4610.0 - Water Account, Australia, 2011–12 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 13/11/2013   
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STATE FACT SHEETS

New South Wales
Victoria
Queensland
South Australia
Western Australia
Tasmania
Northern Territory
Australian Capital Territory

WATER ACCOUNT AUSTRALIA 2011-12

New South Wales
  • Water consumption for New South Wales was higher than any other State or Territory in 2011-12, amounting to 6,262 GL or 39% of total water consumption in Australia.
  • In New South Wales, the Gross State Product per GL of water consumed was $71 million. This was below the Australian average of $91 million per GL.
  • New South Wales urban households spent some $1.3 billion on distributed water, accounting for 31% of total expenditure on urban water; New South Wales households also recorded the highest net use of urban distributed and reuse water (491 GL).
  • The average price of water paid by New South Wales households in 2011-12 was $2.69 per kL, just below the Australian average of $2.72 per kL.
  • Household consumption of water was 508 GL in 2011-12, or 8% of total water consumption in the state.
  • Household water consumption per capita decreased from 73 kL in 2010-11 to 70 kL in 2011-12.
  • Water providers in New South Wales supplied 5,359 GL of distributed water in 2011-12. The largest user of distributed water in New South Wales was the Agriculture industry (3,385 GL or 63%), with households also using a significant volume (489 GL or 9%).
  • The Agriculture industry consumed 4,037 GL in 2011-12 compared to 2,861 GL in 2010-11, an increase of 41%. The main contributor to the increase was Sheep, beef cattle and grain farming which increased by 1,083 GL or 65%.
  • The gross value of irrigated agricultural production (GVIAP) in New South Wales in 2011-12 was about $3,154 million, or 23% of the Australian total.
  • The Water supply industry was a significant user of water, consuming 1,102 GL or 18% of total consumption. Water losses constituted the majority of this, amounting to 1,038 GL.
  • New South Wales was the third highest consumer of reuse water of all the States and Territories in 2011-12 at 52 GL, which was 23% of total Australian reuse water consumed.
  • The Manufacturing industry consumed 102 GL of water in 2011-12 (a decrease of 30% from 2010-11), while Mining consumed 97 GL in 2011-12 (a 25% increase).
  • The Electricity and gas supply industry extracted a total of 12,024 GL of water from the environment, however most of this was used in-stream for hydro-electricity generation (11,996 GL).
  • New South Wales revenue for total water sales and services was $3,890 million in 2011-12. This was the second highest of all States and Territories and accounted for 25% of the Australian total.

WATER ACCOUNT AUSTRALIA 2011-12

Victoria
  • Water consumption in Victoria was 3,333 GL in 2011-12, 21% of the Australian total and a 41% increase from 2010-11.
  • In Victoria the Gross State Product per GL of water consumed was $97 million, a decrease of $33 million per GL from 2010-11. This was above the Australian average of $91 million per GL.
  • Household water consumption for Victoria was 316 GL or 9% of the state's total water consumption, a slight increase from 311 GL in 2010-11. Household water consumption per capita was 56 kL in 2011-12, the lowest of all States and Territories.
  • The average price of water paid by households in Victoria in 2011-12 was $2.78 per kL, an increase of 19% from 2010–11.
  • Victoria had the highest annual expenditure per household on water related services ($566) in 2011–12, an increase of 14% from 2010–11.
  • The Agriculture industry was the highest consumer of water, responsible for the consumption of 2,135 GL (or 64% of Victoria's total water consumption). Agriculture water use increased by 73% from 2010-11 attributed mainly to an increase in water use in Dairy cattle farming (439 GL or a 77% increase).
  • The gross value of irrigated agricultural production (GVIAP) in Victoria was about $3.9 billion in 2011-12, 28% of the total GVIAP in Australia and the highest reported GVIAP of all the States and Territories.
  • Victoria accounted for 25% (2,776 GL) of the total distributed water in Australia in 2011-12, increasing by 1,112 GL (or 67%) from 2010-11.
  • Total revenue from water sales and services in Victoria in 2011-12 was about $3,845 million, accounting for 24% of the Australian total.
  • Rural distributed water revenue contributed 13% ($188 million) of total distributed water revenue for the state, the second highest percentage of any State or Territory.
  • Approximately 76 GL of reuse water was used in Victoria, a slight decrease from 78 GL in 2010-11. Victoria was the highest consumer of reuse water of all the States and Territories in 2011-12.
  • The Manufacturing industry consumed 113 GL or 3% of total water consumption in Victoria, a decrease from 144 GL in 2010-11.
  • The Electricity and gas supply industry consumed 143 GL of water but used 7,827 GL to provide hydro-electricity (an in-stream or non-consumptive use).

WATER ACCOUNT AUSTRALIA 2011-12

Queensland
  • Water consumption in Queensland was 3,375 GL in 2011-12, 21% of the Australian total water consumption and the second highest among the States and Territories.
  • In Queensland, total water consumption per capita was 739 kL, 5% above the Australian average of 705 kL.
  • In Queensland the Gross State Product was $83 million per GL of water consumed. This was below the Australian average of $91 million per GL.
  • In 2011-12, the average price of water paid by Queensland households per kL of water was $2.95, the second highest in Australia. The average water price in Australia was $2.72 per kL.
  • Households consumed 346 GL of water in 2011-12, which was 10% of total water consumption for Queensland. Household water consumption per capita was 76 kL, increasing by 10% from 2010–11, the highest percentage increase of any State or Territory.
  • Queensland households recorded the second highest expenditure ($940 million) on urban distributed water of all State and Territories.
  • The Agriculture industry consumed the most water in Queensland in 2011-12 with 2,014 GL or 60% of the total water consumption in Queensland.
  • The gross value of irrigated agricultural production (GVIAP) in Queensland was $3,570 million in 2011-12, an increase of $365 million or 11% from 2010-11. This was the largest increase of all States and Territories.
  • Queensland was the second highest consumer of reuse water of all the States and Territories in 2011-12 at 58 GL, which was 25% of total Australian reuse water consumed.
  • The Mining and Manufacturing industries consumed 171 GL (an increase of 36% from 2010-11) and 169 GL (an increase of 15%) of water respectively in 2011-12.
  • The Electricity and gas supply industry extracted 889 GL of water in 2011-12, mostly for in-stream use for hydro-electricity generation. This was a 47% decrease from 2011-12.
  • Total revenue from water sales and services in Queensland was $4,285 million, accounting for 27% of the Australian total in 2011-12, the highest among the States and Territories.
  • Queensland had the highest revenue from bulk water sales of all State and Territories, accounting for $1,235 million or 53% of the Australian total in 2011-12.

WATER ACCOUNT AUSTRALIA 2011-12

South Australia
  • Water consumption in South Australia was 1,036 GL in 2011-12 compared to 1,023 GL in 2010-11.
  • The Agriculture industry was the largest consumer of water in 2011-12, accounting for 661 GL or 64% of the total water consumption in South Australia. Consumption by the Agriculture industry increased by only 2% from 2010-11.
  • Water consumption per capita was 626 kL, 11% lower than the Australian average of 705 kL per capita.
  • Gross State Product per GL of water consumed was $88 million, up from $84 million in 2010-11. This was below the Australian average of $91 million per GL.
  • The average water price paid by households was $3.96 per kL in 2011-12, the highest in Australia and well above the Australian average of $2.72 per kL.
  • Households consumed 120 GL in 2011-12, a slight increase from 115 GL in 2010-11. Water consumption per household increased slightly from 70 kL in 2010-11 to 72 kL in 2011-12.
  • South Australian urban households spent a total of $473 million on distributed water, an increase of 34% from 2010-11 when it was $354 million.
  • The gross value of irrigated agricultural production (GVIAP) in South Australia was $1,449 million in 2011-12, an increase of only 1% from 2010-11.
  • The total volume of water distributed in South Australia in 2011-12 was 368 GL, a 17% increase from 2010-11.
  • The use of reuse water in South Australia decreased from 25 GL in 2010-11 to 11 GL in 2011-12.
  • The Manufacturing industry in South Australia accounted for 7% (74 GL) of total State water consumption, down by 12% from 2010-11 when it was 84 GL. Mining consumed 34 GL of water, while the Electricity and gas supply industry consumed only 2 GL.

WATER ACCOUNT AUSTRALIA 2011-12

Western Australia
  • Water consumption in Western Australia was 1,420 GL in 2011-12, up by 4% from 2010-11 when water consumption was 1,369 GL.
  • Total water consumption per capita was 584 kL, 17% lower than the Australian average of 705 kL.
  • The Gross State Product per GL of water consumed was $166 million, 82% higher than the Australian average of $91 million per GL.
  • The average water price paid by Western Australian households was $1.97 per kL, the second lowest among the States and Territories in Australia and well below the national average of $2.72 per kL.
  • Annual expenditure per household on water related services ($431) decreased by 10% from 2010–11, the largest percentage decrease of any State or Territory.
  • Household water consumption per capita in Western Australia was the second highest of any State or Territory at 127 kL per person, well above the Australia average of 76 kL per capita.
  • The gross value of irrigated agricultural production (GVIAP) was $786 million in 2011-12, down from $805 million in 2010-11.
  • The Agriculture industry, Mining and Households consumed the largest volume of water in Western Australia (315 GL, 308 GL and 308 GL respectively) in 2011-12. These three sectors accounted for two thirds (66%) of the total state water consumption.
  • The Manufacturing industry consumed 53 GL (or 4%) and the Electricity and gas supply industry consumed 28 GL in 2011-12.
  • The use of reuse water increased from 18 GL in 2010-11 to 22 GL in 2011-12.

WATER ACCOUNT AUSTRALIA 2011-12

Tasmania
  • Water consumption in Tasmania was 368 GL in 2011-12, a slight decrease (1%) from 2010-11 when it was 371 GL.
  • Total water consumption (industries and households) per capita in Tasmania was 719 kL per capita, 2% higher than the national level of 705 kL.
  • The Gross State Product per GL of water consumed was $66 million. This was well below the Australian average of $91 million per GL and the lowest among the States and Territories.
  • In 2011-12, around 36,473 GL of water was extracted from the environment for use in Tasmania, but nearly all of this was by the Electricity and gas supply industry (35,717 GL) for hydro-electric power generation, which is an in-stream or non-consumptive use.
  • Tasmanian households spent an average water price of $2.14 per kL in 2011-12, well below the Australian average of $2.72 per kL. Total water consumed by Tasmanian households in 2011-12 was 56 GL, 19% lower than in 2010-11 when it was 69 GL.
  • Household water consumption per capita in Tasmania was 109 kL, 43% higher than the Australian average of 76 kL per capita. However, Tasmania had the largest percentage decrease (19%) from 2010–11 in household water consumption per capita of all the States and Territories.
  • The Agriculture industry in Tasmania was the largest water consumer in 2011-12, accounting for 203 GL or 55% of the total state water consumption. The Manufacturing industry consumed 36 GL or 10% of total state water consumption.
  • The gross value of irrigated agricultural production (GVIAP) in Tasmania was $627 million in 2011-12, almost the same as 2010-11 ($626 million).
  • The Aquaculture industry in Tasmania used 351 GL but most of this water was used in-stream. Total water consumed by this industry in Tasmania was only 198 ML.
  • Total revenue from sales of distributed water in Tasmania in 2011-12 was $146 million. Wastewater and other water related services was estimated at $101 million.

WATER ACCOUNT AUSTRALIA 2011-12

Northern Territory
  • Water consumption in the Northern Territory was 174 GL in 2011-12, up 5% from 2010-11 when it was 167 GL.
  • Total water consumption (industries and households) per capita was 740 kL, 5% higher than the Australian average of 705 kL per capita. This was the second highest of all States and Territories.
  • The Gross State Product per GL of water consumed was $104 million, well above the Australian average of $91 million per GL.
  • Households in the Northern Territory consumed about 34 GL of water in 2011-12 or 20% of total state water consumption. Household water consumption per capita during this period was 145 kL (the highest of all States and Territories), up 8% from 2010-11 when it was 134 kL per capita.
  • The average price of water paid by Northern Territory households in 2011-12 was $1.65 per kL, the lowest in Australia.
  • Annual expenditure per household on water related services ($370) was the lowest in Australia, however it increased by 18% from 2010–11, the largest percentage increase of any State or Territory.
  • The Agricultural industry consumed 52 GL (30%) of water in the Northern Territory, the same level as in 2010-11.
  • The Mining industry consumed 40 GL or 23% of total state water consumption while the Manufacturing industry consumed 10 GL of water (6% of total).
  • The Northern Territory revenue from total water sales and services was $137 million in 2011-12, accounting for less than 1% of the Australian total.

WATER ACCOUNT AUSTRALIA 2011-12

Australian Capital Territory
  • The Australian Capital Territory consumed 50 GL of water in 2011-12, up by 17% from 2010-11 when it was 43 GL.
  • Total water consumption (industries and households) per capita was 133 kL, well below the Australian average of 705 kL per capita.
  • The Gross State Product per GL of water consumed was $630 million, well above the Australian average of $91 million per GL.
  • The Australian Capital Territory recorded the third highest average water price for households at an average of $2.86 per kL in 2011-12.
  • Households in the Australian Capital Territory consumed about 26 GL in 2011-12, which is higher than the consumption of all industries combined (24 GL).
  • Household water consumption per capita in the Australian Capital Territory in 2011-12 was 69 kL, 9% lower than the Australian average of 76 kL per capita.
  • Just under 5 GL of reuse water was used in the Australian Capital Territory in 2011-12, a similar amount to that used in 2010-11.
  • The Australian Capital Territory revenue from total water sales and services was $255 million in 2011-12.