Last minute hotel bookings

The White Hat Guide to Water Management in Australia

Agriculture and irrigation

Often it is the later established agricultural regions which have had to learn to be more efficient in their water use. The Carnarvon region of Western Australia is semi-arid with a wide temperature fluctuation together with frosts and high winds and relies on the Gascoyne River for most of its water needs. The water price is expensive (about $270 per megalitre in 2009) but the region generates about $90million a year in produce and claims to achieve 9 times the conversion value of the Murray Darling Basin for its water use. The region makes substantial use of Israeli water technology.

Water distribution & greenhouse emissions

Most methods of water distribution involve a degree of pumping which in turn usually creates its own carbon footprint. In large scale systems, leaking pipes and poor joints can lead to a loss of pressure requiring 'double pumping'. Thus if the pressure drops below a certain level, a farmer using drip irrigation will have to add his own pump (with its resultant carbon footprint) to make up for the pressure which has been lost in the system.

Similarly some domestic users who collect rainwater may need to use a pump to get the water where they want it. As a general rule the energy profile of various systems is as follows:

• Desalination (very high)
• Domestic pumping of rain water (moderate)
• 'Town' water (lower)

Needless to say these carbon overheads can be greatly reduced if 'clean' power is used. Also in many applications Australia will be faced with a trade-off of making the best use of water as against the carbon footprint involved.

Water Sensitive Urban Design

The whole area of water management in an urban environment is a topic in itself so you can find that discussed at The White Hat Guide to Water Sensitive Urban Design.