Water planning 101: stabilise the population

Mainland capitals are "planning" to massively boost their water-supplies over coming decades. Brash Melbourne reckons it might hit 80% "manufactured" (desal, recycled, storm) water by 2070.

At 2020, dozens of NSW and Queensland towns had insecure water supplies. Of necessity, desal's coming into play in regional WA and SA.

Desal cross-dresses, as an environmentally "sustainable" and climate "resilient" adaptation, for further population growth.

That's playing down its punishing construction and running costs. Much dearer than "conventional" water extraction, with consumers footing the bill.

What if costly desal somehow enabled an extra 13 million (largely imported) punters to camp out on our wilting landscapes? Maladaptive, contends SPA, not adaptive.

Stop ignoring population

Like a seasoned rugby pro, water-industry thinking sidesteps the population issue.

Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA, 2009) had us "well positioned" for population growth of any magnitude. A notable 2011 report said water wasn't "a severe constraint" on population growth. Another (2018) said water-security risks could be "effectively managed".

WSAA (2020) and Productivity Commission (2020, 2024) are putting "all options on the table". On the supply side, that is, not the population demand-side.

Apparently, as "technical" specialists, water (and urban) planners feel obligated to appease "whatever" demand-growth is forecast.

New water paradigm

At the core of the techno-optimist mindset," the report declares, "is a conviction that technology can treat symptoms rather than causes while continuing business as usual.

Exhausting rain and groundwater, we've conjured a "diverse" water portfolio, including desal. Like housing, adequate water becomes less a right, more a commodity.

SPA urges a new ethos - water as a "commons not a commodity". The so-called market won't generate the right answers. Not with Big Australia up against a "heating, drying" climate.