Indicators for Sustainable Management of Water Supply: A Case Study from Australia

Abstract

This chapter presents a case study of the use of indicators to inform water supply planning and management, using data from Australia’s National Water Account. The study draws on the rich tradition on indicators, ratios and metrics in the financial field, to select a suite of 17 indicators to best represent a broad picture of context, sustainability and security relating to water availability and supply. The selected indicators fit into four broad themes relating to water availability, water use, sustainability and water security. The indicators were found to be useful for providing insight into key questions likely to be raised by decision makers in water policy and sustainable water resource management such as: How much water is available for use? How much water is being used and how is it being used? Is water use sustainable? Can future demand be met? They were also useful for standardising water information across water systems that differ in size, climate and type of use, allowing rapid comparison of key issues between regions.