4610.0 - Water Account, Australia, 2008-09  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/11/2010   
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Contents >> Contents >> Main Findings

MAIN FINDINGS

Figure 1.1 and Tables 1.2 through to 1.6 summarise much of the data contained in the Water Account Australia. The main findings include:

  • In 2008-09, rainfall for Australia was 519 mm. Compared to 2004-05 and average levels of rainfall, 2008-09 was a wet year. However, below average rainfall and drought was experienced throughout much of Australia in 2008-09, specifically south eastern Australia.
  • During 2008-09, 59, 839 GL of water was extracted from the environment and used within the Australian economy. Of this amount, 9,673 GL was extracted by water providers, while water users directly extracted 50,166 GL.
  • Of the total volume extracted from the environment (59,839 GL), 46,845 GL was returned to the environment as regulated discharge. The majority of this regulated discharge (45,365 GL) was in-stream use, by the Electricity and Gas Supply industry for hydro-electric power generation (44,484 GL).
  • Water consumption was 14,101 GL in 2008-09, a decrease of 25% from 2004-05 when it was 18,767 GL.
  • The Agriculture industry (businesses with agriculture as their main activity) consumed the largest volume of water with 6,996 GL, representing 50% of water consumption in 2008-09. All agricultural activities accounted for 7,589 GL or 54% of total Australian water consumption in 2008-09. This is a decrease from 2004-05 when it was 12,191 GL and 65% of water consumption.
  • Victoria showed the largest fall (40%) in water consumption from 4,993 GL in 2004-05 to 2,991 GL in 2008-09. This is mostly because of a 1,688 GL or 51% decrease in the consumption of water by agricultural activities in this state.
  • In 2008-09, there were 401 water providers in Australia, supplying 9,673 GL of distributed water. This compares to 413 providers and 11,337 GL in 2004-05.
  • Water providers in the Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Services industry supplied 9,369 GL or 97% of distributed water in 2008-09.
  • Surface water made up 8,956 GL or 96% of the distributed water supplied by the Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Services industry in 2008-09.
  • Reuse water made up 348 GL of total water supplied by water providers in 2008-09, compared to 425 GL in 2004-05. In both reference years it represented just under 4% of total water supplied by water providers.
1.1 WATER SUPPLY IN THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY - 2008-09


  • The decline in the use of reuse water between 2004-05 and 2008-09 is largely a reflection of the decrease in availability of water. The impact was mostly felt in agricultural activities with a decline from 280 GL in 2004-05 to 106 GL.
  • Households experienced a slight increase in the use of reuse water (1,767 ML to 2,193 ML), however the volumes involved were relatively low.
  • Of the 9,673 GL of distributed water, 8,982 GL were supplied to industry and household users and 691 GL were distributed to the environment.
  • Water consumption by households fell by 16% between 2004-05 (2,108 GL) and 2008-09 (1,768 GL).
  • The Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Services industry had 29,000 employees as at 30 June 2009, a 32% increase since 2004-05.
  • Sales and service income from the Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Services industry was $11.4 billion, a 53% increase since 2004-05.
  • The Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Services industry spent $1.8 billion on wages and salaries in 2008-09 (an average of $63,000 per employee).
  • The average price of distributed water supplied increased 95% from $0.40/kL in 2004-5 to $0.78/kL in 2008-09.
  • There was large variation in the average price paid for distributed water with households paying $1.93/kL and agriculture $0.12/kL.
  • Gross value added for the Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Services industry increased from $5,101 million to $6,983 million (37%) between 2004-05 and 2008-09.
  • The gross value of irrigated agricultural production was $12.0 billion in 2008-09, a rise from $10.6 billion in 2004-05. (Note: Gross value is not a proxy for the highest value water use.).
  • The Agriculture industry generated a total of $4 million of gross value added (on average) for every GL of water consumed in 2008-09. Industry gross value added for Agriculture increased by 16% (in chain volume terms) while the water consumption decreased by 43% since 2004-05.
  • The Mining industry recorded a total of $226 million of gross value added per GL of water consumed. The gross value added per GL represents a 97% increase since 2004-05 reflecting a 23% increase in water consumption and a 142% increase in chain volume industry gross value added since 2004-05.
  • The Manufacturing industry generated a total of $164 million of gross value added for every GL of water consumed. This is a 2% reduction in chain volume terms compared with the result in 2004-05.

1.2 Water account summary statistics - 2004-05 and 2008-09
Australia
2008-09
2004-05
2008-09
NSW
Vic
Qld  
SA
WA
Tas
NT
ACT
Water consumption by industry (GL)(a)
16 659
12 333
4 026
2 649
3 043
1 046
1 045
387
115
21
Water consumption by households (GL)
2 108
1 768
536
342
308
122
326
69
39
27
Total water consumption (GL)
18 767
14 101
4 562
2 991
3 351
1 168
1 371
456
154
48
Gross State Product ($m)
1 116 248
1 255 241
394 980
287 619
250 573
77 407
180 008
22 247
16 658
25 748
Population ('000)
20 329
21 953
7 134
5 443
4 425
1 624
2 245
503
226
352
Gross State Product/Total water consumption
59
89
87
96
75
66
131
49
108
536
Gross State Product/Industry water consumption
67
102
98
109
82
74
172
57
145
1 251
Per capita/Total water consumption (kL)
923
642
639
549
757
719
611
906
681
137
Per capita/Household water consumption (kL)
104
81
75
63
70
75
145
136
173
78
(a) All industries i.e. Agriculture, Mining, Manufacturing


Total physical water supplied by the Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Services industry in 2008-09 was 9,711 GL (Table 2.11). This included 3.5% reuse water. It also included 2,289 GL water loss and 557 GL water supplied to the environment (Tables 4.16 through to 4.23). The actual total volume of physical water distributed to the users (or net water supply) was 6,864 GL. Table 1.4 shows that $5,477 million of revenue was generated from supplying 6,864 GL of urban and rural distributed water by the Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Services industry in 2008-09. In 2004-05, revenue earned by the Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Services industry was $3,514 million for supplying 8,710 GL of distributed water (including reuse water). Since 2004-05, revenue has increased by 56% while the volume of distributed water supplied decreased by 21%.

1.3 Water Consumption, by state - 2000-01, 2004-05 and 2008-09
Australia
2008-09
2000-01
2004-05
2008-09
NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.
NT
ACT
GL
GL
GL
GL
GL
GL
GL
GL
GL
GL
GL
Agriculture
14 989
12 191
6 996
2 001
1 435
2 144
788
325
264
35
2
Forestry and fishing
40
47
101
1
1
6
2
89
3
-
-
Mining
321
413
508
66
6
118
22
257
18
21
-
Manufacturing
549
589
677
150
158
148
88
61
50
22
-
Electricity and gas
255
271
328
92
123
82
2
27
-
1
-
Water supply(a)(b)
2 165
2 083
2 396
1 329
558
297
64
111
22
9
7
Other industries(c)
1 106
1 063
1 327
387
367
249
79
176
30
27
11
Household
2 278
2 108
1 768
536
342
308
122
326
69
39
27
Total
21 703
18 767
14 101
4 562
2 991
3 351
1 168
1 371
456
154
48
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Includes Sewerage and drainage services
(b) Includes water losses
(c) Includes aquaculture and services to agriculture
Note: This table presents an activity view for agriculture for 2000-01 and 2004-05 and an industry view for 2008-09.


Table 1.5 shows net physical use of distributed (both urban and rural) water and related expenditure in 2008-09. Households consumed 1,596 GL (23% of the total net water use) and spent $3,074 million (56% of total expenditure) on distributed water. In contrast, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing industry has decreased by 38% (from 5,651 GL to 3,518 GL) and the expenditure has increased by 39% (from $291 million to $406 million). Total expenditure on distributed and reuse water for all industries increased by 73% (from $1,367 million to $2,361 million) while physical water use (both distributed and reuse) decreased by 21% (from 6,858 GL to 5,414 GL).


Water Supply

1.4 Monetary and physical net distributed water supply, by industry - 2004-05 and 2008-09
Monetary units
Physical units
Distributed water (Urban & rural)(a)
Supply to other economic units
$m
GL
2008-09
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
-
-
Mining
na
24
Manufacturing
na
14
Electricity and Gas supply
5
96
Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage
5 477
6 864
All other industries
-
-
Total net supply
5 482
6 997
2004-05
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
-
-
Mining
na
8
Manufacturing
na
5
Electricity and Gas supply
na
1
Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage
3 514
8 710
All other industries
-
-
Total net supply
3 514
8 724
(a) Includes reuse water



Water Use

1.5 Monetary and physical net distributed water use, by industry and households - 2004-05 and 2008-09
Expenditure on distributed water(a)
Physical use of distributed water(a)
Distributed water
Percent of total  
Distributed water
Percent of total  
$m
(%)
GL
(%)
2008-09
Total consumption by industries(b)
Agriculture, forestry & fishing  
406
7
3 518
50
Mining  
153
3
150
2
Manufacturing  
490
9
367
5
Electricity , gas & waste services  
77
1
237
3
Water supply, sewerage & drainage
6
-
107
2
All other service industries  
1 229
22
1 034
15
Total  
2 361
43
5 414
77
Actual final consumption by households
3 074
56
1 596
23
Actual final consumption by Governments
60
1
-
-
Total net use(c)
5 495
100
7 010
100
2004-05
Total consumption by industries(b)
Agriculture, forestry & fishing  
291
8
5 651
65
Mining  
53
2
79
1
Manufacturing  
232
6
354
4
Electricity , gas & waste services  
91
3
121
1
Water supply, sewerage & drainage
2
-
61
1
All other service industries  
698
20
592
7
Total  
1 367
39
6 858
79
Actual final consumption by households
2 147
61
1 876
21
Actual final consumption by Governments
-
-
-
-
Total net use(c)
3 514
100
8 734
100
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Includes reuse water.
(b) Total consumption by industries = total intermediate consumption.
(c) Total net use = Total use less losses by Water Supply Industry and environmental provisions.



Gross Value Added

Table 1.6 gives the industry details for 2008-09 and 2004-05 relating to gross value added, physical water consumption and the ratio of industry gross value to industry water consumption. Physical water consumption in this table relates to consumption of all categories of water (Self-extracted, Distributed and Reuse). The relationship between level of water consumption and value added of the industry varies from industry to industry. The industry gross value added presented in this table are based on current prices while the percentage movements between 2004-05 and 2008-09 (outlined below) are based on chain volume measures of industry gross value added. Chain volume comparisons remove the effect of price changes and is the recommended method in the System of National Accounts (SNA) to compare financial information between years.

Table 1.6 shows that the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing industry generated, on average, $4 million in gross value added for every GL of water consumed in 2008-09. Industry gross value added increased by 16% in chain volume terms while the water consumption decreased by 41% since 2004-05. The Mining industry recorded $226 million gross value for every GL consumed. This is a 97% increase since 2004-05, reflecting a 23% increase in water consumption and a 142% increase in chain volume industry gross value added since 2004-05. The Manufacturing industry had $164 million gross value added per GL of water consumed. This is a 2% fall since 2004-05.

1.6 Industry gross value added for water using industries - 2004-05 and 2008-09
Industry gross value added(a)
Water consumption
Industry gross value added per GL of water consumed
$m
GL
$m/GL
2008-09
Agriculture
27 739
7 158
4
Mining
114 580
508
226
Manufacturing
111 044
677
164
Electricity & gas
16 097
328
49
Water supply, sewerage & drainage
6 288
2 396
3
All other industries
897 496
1 265
709
Total
1 173 244
12 333
95
2004-05
Agriculture
27 153
12 191
2
Mining
39 945
413
97
Manufacturing
97 769
589
166
Electricity & gas
14 933
271
55
Water supply, sewerage & drainage
5 101
2 083
2
All other industries
711 667
1 059
672
Total
896 568
16 606
54
(a) Current prices








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