Regional partnerships address water security in Western Sydney This article by Basant Maheshwari and Bruce Simmons featured in the Irrigation Australia Journal, Spring 2009, Volume 24, No. 3. The Cooperative Research Centre for Irrigation Futures System Harmonisation program has developed a project titled Water and Irrigation Strategy Enhancement through Regional Partnerships (WISER) to establish a system harmonisation process in Western Sydney, NSW. The project is about working with regional irrigation partners to increase profitability and reduce the environmental footprint of irrigation systems. Here we provide an overview of the System Harmonisation Program and a case study of the WISER project in Western Sydney.

1. REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
ADDRESS WATER SECURITY IN
WESTERN SYDNEY
Basant Maheshwari and Bruce
Simmons,
CRC for Irrigation Futures and
University of Western Sydney
The Cooperative Research
Centre for Irrigation Futures
System Harmonisation program
has developed a project titled
Water and Irrigation Strategy
Enhancement through Regional
Partnerships (WISER) to
establish a system harmonisation
process in Western Sydney, NSW.
The project is about working with
regional irrigation partners to
increase profitability and reduce
the environmental footprint of
irrigation systems. Here we WISER team leaders discuss future water cycle scenarios with local council
provide an overview of the representatives.
System Harmonisation Program
and a case study of the WISER
project in Western Sydney.
The WISER project quantity-quality, and the land-
water interfaces. It recognises that
While water scarcity and climate
System harmonisation change are driving issues in
the whole is more than the sum of
the parts, and is dealing with the
System harmonisation is one of two Western Sydney, management of
complexity and uncertainty of the
major research programs within the current water supplies is
catchment system which includes
Cooperative Research Centre for fragmented and fails to take into
irrigation.
Irrigation Futures (CRC IF). account all water resources and
productive and environmental System harmonisation is also
The program recognises that
opportunities. The WISER project helping organisations and
irrigation is part of a changing communities question why things
complex social-ecological system aims to help irrigation- and water-
dependent activities by establishing are being done the way they are,
that requires new approaches based and encouraging new and different
an integrated water resource
on integrating science, policy, approaches to create a better future.
planning framework and
management and communities to Some of the key questions
implementation process. This will
deliver on long-term sustainability communities associated with
enable the region’s water resources
objectives. irrigation are faced with include:
to be managed more efficiently for
The program promotes environmental protection and • Do we have the right policies and
transdisciplinary approaches to irrigation while maximising institutions in place?
improving communication between commercial opportunities and • Are we using appropriate
organisations as well as transparent, social benefits. economic models that account
objective decision-making to for impacts on the environment
support planning and management Dealing with the hard stuff to support long term decision
of irrigation within a catchment. At System harmonisation is dealing making?
its core is working with regional with the high risk, ‘hard stuff’ • If current trends in population,
irrigation partners to improve that everyone says is needed but water demand and energy use
management of surface and no one is doing. It is working at persist, where will we get our
groundwater resources and satisfy the interfaces; the socio- water and food from?
environmental and consumptive economic-ecological, surface • Should we encourage more local
demand in catchments. water-groundwater, water food production through careful
28 IRRIGATION AUSTRALIA

2. CRCIF
design of peri-urban zones that
maintain ‘horticultural precincts’
within an overall mosaic structure?
• Are we thinking about ‘systems’
and ‘long-term’ for the benefit of
future generations?
Working together for water security
System harmonisation has
highlighted that the core challenges
being faced by irrigation in particular
and society in general cannot be
solved in isolation.
A systems approach and strong
collaboration across a broad range of
partners is needed to secure water
into the future.
Experience shows that this is not
easy, especially when many of our
approaches to date have been based
on ‘competition’.
Collaboration, by contrast, requires
Changing Land Use in the South Creek Catchment, Western Sydney.
a change in attitude, commitment
and hard work, and takes time to
build the necessary trust. Effective fields and reserves, which require a towards alternative water sources
collaboration is ultimately about lot of water for maintenance. (such as recycled and storm water),
relationships based on genuine caring Water is the single most important indoor and outdoor, which do not
and alliances that share risks and factor in maintaining future require drinking water quality. In this
solutions, and is essential to help sustainability of the South Creek way, the study will complement and
create a better future for all. Catchment, in particular water for support the Western Sydney Recycled
irrigation and river health. There is Water Initiative and the NSW
Regional irrigation partnerships therefore a need to investigate and Government’s actions to secure water
The System Harmonisation Program tap alternative non-potable supplies. supplies for greater Sydney in general
established key regional irrigation This is where the CRC IF’s WISER and Western Sydney in particular.
partnerships across Australia to comes in. A team of multi- Commenting on the achievements
ground its work in a range of disciplinary researchers is working of WISER, Chairman Kevin Rozzoli
different irrigation issues. These closely with relevant stakeholders said, “The WISER project has united
include the Ord near Kununurra, the and local and State government agencies in Western Sydney to
Katherine-Douglas-Daly area, the agencies to provide key information address the major problem of long
lower Burdekin southeast of that may help in planning access to term water security, with all its
Townsville, Macintyre Brook these additional regional water collateral impact on quality of life,
southwest of Brisbane, Western resources and the on-ground actions employment and catchment health.
Sydney, Coleambally near Wagga- necessary to activate the plans. It makes all the effort worthwhile.”
Wagga, and southeast South Based on the existing potable water In researching system
Australia. supplies and current water use harmonisation in peri-urban areas, as
practices, a macro analysis for the illustrated in the case of Western
Challenges for the WISER project South Creek Catchment indicates Sydney, there has been a realisation
in Western Sydney that about 27 GL a year of potable of the differences in water cycle
The population in Western Sydney is water is being used indoors and management to rural or urban
set to increase significantly over the another 14 GL a year for outdoor situations alone.
next 20 years. Proposed northwest purposes (on backyards/gardens, This aspect is further being
and southwest growth centres will playing fields and in examined within the CRC IF’s System
add about 600,000 people to the agriculture/horticulture). Harmonisation Program and will
400,000 already living in the South This is in addition to about 12 GL contribute to ongoing discussions
Creek Catchment, which includes sourced from other areas for outdoor and planning.
significant areas of Blacktown, use.
Camden, Hawkesbury, Liverpool and By 2030, when the two growth Information
Penrith councils. Along with natural centres are fully developed, the More information on the CRC IF’s System
increases within existing land use demand for water for non-potable use Harmonisation Program can be found on
zones, this will place greater pressure is estimated to be more than 40 the CRC IF’s website at
on water that is available for non- GL/yr. This increase will represent www.irrigationfutures.org.au. For
potable uses. This poses a threat to added pressure on currently information on the WISER project, visit
commerce, industry and, most identified potable water supplies. www.irrigationfutures.org.au/wiser or
importantly, agriculture. Also at risk The WISER project will contribute contact Basant Maheshwari, on 02 4570
are recreational sites, such as playing greatly to moving the balance 1235 or b.maheshwari@uws.edu.au.
IRRIGATION AUSTRALIA 29