Australia seeks to align mining and water interests

Australia’s National Water Commission has released a statement calling for mining activities to be incorporated into water access and planning frameworks which comply with the National Water Initiative.

The proportion of Australia’s water resources used by the mining sector has increased rapidly in recent years, and mining is now the primary consumer of water in a number of regions. The NWC warns that inadequate management and regulation of current and future mining developments could impact on regional surface water and groundwater systems, and puts forward the view that mining concerns should operate under the same rules as other water users.

The inclusion of mining in water access and planning regimes will, the Commission argues, provide the industry with more secure access to water, whilst allowing the water trading market to develop more fully. It will also help to manage the cumulative effects of mining activities on Australia’s water resources.