WA Water Minister Mia Davies has released Water Forever: South West Final Report, the Water Corporation’s long-term outlook on town scheme water supplies in the South-West.
The report was developed with significant input from councils, industry, government agencies and communities throughout the South-West over the past 18 months, and the Minister thanked everyone who was involved in the development of the report.
“The Water Corporation predicts that over the next 50 years, the demand for water from its customers in the South-West will more than double from 12 billion litres per year, to nearly 30 billion litres per year,” Ms Davies said.
“Rainfall over the past four decades in the South-West has also reduced, and in some parts quite significantly, meaning good planning is vital to secure water supplies for the future.
“The Water Corporation’s Water Forever South West document outlines plans to develop new water sources, reduce water use and increase water recycling to achieve water security in the face of a drying climate.”
The Minister said the report was part of the State Government’s long term planning for water security across the whole of the South-West.
The Department of Water regulates water use, conducts scientific assessments, identifies future water demand across the State and provides advice to Government on water services.
The department has partnered with the three South-West water service providers (Water Corporation, Aqwest and Busselton Water) to plan for the scheme water needs of their customers that align with the State’s growth projections and efficiency targets.
“This is summarised in the snapshot document Securing Water Resources for the South West – which outlines the department’s extensive program of scientific assessment of the region’s water resources currently under way,” Ms Davies said.
“This work will guide water service providers and private water users on the best locations to take water from, and the volumes of groundwater that can safely be extracted to meet future water needs.”
