National Water Commission visits Newcastle
Media release - 17 June 2011
The National Water Commission met in Newcastle this week to review the main components of its 2011 biennial assessment of the implementation of the National Water Initiative and its impending report to COAG on progress against the reform actions committed to under Water Management Partnership Agreements.
Whilst in Newcastle, Commissioners met with the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and the Hunter Water Corporation.
Having inspected works being undertaken by the Hunter-Central Rivers CMA to restore two major wetland areas in the Hunter estuary - Hexham Swamp and Kooragang Island - Commissioners observed that lessons could be learnt here in terms of the unintended consequences of adaptation responses to extreme climatic events, whether it be extended drought or floods.
In this instance, on-ground works to reconnect the Hunter River and its adjacent estuarine wetlands have had to tackle and in some cases 'undo' landscape and flow interventions such as levees, which were put in place many years ago as flood mitigation measures.
Meeting with Hunter Water, Commissioners discussed water security and heard about the challenges facing the region in planning for future population growth and water demands. Hunter Water also responded to some of the ideas outlined in the Commission's Urban water in Australia: future directions report, putting forward their views on approaches to pricing, customer service and competition.
Reflecting on their meetings with both the Hunter Valley CMA and Hunter Water, Commissioners reaffirmed their position that all water supply sources, including dams and use of recycled water for potable purposes, must be considered on their merits. The relative costs and benefits of different options depend very much on local circumstances. Robust water planning requires active involvement of local communities in transparent and informed decision making.
With climate science indicating more severe and extreme weather conditions, we need adaptive planning and regulatory arrangements that are resilient to the full range of possible scenarios, from very low flows through to periodic floods. Managing for the average condition will not suffice.
The National Water Initiative recognises that variability dictates that adaptive water plans will require a balancing of needs, consideration of risks and trade-offs, and consultation within communities and across agencies.
Importantly, management of extreme events demands effective engagement across governments, agencies and organisations responsible for other planning and policy agendas, such as urban and land use planning and natural resources management.
In particular, recent work funded by the Commission in New South Wales has demonstrated that aligning water and catchment planning can deliver multiple benefits.
Strategies to provide for Australia's future water needs must take into account all available options, assessed on their effectiveness, economic efficiency, technical feasibility and environmental sustainability.
More about Commission meetings.