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. |