What do you know about your water supply?

The Australian Water Association (AWA) and Arup have launched the Australian Water Survey to investigate and compare attitudes to water use and security among water industry professionals and the Australian community.

“Water is something we use every single day for many aspects of our lives, so why don’t we think about the importance of it more often?” said AWA CEO Jonathan McKeown.

“Water is a major driver of our nation’s life and prosperity, and the Australian community and its leaders can’t afford to be complacent about water security for urban, regional, rural or remote communities. A national conversation is needed on water security, and we hope this survey and its results will help raise the importance of water to all Australians.”

The survey has two streams of questions: one for consumers and one for people within the water industry. The results will collectively offer a better understanding of both the community and industry’s views on how we can better regulate and protect this resource.

“Australia’s future prosperity is directly linked to how we manage water and how we secure sufficient water to meet the needs of our growing population, diversified industries and the environment,” said Daniel Lambert, Australasia water leader at Arup.

“Engaging the community on key water issues and choices is vital to deliver the best customer outcomes. This survey will provide deep insight into the participants’ views about the key issues facing the sector and the current level of awareness about our most precious resource.”

The final report findings will be released in October at the IWA World Water Congress in Brisbane. The results will also be used to inform the AWA’s Water Security Scorecard, due for release in May 2017 at Ozwater’17.

The survey can be completed here until 12 August 2016.