Recommendation
49. Support the long-term sustainable use and management of the state’s strategic water resources by:
- reviewing self-supply arrangements for strategic water resources (as identified in the proposed state water strategy) across the state, with the Gnangara groundwater system as a priority, to:
- quantify the amount of water being used for self-supply purposes from each strategic water source, through monitoring and metering
- understand the economic, environmental, cultural and social value of each strategic water resource to the region and the state
- understand future use scenarios and any impacts on the timing and scale of major investment in future water supply infrastructure, such as desalination plants
- consider possible policy and regulatory approaches that could be implemented to ensure long-term sustainable outcomes
- outline mechanisms to achieve improved water-use efficiency (such as improved licensing, metering, pricing, trading and compliance measures)
- based on the outcomes of the review in Recommendation 49a, implementing recommended reform measures
- finalising and implementing the Gnangara groundwater allocation plan.
WA Government response
The WA Government responded to Foundation for a stronger tomorrow in February 2023. Recommendation 49 is fully supported. For further information please refer to the response document.