Water for a Healthy Country Update


Message from the Director The provision of readily accessible, high quality information – at scales from overview to fine scale is a primary challenge for the Flagship. This has been well and truly borne out by our multiple communication experiences in just the last couple of weeks. There is a real thirst for knowledge on water solutions. Read more. Water for the Future: Perth and South-West WA The south-west of Western Australia is getting drier, population growth is continuing and additional water supply options for the south-west of the state are high on everyone’s agenda. The Water for a Healthy Country Flagship and the West Australian Government have completed a major study that outlines demand and supply options for Perth’s future. Read more. A Bird’s Eye View of Australia’s Biggest Water User Research commissioned by the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship and undertaken by the Cooperative Research Centre for Irrigation Futures has found that water management practices adopted by the Murray and Murrumbidgee basins’ $3.1 billion irrigation industry have substantially improved over the past decade. The irrigation industry has also begun to explore opportunities for balancing the use of water for agricultural and environmental purposes. Read more. How the west has dried The south-west of Western Australia has been becoming steadily drier since the 1960s, and researchers are being asked: is this part of greenhouse induced global climate change, or is it just a natural fluctuation? Can it be reversed? How do we plan for this change? Read more. A fresh approach to water In the regional NSW town of Goulburn, just down the road from Australia’s national capital, water supplies earlier this year fell to less than 10 per cent of capacity. Read more. To drink or not to drink Many communities support the concept of water reuse but many technically sound schemes internationally have failed because communities have rejected them. Research has shown that people’s acceptance of using recycled wastewater reduces as it comes closer to human contact. Emotions, or the “yuck” factor, play a big part in people’s acceptance but little has been understood about just how people make their decisions to accept of reject reuse schemes, until now. Read more. Greywater: Not everything is black and white! Increasing pressures on the availability of water from existing storages as well as on aquatic environments that receive wastewater, highlight the importance of exploring options to reuse water in urban areas. Water for a Healthy Country researchers are investigating the suitability of greywater treatment systems to provide a reliable, fit-for-purpose water source for householders. Read more. Melbourne climate change study A Victorian Government report on implications of potential climate change on Melbourne’s water resources has shown that Melbourne is likely to experience increased average and summer temperatures, reduced rainfall and more extreme climatic events. Read more. Taking a look at ourselves An independent review was recently undertaken on four of the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship research projects in south-west WA. The review, carried out by independent consultancy ACIL Tasman, identified the potential for considerable national benefit from the research projects. Read more.	IN THIS EDITION: Update Home Message from the Director Water for the Future: Perth and South-West WA A bird's eye view of Australia's biggest water user How the west has dried A fresh approach to water To drink or not to drink Greywater: Not everything is black and white! An eye to the future - Melbourne's climate change study Taking a look at ourselves Meet some scientists from the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship. Meet Alan Gregory Meet Donna Brennan EARLIER UPDATES November 2004 April 2005
The Water for a Healthy Country Flagship is a CSIRO initiative and part of the National Research Flagships program that aims to deliver scientific solutions to advance Australia's most important national objectives. One of the largest scientific initiatives ever mounted in Australia, it aligns closely with the Federal Government's National Research Priorities. The initiative brings together our national research resources to deliver breakthroughs in fields ranging from healthcare to light metals and the environment.
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Water for a Healthy Country Flagship CSIRO Editor: Leane Regan CSIRO Black Mountain Laboratories, Canberra, ACT, 2601 Phone: +61 2 6246 4565 Fax: +61 2 6246 4564 editor.healthycountry@csiro.au www.csiro.au/healthycountry/


September 2005	National Research Flagship	www.csiro.au/healthycountry/