Get smarter with water

Certainly, every measure counts and we all must be much more conscious of the water we use. Behavioural change is critical everywhere - in the garden, inside the house, in industry and in agriculture.

Fortunately, at national and state levels, when it comes to water use in agriculture, smart technology clearly is recognised and encouraged.

In rice, cotton, sugar cane, fruit and vegetable growing, there now are many case studies which show that with smart technology and management of water - getting it right to where it's needed and when it's needed - the same crop can be grown with much less water.

Queensland's Growcom organisation is being effective in helping growers through its Water for Profit program which is assisted by the Queensland Government's Rural Water Use Efficiency Program.

So we are doing the right thing in our rural communities - why isn't that smart thinking being applied in our urban communities?

Fortunately, some councils in Queensland are taking the lead. Townsville City Council has increased water use efficiency by 50 per cent in the past seven years for its urban open spaces.

By taking a holistic approach to its water management - soil improvements, weather monitoring, upgrading irrigation systems and control methods - it is saving water without the loss of public amenity space.

The answer to changing long-term behaviour when it comes to water use is simple - think water conservation measures rather than water restrictions and allow and support the use of smart ways to save water. We need to reward smart water use, not penalise it.

Our lifestyles do not need to alter that much, nor do our gardens and natural outdoor spaces need to be replaced or ruined, if we adopt a smart approach to water conservation.

The answer does not lie in turning off public fountains, which simply reticulate water, or filling them with soil and turning them into arid gardens. It lies in becoming the smart water state.