National Water Initiative objectives

The overall objective of the National Water Initiative is to achieve a nationally compatible market, regulatory and planning based system of managing surface and groundwater resources for rural and urban use that optimises economic, social and environmental outcomes.

At the highest level, implementation of the National Water Initiative will achieve:

  • clear and nationally-compatible characteristics for secure water access entitlements
  • transparent, statutory-based water planning
  • statutory provision for environmental and other public benefit outcomes, and improved environmental management practices
  • complete the return of all currently over-allocated or overused systems to environmentally-sustainable levels of extraction
  • progressive removal of barriers to trade in water and meeting other requirements to facilitate the broadening and deepening of the water market, with an open trading market to be in place
  • clarity around the assignment of risk arising from future changes in the availability of water for the consumptive pool
  • water accounting which is able to meet the information needs of different water systems in respect to planning, monitoring, trading, environmental management and on-farm management
  • policy settings which facilitate water use efficiency and innovation in urban and rural areas
  • addressing future adjustment issues that may impact on water users and communities
  • recognition of the connectivity between surface and groundwater resources and connected systems managed as a single resource.

Key elements for action

The National Water Initiative agreement includes outcomes and commitments to specific actions across eight inter-related elements of water management:

  1. water access entitlements and planning
  2. water markets and trading
  3. best practice water pricing
  4. integrated management of water for environmental and other public benefit outcomes
  5. water resource accounting
  6. urban water reform
  7. knowledge and capacity building
  8. community partnerships and adjustment.

 

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