4618.0 - Water Use on Australian Farms, 2007-08 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 26/05/2009   
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AGRICULTURAL WATER USE

The agriculture industry remained a major consumer of water in the Australian economy in 2007-08. The volume of water used for irrigation and application rates declined further in 2007-08 due to the continuing unavailability of water following the drought.

Australia's agricultural water use in 2007-08 decreased 18% to 6,989 gigalitres on the back of a 27% drop in 2006-07.

In both years, the decrease was substantially driven by decreases in New South Wales where water use decreased by 41% in 2006-07 and by 35% in 2007-08. Since 2005-06, New South Wales' agricultural water use has declined 2,939 gigalitres.

1.1 AGRICULTURAL WATER USE, by State - 2007-08
WATER USE
Agricultural businesses
Irrigation
Other agriculture uses
Total water use
no.
ML
ML
ML
New South Wales(a)
44 521
1 677 083
178 691
1 855 774
Victoria
34 177
1 332 045
138 822
1 470 867
Queensland
29 121
1 842 729
196 442
2 039 170
South Australia
14 996
880 268
53 685
933 953
Western Australia
13 084
284 878
85 026
369 904
Tasmania
4 200
252 113
18 795
270 908
Northern Territory
605
^15 683
^32 994
^48 677
Australia
140 704
6 284 799
704 455
6 989 254
^ estimate has a relative standard error of 10% to less than 25% and should be used with caution
(a) Includes ACT.