Growing water needs

The Minister’s performance assessment report (PDF, 1.2MB) identified changing needs that must be addressed.

We need to review how sharing water is balanced between all water interests, including the environment, cultural and downstream users.

We need to balance growing demand for water to use in urban development, agriculture, cultural activities and in the critical minerals industries with the known impacts of those industries and all the other identified interests and values. The whole of the water plan area must be considered as a system.

The water plan review will use technical assessments to consider:

• existing water entitlement holders
• cultural values
• the environment
• consistency with the Lake Eyre Basin Agreement Act 2001.

We want to understand your views on how we should prioritise competing demands for water and how we can cater for the growing demands without impacting existing water uses and values.