Western Australian Statistical Indicators (cat. no. 1367.5)
The June 2004 issue of Western Australian Statistical Indicators (cat. no. 1367.5) released on 7 July 2004, includes a feature article on household water conservation and use in Western Australia. Water is a crucial resource for Western Australians in terms of facilitating economic development, maintaining public health, and preserving the environment. Recent drought conditions in this state have brought into focus the need to ensure a sustainable water future for Western Australians. This article brings together the latest information from a range of sources to examine current and future trends in the supply of, and demand for, water in Western Australia and provides a snapshot of water conservation and use by Western Australian households.
Key facts from the article include:
- The average amount of water flowing into WA's main public water supply dams has halved from 338 Gigalitre (GL)/year on average between 1911 and 1974, to an average of 167 GL/year between 1975 and 2001.
- Households were the second largest user of water in 2000-01 in WA after the Agriculture industry, accounting for 17% of total water consumption
- WA households rely heavily on mains water to meet their needs. In March 2001, it was the main source of household water for bath, shower and washing water (95% of households), drinking water (84%) and garden water (77%).
Western Australian Statistical Indicators provides information on: state accounts; prices and wages; retail turnover; new motor vehicle sales; finance and investment; building and engineering construction; overseas trade; the labour market; agriculture; mining and energy; tourism; population and vitals; crime; and the environment. Each issue includes an analysis of recent movements in key state economic and labour market data, as well as a section on social trends.
For further information contact Mike Thomas on (08) 9360 5353 or email: <michael.thomas@abs.gov.au>
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