Australia’s growing cities and shifting climate demand smarter, cleaner and more resilient water systems. The question isn’t if we need change, but how fast we can act.
Securing a clean, reliable water supply on the world’s driest inhabited continent has always been a national imperative. But now the stakes are higher.
Contamination of our water supply is a concern, with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals”, being detected in catchments such as Sydney’s Blue Mountains – raising questions about safety, regulation and trust. And PFAS is just the beginning; improved detection capabilities has prompted a wider conversation about water treatment, transparency and long-term health.
Meanwhile, population growth is placing unprecedented pressure on Australia’s water systems. As our urban centres swell, so too does demand for water; not just for homes, but for cooling cities, supporting green spaces, and future-proofing against floods and droughts.
Keep scrolling to watch a video with water expert Corinne Cheeseman.
With climate change making rainfall patterns increasingly unpredictable, water planners are looking to climate-resilient sources such as purified recycled water – which comes with social rather than technical challenges.
Community acceptance is still a challenge when it comes to drinking purified recycled water, even though global examples show that safe, treated water is more than possible – it’s already happening.
To address these challenges, the systems and thinking that underpin water infrastructure need to evolve.
But beyond technology, integration and collaboration are necessary to water sustainability. Engineers, planners, utilities and communities all have a role to play in designing circular, resilient systems that don’t just supply water, but sustain ecosystems and livable cities.
In the video below, watch CEO of the Australian Water Association Corinne Cheeseman lay out the path ahead for Australia’s water future.
Produced & edited by Joseph Harding, interview by Chloe Hava.
Explore the impact of plastic pollution on rivers – and why it’s an environmental problem engineers must tackle – in this EA OnDemand webinar.
