The Federal Government has announced a $4 million investment to support the adoption of the eWater ‘Source’ platform to aid and streamline water planning and management across the country.

 

Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water, Senator Don Farrell, said the move to the system would formalize a 2008 COAG agreement to develop a national strategy to help ensure future water planning and development represents best practice in the industry.

 

“Source links science, policy and management to help policy makers and operators consider future scenarios and alternative water management options for catchments, urban environments and river systems across the nation,” Senator Farrell said.

 

“It will provide national consistency in water resource planning across jurisdictions, by integrating the economic and environmental uses of water to better assist how we plan and deliver water for cities, irrigation, industry, mining, wetlands and waterways.”


Federal Government contribution to the scheme is matched by State spending from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, the ACT and Northern territory, bringing the total level of funding close to $8 million.

 

“‘Source’ is the culmination of more than 20 years of research and development and significant collaboration with governments, national water authorities, private industry partners and Australia’s leading hydrologic and ecological scientists,” Senator Farrell said.

 

‘Source’ and the National Hydrologic Modelling Platform support the National Water Initiative, Australia’s blueprint for water reform, by providing an integrated approach to managing surface, ground and environmental water in rural and urban catchments across Australia.