A new interactive web resource has been launched by the National Water Commission to help people easily access information on the status of water planning across Australia. This online web application, based on the inaugural report National Water Planning Report Card 2011, provides a summary of the status of water plans across Australia, including the quality of existing water plans, their implementation, and areas for future improvement.
Now well into its second decade, the USA National Groundwater Awareness Week spotlights one of the world’s most important resources — groundwater. Groundwater is essential to the health and well-being of humanity and the environment.
International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater – the theme for 2012 is Water and Food Security.
Each year, on 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization, its 189 Members and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day around a chosen theme. This year, the theme is “Powering our future with weather, climate and water”.
A consultation statement has been prepared that aims to encourage water sensitive urban design across South Australia and suggests targets for water conservation, stormwater management and environmental water quality and community feedback is invited on the new approach. The feedback will be used to develop a water sensitive urban design policy for South Australia.
In November 2011 the Australian Government announced funding of almost $148 million for world-class collaborative research and innovation under the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) program. The funding includes $30 million for the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities and $28 million for the CRC for Low Carbon Living.
The CRC for Water Sensitive Cities will deliver the socio-technical urban water management solutions, education and training programs, and industry engagement required to make Australian towns and cities water sensitive.
The CRC for Low Carbon Living brings together key property, planning and policy organisations with leading Australian researchers to develop new social, technological and policy tools for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment.
The Bureau of Meteorology has published its first Australian Water Resources Assessment (2010). This report will assist all Australians, particularly policy-makers and planners, to understand the current state of the nation’s water resources and to assess the impact of past and present water management practices. The report has been produced as part of the Australian Government’s Improving Water Information Program.
The CSIRO publication Water: Science and Solutions for Australia provides the latest information the status of Australia’s water resources and their future prospects, the many values we hold for water, and the potential for using water more effectively to meet the growing demands of cities, farmers, industries, and the environment. This is a free book available in two electronic formats: PDF which is optimised for reading on a computer screen, and as an eBook format which is optimised for use with mobile and specific eReader devices. Hard copies of the book can also be purchased.