The dawning of the 21st century brings with it a global water crisis.

Any chemical,
physical or biological change in water that is harmful to the environment and is
caused by human beings is termed as water pollution. It is the leading worldwide
cause of diseases and accounts for the deaths of more than 14000 people daily.
Even though Australia is the driest inhabited continent and has the most variable
rainfall and stream flow it is still recognized as a mega diverse country by the
UNEP. The federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
1999 is a legal framework for the protection of threatened species. Numerous
protected areas have been created to protect and preserve unique ecosystems;
64 wetlands are registered and 16 World Heritage Sites have been established.
Australia was ranked 13th in the world on the 2005 Environmental Sustainability
Index
Preventing the generation and release of contaminants is critical to reducing
environmental risk. Australia has already spent over A$300 million per year on
clean-up of contaminants in the environment. It is a party to the London
Convention and has implemented the 1996 Protocol to the London Convention.
Poor water and sediment quality are the most serious pollution issues affecting
our coastal and marine environments Australia uses the Pesticide Impact Rating
Index (PIRI), a simple risk indicator for different pesticides and cropping systems.
The net benefit is calculated to be A$13.6 million.
Australia accounts for 40.8% of coral reefs around the world and has ratified the
UN Convention on the law of the sea.The largest coral reef system ‘The Great
Barrier Reef’ is in Australia. The extraordinary diversity of the reefs makes them
biologically important and like rainforests, they provide valuable scientific insights
into the underwater ecology. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was
established in 1975 and is the largest project undertaken to preserve the coral
reefs.
Increasing population and evidence of drying climates, coupled with
corresponding reductions in the supply of drinking water, have led Australia to
consider alternative water sources to supplement existing sources, and to
implement "water inspectors" who can issue penalties to those who waste water
Efforts are being made to secure alternative water sources to ease water
shortages in the Integrated Water Supply Scheme. Our scientists work with
industries, regulatory bodies and the community to deliver commercially-viable
and cost-effective solutions.

Integral to the Government's strategy is the construction of desalination plants

One has already been constructed in Kwinana, which supplies 17% of the city's
water consumption and is the largest desalination plant in both the Southern and
Eastern hemispheres. A second proposed desalination plant near Binningup is
expected to be completed by 2011. A trial has also been announced to treat
wastewater and pump it into underground aquifers to undergo natural filtration as
it returns to the dwindling groundwater supply. The current drought has changed
the way Australia treats its water resources. Because of the long-term effects of
the drought now showing, state governments are attempting to "drought-proof"
the states with more permanent solutions.

Australia believes that in order to combat water pollution one must understand
the problem and be a part of the solution.
• Making people aware of the problem is the 1st step to solving it. Greater
public awareness can make a positive difference
• Enforce environmental laws. They should be effective enough to operate
across national and international border
• In the forests water seeps gently into the ground. Protecting forests means
protecting water catchments
• Practice rainwater harvesting extensively and desalination which raises
the declining water table
• Develop cleaner industrial and energy processes, monitoring environment
contaminants and better management of industrial emissions, urban
wastes and agricultural discharges
• Use bioremediation techniques(Using micro-organisms to reduce or
eliminate toxic pollutants)
• Transfer of water from surplus areas to deficient areas by interlinking
water systems through canals etc.
• Fog and dew contain substantial amounts of water which can be obtained
using artificial surfaces i.e. netting-surfaced traps or polyethylene sheets
• Salt-resistant varieties of crops have also been developed recently.
Because these grow in saline areas overall agricultural productivity is
increased without making additional demands on freshwater resources.
• Mulching i.e. the application of organic or inorganic materials such as
plant debris, compost etc slows down the surface run-off, improves soil
moisture and reduces evaporation