According to MWH Australia's Water Gauge 2010, a recent survey on water conservation,

91 per cent of people are concerned that the current water supply in Australia will not be able to support a significant population increase in the next five years.

In view of forecast population growth, MWH Australia, an environmental and water engineering services firm, asked respondents to answer questions regarding the nation’s usage of water. When asked to choose between more infrastructure (such as dams or desalination plants) versus further water restrictions,

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76 per cent of Australians said they would prefer increased water infrastructure-as opposed to 18 per cent opting for a restricted water supply – to ensure water security for future generations.

MWH Australia Managing Director Peter Williams said that Australian’s water supply must increase through greater investment in water infrastructure on top of government encouragement to reduce water usage.

“We must recognise that water is grossly undervalued in Australia. Unless the underlying issue is addressed, it will continue to prove difficult to invest adequately our future water supply,” Mr Williams said.

Conserving water

The research showed that Australians have a sense of national duty to conserve water, with 95 per cent of respondents believing it is Australian’s responsibility to make good use of our water.

Accordingly, the research showed that water restrictions have altered behaviour, with four in five respondents facing restrictions saying they are doing a very good or excellent job. However, 50 per cent also said that they would be less careful if water restrictions were lifted in their area.

Mr Williams said “It would appear that while Australians are willing to continue to make an effort to conserve water, they would also like to see governments make sure that infrastructure is in place to ensure future water security.

“Investment in long-term and sustainable management infrastructure and water usage legislation is a vital task for the nation. We need to make sure we’re building a better world for the future.”

The study, commissioned by MWH and conducted by Lonergan Research, was conducted among 1,026 Australians aged 18 years and over. Surveys were distributed online among members of a permission-based panel across Australia, including both capital city and non-capital city areas.