Australian Water Management Review Vol 1 2010 | Page 13

13 trapped in a black hole of uncertainty,” says Ken Matthews, who grew up on an irrigation farm. City water Urban water has become front page news in recent years, with almost all big cities imposing restrictions on consumers and searching for new sources of supply. However the Commission cautions that water restrictions alone are unlikely to deliver reliable supplies, and urges they be seen more as a last resort than a first option. Despite these and other measures Australian city water has failed to achieve security in most places. There has been a general move to diversify sources of water supply away from reliance on big rain-filled dams towards desalination, domestic rainwater tanks, mining of wastewater and recycling of non-drinking water. However Australia’s cities could be doing more and implementing it more quickly, the Commission feels. Many need to improve the way they plan for and manage their water in a time of climatic uncertainty and erratic rainfall, it says. If we are to have “water-sensitive cities” there must be better ways to quantify the real costs and benefits of water use and wider adoption of water markets to ensure efficiency. These would improve the price signals to all urban water users. Conclusion Despite much progress, the National Water Commission says there have been unconscionable delays in all areas of water reform, made worse by the changing climate. “So far as water is concerned we can see clearly where this is heading and, unless we act now, we know there is more – and probably worse – to come,” Ken Matthews says. “The take-home message for all Australians is that further reform of our water management system is unavoidable – and cannot be delayed.” National Water Commission Managing our water more effectively is one of the greatest challenges facing Australia. The National Water Commission is responsible for driving national water reform under the National Water Initiative Australia’s blueprint for how water will be managed into the future. National imperatives for water management include more effective water planning to determine how we share valuable water resources between competing uses, protection of significant environmental assets, expansion of water markets, and improved security of water supplies and entitlements. The Commission provides advice to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the Australian Government on national water issues. To advance its reform objectives, the Commission also reports regularly on Driving water reform in Australia specific aspects of water management such as the performance of urban water utilities and rural water service providers, the operation of Australian water markets, and the impacts of water trading. Through its $250 million Raising National Water Standards Program, the Commission invests in projects to advance water reform and improve water management. The Commission also provides leadership by being a catalyst for water reform. Waterlines reports are regularly published to boost understanding and awareness of water management issues. Through its bienniel assessments, the Commission reports to COAG on progress towards implementing the commitments agreed by the Australian, state and territory governments under the National Water Initiative. The Commission’s recently published second biennial assessment found that despite some progress, the pace of water reform has slowed on almost every front. In its recommendations to COAG, the Commission has called on governments to commit to a renewed round of national water reform. Position statements are released to improve the quality of debate about water challenges and recommend actions vital to advance reform. For more information, visit the Commission’s website - www.nwc.gov.au.