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 2004-05 Australia used nearly 80 000 gigalitres of water - that's the same volume of water as in around 4 million Olympic swimming pools. Most of this water was returned to the environment, but a quarter was consumed across the economy.
- Find out more about Water use in Australia