Water use
Water is used for everything from bathing and cooking through to irrigating crops and generating electricity.
Water also maintains the health of natural systems. Striking a balance between our needs and the needs of the environment is a key objective of the National Water Initiative.
In 2008-09 Australia used just over 14 000 gigalitres of water - that's the same volume of water as in around 7 million Olympic swimming pools.
- Find out more about water use in Australia
- Find out more about agricultural water use in Australia