VZCZCXRO0904
RR RUEHPT
DE RUEHBN #0123/01 3222347
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 182347Z NOV 09
FM AMCONSUL MELBOURNE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5021
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC
RUEHEPA/HQ EPA WASHDC
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 3665
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0016
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 2148
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 1630

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MELBOURNE 000123 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV EIND ECON AS
SUBJECT: GROWING TIES IN AUSTRALIAN-U.S. WATER COLLABORATION 
 
Ref: A) CANBERRA 246, B) 08 CANBERRA 1268 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. Australia and the United States face many similar challenges in 
managing drought and bringing water to growing urban populations. 
Federal, state-to-state and commercial ties already exist between 
the two countries, but as Australia braces for another year of dry 
conditions, opportunities abound for deeper collaboration on water. 
South Australia in particular, hit hard by the drought, has 
instituted a number of collaborative efforts with U.S. entities, and 
is seeking additional cooperation on water.  End Summary. 
 
Another Year of Drought in South Australia 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. South Australia is facing unprecedented water shortages in 2010. 
An ongoing drought in the Murray-Darling Basin -- which supplies 
water to the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia 
-- has been complicated by higher water salinity and the presence of 
dangerous algae.  During a November 9 visit to Adelaide, a panel of 
experts told Charge that the water in two major freshwater lakes 
south of Adelaide has reached such a dangerously low level that 
agencies are considering allowing salt water to flow into the lakes 
from the ocean in order to fight off a rise in acid sulfate levels 
caused by the exposure of previously submerged sediments.  This 
would be politically unpopular, but water experts are concerned 
about the lakes reaching a point of no return. 
 
¶3. The South Australian government has taken numerous steps to 
improve dwindling water supplies.  It has already experimented with 
stringent demand-management practices, but recognizes that changed 
behaviors alone will not solve the problem.  A desalination plant 
near Adelaide, likely to come online in late 2010 to early 2011, 
will help provide drinking water, but will not solve challenges 
arising out of the Murray-Darling River's deterioration.  In 
addition to the desalination plant, South Australia is attempting to 
diversify its water supplies by exploring storm water harvesting and 
new river treatment techniques.  Lower river levels have compelled 
South Australia's water managers to move water pumps deeper 
underground.  The state has also installed a series of salt 
interception plants to deal with rising salinity levels in the 
Murray-Darling. 
 
¶4. A brouhaha between the states of South Australia, New South Wales 
and Victoria over riparian rights was recently solved by the 
Commonwealth (federal) government assuming control of the 
Murray-Darling River Basin (reftels).  A member of this board 
participated in the November 9 panel, saying that it is still early 
days for the new agency and real changes will not begin to occur 
until the board delivers its "basin plan" in 2011.  She did note, 
however, that Australia's federal government is becoming more 
interested in river management and will likely become a significant 
water owner in time. 
 
Australia-U.S. Water Ties 
------------------------- 
 
¶5. South Australia's city of Salisbury has developed an innovative 
storm water harvesting program which entails cleaning the storm 
water by inserting it into wetlands and then injecting it into 
brackish aquifers where it displaces higher salinity water.  The 
"grade two" water is later extracted and principally used for 
irrigation.  Both procedures entitle the city to additional water 
permits which they then trade to other municipalities.  The city of 
Salisbury has already shared this procedure with the city of 
Phoenix, Orange County, California and a city in Florida and is open 
to further cooperation. 
 
¶6. Another panel participant informed us that Native Americans on 
Oregon's Columbia River meet regularly with several of South 
Australia's indigenous tribes to discuss water management.  In 
addition, the University of California-Riverside is co-hosting a 
five continent conference with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific 
and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in California in March 
2010 and then in Australia in September 2010.  A delegation of 
California state and industry water officials is currently traveling 
in Australia examining drought response and agricultural practices. 
Former U.S. EPA Administrator Steve Johnson visited Australia in 
April 2008 and signed a broad letter of agreement to 
institutionalize cooperation on water with Australian Minister for 
Climate Change and Water, Penny Wong.  A series of digital video 
conference discussions since 2007 has featured EPA water experts 
presenting U.S. best practices on the safety and effectiveness of 
 
MELBOURNE 00000123  002 OF 002 
 
 
water reuse and adaptation to climate change-induced drought.  In 
2009, CSIRO joined the DVC series to better integrate joint 
scientific work with the EPA and USG scientists. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7. Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth and almost 
all climate projections going forward show that this will not 
change.  Strong population growth in Australia will also put greater 
stress on available water supplies.  All signs point to water 
management becoming an increasingly important task for Australian 
governments upon which they will be judged by voters.  While strong 
collaboration already exists between the United States and Australia 
on water management, deeper ties will serve both countries well as 
U.S. communities grapple with similar water challenges. 
 
THURSTON