Using Data to Help Australia with Water Scarcity

Data can be applied to provide governing bodies with a full picture of environmental issues previously thought to be beyond our control, so as to determine the steps that can be taken to alleviate related challenges

Take for instance one of the biggest environmental concerns — water scarcity and access to clean water, ranked as the number one global risk by The World Economic Forum Global Risks Report in 2015. Access to water should essentially be a basic human right and yet, three-quarters of a billion people across the world have no access to clean drinking water.

Closer to home, average Australian water consumption levels are among the highest globally, propelled by water-intensive activities such as agriculture and mining. Many industries and towns operate in isolated locations where distribution from reservoirs may be problematic, making groundwater supplies essential. Pastoral activities in numerous towns across Australia would be unviable without access to groundwater. In addition, large-scale mining actions in the arid zone are completely dependent on its use. Groundwater is the main source of drinking water for many cities and towns.

Dependence on groundwater, which currently provides for one-third of Australia’s water usage, will only rise as extreme climate changes drain surface water reserves — even before accounting for projected population growth. Forecast to be one of the driest on record, the current El Niño weather conditions has become an immediate concern.

Using data to combat water issues

The current era of mass data streaming and unprecedented data flow has no doubt brought about vast untapped potential in the management of global and Australian water resources. By making the shift away from static documents or siloed collections, data analysis can potentially play a significant role in resolving the world’s water scarcity issues.

At its core, data has the ability to explain causes and effects. Taking it a notch higher, it can also illustrate the relative importance of the factors that contribute to water scarcity, as well as present necessary information in an interactive format. Consequently, this aides in providing the foundations for developing solutions.

In addition, visual data analytics provides a common platform for analysing options and developing appropriate policies, based on its ability to identify areas of abundance and scarcity. A clear assessment of the potential outcomes and benefits created from the allocation of limited resources allow discussions to progress to a more transparent and informed phase. Using accurate information, a clear narrative of how climate, hydrology and human water consumption affect society at both the regional and national scale can then be formed.

Ultimately, this data-driven narrative will set the stage for strategy formation, ensuring that growing Australian water needs may be met with adequate preparation.

We live in a time where information is power, but only if we have the ability to see the whole story that lies within our data and make a difference for the greater good. While populations and dependent industry will continue to rise, we now have greater knowledge and capacity to respond with modern technology, optimising our water allocation and allowing Australia to match growing demand with greater efficiency.

Source: The Australian

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Taxonomy

• Scarcity
• Environment
• Drought