Melbourne water supply could be under threat within a decade, water authority says

Melbourne's water providers have begun planning for a possible water crisis, as a new report suggests the city could start running out of water within a decade. Melbourne Water analysed the effect of greater consumption caused by population growth, and the possibility of worsening droughts due to climate change.

It found, at worst, demand could outstrip supply by 2028, with the best case scenario seeing the city facing a water crisis within 50 years. With Melbourne's population expected to double by 2065, the report said the community could expect to see more apartments and smaller blocks.

"Some of these changes can have a positive impact on water use, like using less water as homes become smaller, less outdoor water use in gardens, more efficient fittings installed at construction, and houses built to higher efficiency standards," it said.

"More houses create more hard surfaces that create stormwater runoff, leading to more potential flood risk and damage to our rivers and creeks." Environment Victoria's Nicholas Aberle said Victoria must not ignore the warning. "We've got a bit of time before this really gets difficult but if we sit on our hands for the next 10 years and just hope that it'd all going to get better, and assume that climate change won't be as bad as we probably know it's going to be, if we don't use that time wisely, this will become a crisis," he said.

The report said while household usage had become more efficient, the increase in population would push up demand. This year Victoria experiences its driest start to winter on record.

abc.net.au

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