More feasible, faster: Accelerating climate-independent water

Despite initial reassurances that Melbourne had no real water security problem in the early 2000s, the situation rapidly changed. In 2006, Melbourne experienced a dramatic reduction in water inflows, dropping from an average of 600 gigalitres to 170 gigalitres, highlighting the severity of the drought. By June 2007, a crisis was declared, necessitating immediate action to secure water supplies.

The Victorian Government announced it would build a 150 gigalitre per year desalination plant, the largest in the world at the time. However, in that frantic nine-month period, there had been no time for public consultation despite most agreeing that something had to be done.

However, three things changed public sentiment:

1. The financing costs for the desalination plant increased due to the global financial crisis of 2007-08.
2. With the drought ending in 2009, many viewed the desalination plant as unnecessary and expensive.
3. In 2011, the government scrapped the T155 water conservation targets.

The subsequent erosion of public trust and political capital among water authorities indicated a backlash against the measures taken. The scrapping of water conservation targets, which had been found to have worked, further undermined public confidence in the water authorities' long-term strategy and the necessity of a desalination plant.

What we can learn from Melbourne’s experience during the Millennium Drought is the need for more comprehensive planning that includes diverse stakeholder engagement, continuous adaption, and better governance and financing strategies to maintain political and social capital. 

One of the key principles for long-term water security planning is to engage with the community in a meaningful and transparent way. Proper community engagement can deliver outcomes that meet the needs of residents, businesses, traditional owners and the environment. It can also help to build trust, awareness and acceptance of climate-independent water supply options, like desalination and purified recycled water.

Getting buy-in is critical. We need to have open conversations with our communities about the challenges and opportunities of climate change and the role of different water sources in creating a diversified and resilient water supply portfolio. This means understanding their preferences, values and concerns, and involving them in the decision-making process.

Watercare, the water utility in Auckland, New Zealand, did this successfully in 2018 with a citizen’s assembly. They asked 40 randomly selected people from different backgrounds to recommend what Auckland’s next water source should be. After receiving information and advice from experts, the citizens’ assembly suggested that the utility should explore direct potable reuse and desalination as the preferred options. This was a great way to get the community's input and endorsement for climate-independent water sources.

We often hear from decision makers that there might be strong community resistance to accelerating climate-independent water sources, but this isn’t the case. In fact, what we’re seeing from water utilities as they engage with their communities is quite a lot of openness to rainfall-resilient water supply options that can complement our traditional water surface options.

Danielle suggested there is a lot of evidence that communities are hungering for these conversations. They hear about climate change all the time and want to see that water utilities are planning for that.

In a poll of our webinar participants, we asked if people agree with the statement that ‘community attitudes are progressing more than governments realise’. Just over two thirds (69 per cent) of respondents said the community is getting there but there is still some education to go, while 23 per cent agreed that community sentiment is shifting quickly in favour of augmentations. 

While we’re in much better shape than we were in 2007, implementing climate-independent options is complex and requires a holistic, adaptive approach to planning, one that can respond to changing conditions and uncertainties. It means considering long-term climate impacts, trade-offs and synergies between different water sources and systems, and the changing needs of water users and managers. An adaptive approach also allows for flexibility and continuous learning as new information and technologies become available, and as the social and environmental context evolves.

Instead of linear and centralised planning processes that focus on single outcomes and solutions, we need to embrace complexity and diversity, and use scenario planning and modelling tools to explore different options and trade-offs. We also need to monitor and evaluate the performance and impacts of our strategies and update them as needed.

Hunter Water, the water utility in the lower Hunter region of New South Wales, developed an adaptive plan for water security in 2014, which included a set of triggers and actions for different water supply levels. The plan considered a range of options, such as water restrictions, recycled water, desalination and inter-regional transfers, and evaluated them based on technical, economic, social and environmental criteria. The plan also included a review process every five years, or after a major drought or flood event, to ensure that it remained relevant and effective.

Depending on the state or territory, there are different scales and depths of planning that can take place. In Victoria, for example, there are 15-year plans for assessing long-term water availability, 10-year regional sustainable water strategies, 5-year urban water supply and demand strategies, and annual water security outlooks.

Rob proposed we can do the medium- to long-term planning while we attend to what’s required on an annual basis. And because we’re involving communities and stakeholders in the planning process, there shouldn’t be any surprises when the next desalination plant is announced, or the next water conservation project comes along.

Another consideration for accelerating climate-independent water is to pursue integrated solutions that can provide multiple benefits for the water sector and beyond. Integrated solutions involve connecting different water sources, services, and stakeholders, and aligning them with other urban and regional planning objectives, such as liveability, sustainability and resilience.

During the Millennium Drought, only one in four playing fields could be used because of water shortages and unsafe ovals. Rob suggested that passive irrigation of playing fields and green space is also a bigger strategic outcome and objective on top of straight-out water security.

Integrated solutions can leverage the potential of digital technologies, such as smart meters, sensors, and data analytics, to optimise the operation and management of water systems. Collaboration with other agencies, such as local governments, planners, developers, and regulators, can also create integrated water management frameworks that maximise the value and efficiency of water resources.

Perth is a fantastic example because they used to get about 88 per cent of their water supply from surface water. Now, they’re expecting that only 10 per cent of their water supply will come from surface water, with desalination, groundwater and recycled water contributing significantly to the mix.

Perth has also implemented integrated water management strategies, such as water-sensitive urban design, aquifer recharge and green infrastructure to improve the amenity, health and climate adaptation of the city. By embracing security through diversity, they have positioned themselves to deliver resilience in an uncertain climate and meet the challenges of population growth.

One thing we really need to do is change the narrative. Water utilities need to stop talking about climate-independent water options as “insurance policies” and embrace the fact that in a country where the climate is so variable, we need to adopt supply systems that balance our surface water supplies. We have these world-class systems that can help us with all types of resilience, not just drought but also floods and bushfires too. These assets can play a critical role in securing our water future, as well as delivering other co-benefits, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing biodiversity, and supporting traditional owners.

According to Danielle, most places around the world that have either purified recycled water or desalination plants don’t turn them on intermittently. They adopt them as critical parts of their baseload water supply. We need to boost that narrative so our communities start to pick up on that change role.

Climate change is increasingly showing us that things can change very quickly. What we once thought of as “unprecedented events” have morphed into more ongoing changes that we need to be prepared for. The key is to strike the right balance between doing things properly and doing them before it’s too late. Having open conversations with your community now can lay the foundation for boosting your water supply during critical times into the future. 

To learn more about this topic, watch our webinar on accelerating climate-independent water.