Summary of additional management framework items – groundwater
States and territories were asked to reply to questions about the management
frameworks in place in 2005, including whether the management framework included
the following items: efficient irrigation systems, greywater, effluent recycling,
aquifer storage and recovery, metering programmes, climate change, household
rainwater tanks, and descriptions of other items.
Metering programmes are in place in all states and territories to measure
actual extracted volumes from licensed bores. Each state or territory programme
is progressing at a different rate, depending on priorities in each jurisdiction,
available funds, and the recognition of the need across the groundwater user
and resource manager community. Most jurisdictions have a backlog installation
programme for installing meters on a number of existing bores that are high
volume extractors and are in highly developed groundwater management units.
The backlog meter installation programme will take several years. There is
some government funding available to subsidise meter installation in some jurisdictions.
A monitoring program is a key component of water management
Northern Territory
In the Northern Territory , the majority (88 per cent) of groundwater management
units include a metering programme to ensure compliance. Two groundwater management
units include objectives for efficient irrigation in the groundwater management
framework, with a requirement for accurate measurement of groundwater use.
Licences in the Ti Tree groundwater management unit must measure and report
groundwater levels and water quality.
South Australia
All groundwater management units with a water allocation plan include a metering
programme, aquifer storage and recovery, and efficient irrigation in their
water management framework in South Australia . In addition, one groundwater
management unit (Northern Adelaide Plains Prescribed Water Area) includes effluent
recycling in its water management framework. Other water allocation plans include
water level or salinity criteria (or targets) for the allocation or transfer
of water allocations. South Australia has recently introduced a statewide water
metering policy that requires area-based water entitlement systems to be changed
to metered volumetric water allocation systems.
Tasmania
In Tasmania , the majority of these additional items are being managed under
different environmental management frameworks that are not specifically focused
on groundwater.
Victoria
One third of Victoria 's groundwater management units include a metering programme
in their management framework. The Victorian Government policy requires that
for groundwater licences:
- all significant water use will be metered
- all new licences for commercial and irrigation use will be
metered
- new water users will be responsible for the full cost of metering
their diversions
- the government will contribute to the costs of metering diversions
from existing water users
Under Our Water Our Future, changes
to the water management framework will bring effluent recycling, climate change,
aquifer storage and recovery, and efficient irrigation systems into the management
framework of 100 per cent of groundwater management units. The risks to water
quality from groundwater use and development are taken into account during
the development of plans.
Western Australia
None of the groundwater management plans in operation in Western Australia
specifies water quality objectives.
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