Groundwater accounts for about 90% of Australia's total fresh water reserves, most of which is stored in the biggest artesian basin in the world - the Great Artesian Basin.
It is estimated that up to 95 per cent of bore water is being wasted through evaporation and seepage and thousands of ageing bores are nearing the end of their useful lives.
The Australian government has invested funds in the Great Artesian Basin Sustainability Initiative (GABSI), working with industry and communities to ensure a sustainable future for the Great Artesian Basin. The GABSI is delivered through State agencies. More information is available here.
In the future we may see Managed Aquifer Recharge, where stormwater or treated wastewater are pumped into an aquifer to store for later use. The Department of Water in Western Australia has developed a policy on managed aquifer recharge to aid the approval of socially and environmentally acceptable proposals under the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914. More information is available here.
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