill has tripled since 2005-06 [up to 2015], even though water consumption per capita has dropped substantially over the past decade.

This adds to cost of living (theconversation.com)
Can damage the environment
The marine environments of Perth's desalination plants are sensitive to the hypersaline discharge that is produced in the purification process (theconversation.com)
Can give people a false sense that there will be fresh water available forever
This is not the case ... desalination plants are not an unlimited sustainable source of water [at least with the technology that is available right now] for various reasons.

They still have their drawbacks and concerns for long term use.

Read more about the potential pros and cons of desalination in this guide

Recycling Wastewater By Natural Filtration & Injecting Into Groundwater Aquifers
This process relies on local factors that may not be available every where or all the time
For a city or town to use this approach, they need sandy soil in the area that can naturally filter the wastewater, and aquifers that can take the waste water too.

Other cities could build wastewater recycling plants, but there would be cost and feasibility questions to answer first.

The way Perth has replenished the Gnangara groundwater resource seems more of a sustainable approach

Read more about the pros and cons of waste water recycling in this guide

Backyard Boreholes

Boreholes bored into groundwater sources can deplete the aquifer they withdraw from

Citizens having backyard boreholes can compromise the water available to the public supply via groundwater and aquifers
All water supply sources have their own set of factors to consider short term and long term
New water sources for a city depend on when the water source is required (in terms of a timeline - how quickly), and the economics in terms of funding available and how much new water sources cost to create.

You also have to consider social, environmental and economic impact overall.

What's The Best Long Term & Sustainable Approach To Perth's Water Scarcity Problems? - Can The Current Approach Be Improved Upon?

Several sources say an increased emphasis on treating and re-using/recycling waste water that is currently dumped into the ocean might be a more sustainable and feasible approach compared to the long term use of desalination plants ...

Perth professors argue that treating and recycling waste water is a better long term approach than desalinations plants:

[Perth has a large amount of waste water that goes straight into the ocean]

[Perth should be sending waste water] into recharge or treatment to produce good water for public open space, even potable water

The technology is there to treat any water - waste-water, storm water, any kind of water can be treated to perfection

- abc.net.au

On re-using more waste water instead of dumping it:

About 140 billion litres of treated wastewater are discharged into the ocean every year in the Perth-Peel region.

A further 7 billion litres are infiltrated into the sands as a means of disposal where there isn't an option for ocean outfall.

Recent investigations of these land disposal sites have shown them to be effective in protecting wetlands from drying and providing water for public and private irrigation.

Investigations have also shown that the quality of treated wastewater can be greatly improved when infiltrated through the yellow sands into the limestone aquifer in the western part of Perth.

It is suitable for irrigation after a few weeks' residence within the aquifer.

Without these kinds of measures, local governments will struggle to water parks and sports ovals, to protect Perth's remaining wetlands , and to safeguard the trees that help keep us cool.

So while drinking water supplies for an affluent city like Perth are reasonably secure, [the] vital non-drinking water supplies need to be augmented using some of the water [Perth] currently discharges into the ocean.

As Perth gets even hotter and drier, and green spaces and wetlands are needed to provide much-needed cooling, [Perth] can no longer afford to let any water go to waste.

- theconversation.com

Perth & Cape Town Have Similar Water Scarcity Causes, But Have Had Different Approaches To Their Situations

[Perth faces] very similar climatic conditions to Cape Town.

The difference between Cape Town and Perth is that [Perth has] been in a position to make long-term decisions to deal with climate change

[In the midst of Cape Town's water shortage, there was] strict water restrictions amounting to 50 litres per person per day - Perth residents use an average of 335 litres a day

Perth, much like Cape Town, was once almost entirely reliant on its dams

- abc.net.au

Perth is half the size of Cape Town in terms of population, but, inflows to water reservoirs are decreasing as a result of decreased rainfall and river inflows

There's also been significant population growth [in both Perth and Cape Town over the last few years to decades, and more population growth is expected]

Perth has progressively sourced more and more of its supply from desalination and from groundwater extraction, [while] Cape Town has not done this

- theconversation.com

Cape Town has small water capacity/supply per person from it's dams

Brisbane has 2,220,150 ML storage capacity for its 2.2 million residents.

That amounts to just over one million litres per resident when storages are full.

In comparison, Cape Town's four million residents have a full storage capacity of 900,000 ML. That's 225,000 litres per resident

Cape Town is building a number of small desalination plants to deal with this

- theconversation.com

1. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27225396

2. https://theconversation.com/drought-proofing-perth-the-long-view-of-western-australian-water-36349

3. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-21/how-perth-dodged-its-own-water-crisis-like-day-zero-in-cape-town/9891472

4. https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/oct/06/perth-western-australia-drought-climate-change-water

5. https://theconversation.com/cape-town-is-almost-out-of-water-could-australian-cities-suffer-the-same-fate-90933

6. https://theconversation.com/is-perth-really-running-out-of-water-well-yes-and-no-90857

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Water Scarcity Case Study Of Perth, Western Australia: What We Can Learn - Better Meets Reality

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Perth as a city has one of the driest climates in the world. In this guide, we've put together a case study of Perth's water scarcity problems, and what they have done to address them. Other dry countries and cities in the world might be able to learn something about how to address their own water scarcity and water quantity related issues.

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Clear, flowing streams are alluring to walkers and campers, but taking a sip could land you in the deep end.

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challenges of water crisis in Australia and  several ways to solve it [NGU LI KWONG]✅

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challenges of water crisis in Australia and  several ways to solve it [NGU LI KWONG]✅

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World Water Day is a day we can focus our attention on the importance of water and some of the challenges faced managing Australian water catchments and supply. Water is a key driver of economic and social development, it also has a basic function in maintaining the integrity of the natural environment.

We caught up with our Hydrology and Catchment Management experts; Associate Professor Willem Vervoort, Associate Professor Thomas Bishop and Dr Floris Van Ogtrop, from the Sydney Institute of Agriculture and School of Life and Environmental Sciences; and asked them what they thought were the 5 biggest challenges facing Australian water. Here is what they had to say:

1. Australia has the global highest variability in climate and streamflow

Australia has complex variations in rainfall patterns in time and space arising from the combination of the geographic structure and the dual effects of Indian and Pacific Ocean. Due to Australia having the global highest variability in climate and streamflow water management systems would benefit the most from weather forecasting. Forecasting in such variable conditions is very difficult and knowledge about future rainfall is important for agriculture management and planning in arid and semi-arid regions.

2. Water data is still very sparse west of the ranges or away from the coast

Despite all our efforts and investment, data is still very sparse west of the ranges or away from the coast, which makes forecasting and management difficult. We are working on novel solutions to integrate satellite data to fill the gaps. Australia is up there with US and Europe in public (water) data accessibility, we are big proponents of open data and increased data access. Data driven models are helping discover new developments in predicting water availability and quality.

3. Murray Darling Basin management has no easy solutions

The Murray Darling Basin management is very complex, there are no easy solutions. This means all solutions are negotiated in a high uncertainty environment. "Collaboration and communication between the different states and the people is the only way forward, as none of the solutions for the Murray Darling Basin plan are easy, and all will result in pain for some part of the community. But this also means, that the best solutions can only be achieved by negotiation, not by walking away from the process," said Associate Professor Vervoort.

4. Climate change may increase the occurrence of toxic cyanobacteria blooms

Climate change resulting in increasing temperatures and associated increased rainfall intensity will increase the occurrence and risk of eutrophication. Eutrophication is when a body of water becomes overly enriched with minerals and nutrients that induce excessive growth of plants and algae. The factors triggering cyanobacteria bloom formation are found to be especially complex. Recent PhD graduate Liz Symes, investigated the proliferation of undesirable cyanobacteria within eutrophic freshwaters which is now reported on a global scale.

5. Foodborne illness may be linked to source waters used for irrigation of fresh produce

Australian health authorities have confirmed the sixth person has died of listeriosis as a result of consuming contaminated rockmelons. Listeria is a bacteria that can be found in the environment including water sources. This highlights the importance of increasing our understanding of contamination in water potentially used for irrigating fresh produce. Our PhD candidate, Emily White, is currently profiling and monitoring microbial populations in agricultural water. Her research will investigate environmental conditions that influence contamination risk in source waters.

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5 biggest challenges facing Australian water

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World Water Day is a day we can focus our attention on the importance of water and some of the challenges faced managing Australian water catchments and supply. Water is a key driver of economic and social development, it also has a basic function in maintaining the integrity of the natural environment.