Water scarcity is a persistent issue in Australia given the relatively dry and variable climate and now the emergence of climate change.
In recent years, low rainfall in many parts of Australia has led to low water storage levels, causing concern about the adequacy of water supplies. Population increase, especially in coastal urban areas, is placing further pressure on water supplies.
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.
In Australia, many places are running out of water, but the amount of water on the planet is fixed. We can't actually run out of it. So, we need to understand where we are within the cycle, and how water resources are moving and changing.
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.
Can you drink tap water in Australia? The short answer to this question is yes. Tap water in Australia is considered safe to drink by health professionals.
Sandbars, rips, unpredictable currents, debris below the water surface and swiftly changing local conditions are all often well-known to locals, but harder to spot by visitors. Stay safe by: Checking weather alerts before and during your trip.
Deficiencies for the 18 months since December 2021
For the 18-month period starting December 2021, deficiencies persist on the west coast of Tasmania and a small pocket of far south-west Western Australia where below average May rainfall has increased the area of severe deficiency.
Water opportunities in Australia
investing in options to use the water we have more efficiently. developing new local water supply sources – particularly those that rely less on rainfall, such as recycled water, desalinated water and greywater.
Partnerships for Recovery and water
Yet, water scarcity is a growing global threat. Rising global population growth, increasing prosperity, the industrialisation of agriculture, urbanisation and pollution of water sources are placing unsustainable demands and pressures on the world's clean freshwater resources.
Overuse, water pollution, lack of infrastructure, and changing weather patterns due to climate change are some of the drivers of water scarcity.
Globally, 2 billion people (26% of the population) do not have safe drinking water and 3.6 billion (46%) lack access to safely managed sanitation, according to the report, published by UNESCO on behalf of UN-Water and released today at the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York.
A key conservation issue is the preservation of biodiversity, especially by protecting the remaining rainforests. The destruction of habitat by human activities, including land clearing, remains the major cause of biodiversity loss in Australia.
Land based marine pollution
Poor water quality and sediment quality are the most serious known pollution issues affecting Australia's coastal and marine environments.
The Millennium Drought (2001–09) was one of the most severe. In 2017 drought set in again across parts of New South Wales and Queensland. The Federation Drought received its name because it coincided with Australia's Federation.
Heavy rainfall
For heavy rain days, total rainfall is expected to increase by around 7 per cent per degree of warming. For short-duration, hourly, extreme rainfall events, observations in Australia generally show a larger than 7 per cent increase.
The Federation drought: 1895 to 1902
The Federation drought was one of Australia's worst droughts. It began in the mid-1890s with the most extreme conditions in late 1901 and 1902.
Only swim at patrolled beaches (a beach where there are lifeguards on duty) and always swim between the red and yellow flags where lifeguards can see you. Many Australian beaches have 'rips'. These are strong underwater currents that can be hard to spot but which can draw you away from the shore quickly.
Australia has one of the strictest drinking water regulatory systems in the world, with over 250 guidelines in place to ensure that tap water is safe to drink. The guidelines are set by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and are enforced by state and territory governments.
Finland's tap water is among the greatest on the planet, and not is it totally safe, but also a joy to drink. In Finland, tap water has been viewed as essentially cleaner than filtered water. You can drink regular water all over the country.
While there are a few places that boast extremely clean water, such as Canada, Iceland, Antarctica, or even Upstate New York, the team of scientists determined that the cleanest water in the world was in the Patagonia region of Chile, Puerto Williams.
Melbourne Water is proud to have taken out top honours at the Ixom Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition.