Australia’s leading water scientists are urging the federal government to accelerate the use of underground water storage across Australia following reports of strong El Nino settling in – raising the risks of a major drought.
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Calls for a national underground water bank were made at the Australian Groundwater Conference in Canberra from November 3-5.
Demands for the water bank come just weeks after Central Highlands Water officials confirmed they, alongside the City of Ballarat, were considering the future use of a large aquifer near the Ballarat West Employment Zone.
Speaking with The Courier in October, Central Highlands Water managing director Paul O’Donohue said the aquifer presented a “big opportunity” for Ballarat, given it has already been used to assist the city during the millennium drought during the 2000s.
Southern Rural Water is the managing authority of the aquifer, which is currently being held in reserve, but CHW has a licence to extract 1700 megalitres per year.
Mr O’Donohue told The Courier on Thursday that the current state of the groundwater in the aquifer is “fair” condition, in accordance to the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
“In accordance with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines the groundwater is consider of ‘fair’ quality due to slightly elevated levels of TDS (total dissolved solids) and hardness,” Mr O’Donohue said.
“It can be used for drinking water purposes.
“Options of blending surface water supplies and/or salt reduction technology to improve water quality are being considered depending on fit for use water requirements”
Professor Craig Simmons, director of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, said the management of groundwater is crucial to Australia’s water infrastructure.
“Groundwater makes up over 90 per cent of Australia’s fresh water supplies,” Professor Simmons said.
“It is far more important than we think – but it is often poorly understood and valued.”
