Australia's Water Resources: From Use to Management

Abstract

Water is a basic component of human existence and the support systems on which people depend. Along with air, water is one of the most fundamental requirements for the survival of living things. No other single substance has a greater impact on the environment and the uses to which it is put. Water not only moulds the landscape, but also influences the pattern of activities that humans can undertake. ... By the close of the 20th century, after many decades of activity in the use of Australia's water resources, the emphasis on structural solutions to perceived water inadequacy had, in a relatively short space of time, come to an end. In the jargon of the economists, Australia's water economy is said to have moved from the developmental phase to the mature. The focus had shifted from harnessing and using new water resources to more efficient management of existing available supplies for agricultural, urban and industrial purposes. Moreover, less-tangible considerations, and environmental, aesthetic and recreational values of water, were now receiving belated recognition, along with concern for pollution of water-bodies and declining water quality. Such considerations, which were largely ignored during the nation's formative years, mark the recognition of a deeper appreciation of the role of water in Australia. These emerging attitudes to water as a multi-functional resource reflect broader changes that are taking place in Australia - in the priorities set down for resources development, in political and administrative arrangements, and in the social questions and problems that concern Australian society. It is against this background that this books sets out to address the critical water-related issues facing Australia at the beginning of the 21st century and to examine the policies and strategies necessary to manage them.