<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/aura-by-aqualand-north-sydney-168-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">Aura by Aqualand</a> has entered its final chapter with a limited release of its last available residences, alongside a lifestyle incentives package for both owner-occupiers and investors.

The landmark $1 billion mixed-use development, now complete and move-in ready, has become a focal point in the suburb’s shift toward a more connected and design-conscious urban centre.&nbsp;

Located at 168 Walker Street, adjacent to the new Victoria Cross Metro Station, Aura has already drawn recognition at the 2025 Asia Pacific International Property Awards, where it was named Australia’s Best Residential High Rise.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292861]

In what <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is calling The Finale, the developer is offering a limited-time curated lifestyle incentives package, which may includes:

<ul>
	<li>2.5% deposit option</li>
	<li>Stamp duty rate cover</li>
	<li>2% mortgage cover</li>
	<li>Two years’ strata levy cover</li>
	<li>5% rental guarantee</li>
	<li>Up to $20,000 toward Etymon dining</li>
	<li>Space Furniture styling package</li>
	<li>Legal fees covered up to $3,300</li>
	<li>Complimentary white glove relocation service</li>
	<li>Black Key concierge membership</li>
</ul>

The final residences span a mix of oversized one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, with prices starting from $1.9 million. The release also introduces The Icons: two exclusive penthouses that crown the 29-level building.

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AURA by Aqualand comprises a total of 386 apartments above a landscaped retail and dining podium, designed in collaboration with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and interior designer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/richards-stanisich">Richard Stanisich</a>.&nbsp;

Its curved sandstone-inspired form and activated ground plane have redefined <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/north-sydney-nsw-2060">North Sydney</a>’s urban identity, introducing new hospitality destinations including a providore, café, wine bar, and Japanese restaurant.

The hourglass-shaped tower has been conceived as four interlinked volumes, and includes a resident amenity level at its sculpted ‘waist’ on level nine.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292897]

Positioned adjacent to the new Victoria Cross Metro Station, AURA stands at the centre of North Sydney’s transformation into a high-amenity, connected urban hub.

The final release follows AURA’s completion earlier this year, with residents now moved in and enjoying amenities including a 24-hour concierge, wellness room, Technogym-equipped fitness studio, and sky terrace dining spaces.

AURA’s final release marks the closing chapter in one of Sydney’s most transformative residential developments.

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Staff Writer

Aqualand unveils final release at AURA, North Sydney, with exclusive buyer incentives

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-regent-fitzroy-340-fitzroy-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">The Regent</a> in Fitzroy, future residents aren’t simply choosing a home; they’re shaping one that reflects who they are and how they live.

Melbourne-based interior design studio <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/studio-tate">Studio Tate</a>, led by Alex Hopkins, has partnered with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sma-projects">SMA Projects</a> to offer something rare in apartment living — the opportunity to collaborate directly on the design of their new home and create a place that truly feels like their own.

Set on the historic site of the former Regent Theatre at 340 Fitzroy Street, moments from Johnston and Brunswick Streets, the nine-storey development reimagines Fitzroy’s heritage through contemporary design by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a> and Studio Tate — creating a future <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/fitzroy-vic-3065">Fitzroy</a> classic, inspired by the past and designed for contemporary life.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=24824 project_image_fid=304611]

Studio Tate’s personalised interiors begin with two distinct palettes: the light and timeless Classic Collection, and the moodier Arthouse Collection.&nbsp;

Within these foundations, buyers are invited to co-author their home, customising everything from finishes and joinery to reconfigured layouts in consultation with the Studio Tate team.

From there, residents can refine finishes, adjust layouts, and add details that reflect their lifestyle, aesthetic, and daily rituals — from subtle changes like repositioning a kitchen sink to more ambitious transformations.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=24824 project_image_fid=304607]

One buyer, an architect, worked with Studio Tate to merge a two-bedroom layout into a spacious one-bedroom home, creating a larger kitchen and living area designed for entertaining.

This level of collaboration is almost unheard of in off-the-plan developments, where efficiency often takes precedence over individuality. For Studio Tate, it’s not a novelty but an extension of their philosophy — to design homes that are intelligent, responsive, and genuinely personal.

“Homes should evolve with the people who live in them,” says Alex Hopkins. “No two apartments at The Regent are the same, and that’s exactly how it should be.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=24824 project_image_fid=304608]

The studio’s work centres on intelligent, responsive design that enhances how people live - an approach that has resulted in homes that feel personalised rather than prescribed.

SMA Projects Founder Martin Strode says the partnership reflects the developer’s belief that off-the-plan buyers deserve more meaningful choice.&nbsp;

SMA’s guiding philosophy, “If you haven’t found it, let’s create it for you,” has become central to The Regent’s appeal. Buyers who modify their layouts receive credits for unused fit-outs, allowing them to reinvest in other elements like upgraded appliances or bespoke finishes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=24824 project_image_fid=304613]

Residents will also enjoy a collection of shared spaces that reflect the project’s attention to design, including a 315-square-metre rooftop terrace with dining and barbecue areas, a concierge, a guest suite, and a workshop and dog wash for everyday convenience.

The Regent will comprise 64 one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, with two-bedroom, two-bathroom residences starting from $699,000 and the penthouse selling at $8.5 million. Currently, off-the-plan apartment buyers in Victoria can purchase with no stamp duty for a limited time only.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=24824]

Curated for the way you live: Studio Tate brings personalised interiors to The Regent

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/callista-on-park-west-end-49-mollison-street-west-end-qld-4101">Callista on Park</a> marks the final chapter of West End's celebrated West Village precinct, emerging alongside the expansive green canopy of Mollison Park.&nbsp;

This new addition seamlessly integrates into a vibrant urban fabric where lush parklands, riverfront walkways, and a thriving retail and dining village come together within metres of home.

Residents will be immersed in one of Brisbane’s most walkable neighbourhoods. With a 99/100 walk score, West Village places daily conveniences and lifestyle luxuries on foot.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134800 project_image_fid=351537]

Woolworths, Harris Farm Markets, and a mix of retail and dining venues anchor the precinct, while boutiques like Mott and Mulberry and homewares from ZJOOSH offer an afternoon of leisurely discovery.

Everyday wellbeing is supported by a 24/7 Goodlife gym and a suite of health-focused operators including Soak Bathhouse, Next Medical Practice, Modern Dentistry, and Vitalign Chiropractor.

The broader <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/west-end-qld-4101">West End</a> district adds depth to this convenience. Boundary Street, just moments away, is a cultural corridor of indie retailers, acclaimed restaurants, and local institutions like the West End Markets, drawing residents into a weekly rhythm of fresh produce, global cuisine, and lively community exchange.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134800 project_image_fid=330231]

Just a five-minute walk from home, tranquil riverside paths shaded by jacarandas offer a leafy escape for rowers and morning walkers alike.

Art and performance are ever-present, with Metro Arts hosting regular exhibitions within the precinct and South Bank’s cultural quarter - home to QAGOMA, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, and the State Library - just 500 metres away.

Education and healthcare infrastructure are close at hand, with proximity to universities, elite schools, and medical centres enhancing the area's liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134800 project_image_fid=330222]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> and delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a>, Callista on Park also completes a decade-long transformation of the heritage-listed Peters Ice Cream Factory site.&nbsp;

The tower introduces 96 residences and an elevated rooftop conservatory complete with infinity pool, spa, private dining, and undulating gardens that echo the nearby parkland setting.

The Level 6 slab has just been poured at Callista on Park, with completion expected in late 2027. Three-bedroom residences are priced from $2.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134800]

Callista on Park completes West Village’s walkable, parkside vision

Challenging the trend of compact living, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/the-eighth-south-melbourne-22-kings-place-south-melbourne-vic-3205">The Eighth</a> delivers true house-like scale in a vertical format.

Positioned on the penultimate level of The Eighth, a newly completed development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/crema-group">Projects by Crema</a>, the sub-penthouse offers more than just generous dimensions, it redefines what sub-penthouse living can look like in Melbourne’s Domain Precinct.

At 256 sqm, this residence exceeds the scale of most new apartments on the market. It provides the proportions of a freestanding home - three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a study, walk-in laundry, and a separate retreat - all within the security and convenience of a high-end vertical community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5345 project_image_fid=354144]

Its elevated corner position allows for uninterrupted, 270-degree views across the city skyline, Albert Park and the Botanic Garden, an outlook increasingly difficult to replicate in denser urban pockets. Full-height glazing frames these views throughout the home, anchoring each room to its setting.

Designed by Miriam Fanning of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a>, the interiors prioritise durability and spatial clarity. Stone benchtops, cove lighting, custom joinery and a fireplace enrich the central living areas.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5345 project_image_fid=354159]

A Gaggenau kitchen with integrated Liebherr refrigeration and a full butler’s pantry supports serious home cooking and entertaining, while a wine cellar and media room add versatility.

Each bedroom features a tiled ensuite and bespoke robes, with the main suite offering privacy and corner views. Private lift access, ducted air conditioning, three side-by-side car parks and ample storage round out the functional offering.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5345 project_image_fid=354160]

Residents of The Eighth benefit from a cohesive lifestyle ecosystem. A rooftop pool and BBQ terrace, wellness facilities at EQ, and an Italian café downstairs all contribute to a vertically integrated community - balancing amenity with calm, day-to-day usability.

Located just off St Kilda Road and moments from ANZAC Station and The Tan, The Eighth provides immediate access to transport, green space and cultural institutions, while remaining quietly removed from the city’s pace.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5345 project_image_fid=354141]

Importantly, the building is complete. With just 36 apartments across 18 levels, The Eighth offers long-term privacy, minimal turnover, and immediate move-in certainty.&nbsp;

The sub-penthouse stands as one of the final, and most compelling, opportunities within this now-established address.

Taylor Dow of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/dow-real-estate">DOW Real Estate</a> is the exclusive selling agent for the sub-penthouse, and the remaining few apartments in The Eighth.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5345]

A rare South Melbourne sub-penthouse with room to move

Just weeks after launching to their latest new Melbourne apartment development to the market, national apartment developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen-group">Abadeen</a>&nbsp;has secured the sale of its sub-penthouse.

A local downsizer has spent $6.25 million on a sub-penthouse in The Parker, just 24 apartments on the the doorstep of Caulfield Park. The sale equated to $23,000 per sqm.

The buyer was drawn to the&nbsp;park-fronted lifestyle and panoramic city and bay views.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145454 project_image_fid=352395]

“The first sale at $6.25 million completely vindicated our decision to acquire the site and reimagine it for owner-occupiers,” said Andrew Leoncelli, Managing Director of Abadeen.

“We took what was originally conceived as a smaller apartment product and transformed it into something exceptional — larger homes of enduring quality and understated luxury.”

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145454 project_image_fid=352397]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-parker-on-caulfield-park-219-balaclava-road-caulfield-north-vic-3161">The Parker</a>&nbsp;has been designed by&nbsp;award-winning architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/powell-glenn">Powell &amp; Glenn</a> and will be enveloped in landscaping by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/acre">Acre</a>. It was the position within the context to the park that drove the design of the building, with 70 per cent of the apartments overlook the 28-hectare space complete with&nbsp;walking trails, ovals, and playgrounds.

“Caulfield Park isn’t a typical recreational space, it has a generosity and nuance in its layering of trees and light,” said Ed Glenn, Principal at Powell &amp; Glenn.

“Our aim was to create a building that feels grounded and connected, with spaces that open to the park and unfold with light. The architecture provides a sense of refuge and prospect, balancing intimate privacy with expansive views."

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145454 project_image_fid=352400]

The architecture is defined by sculptural columns that flare like tree trunks, cascading greenery by Acre that softens the façade, and interior spaces by Powell &amp; Glenn’s Clementine Jacobs that use stone, timber, and brass finishes designed to age beautifully over time.

“The Parker is about connection where the building meets the park, people meet nature, and elevated design meets everyday life,” said Brett Robinson, Creative Director of Acre.

“We’ve created lush, year-round gardens that drape the building, softening its form and bringing the outdoors in. Every balcony and outdoor space is treated as an intimate ‘room’ framed by planting, texture, and movement. Sustainability is about timelessness; using robust, natural materials and drought-tolerant plantings that endure.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145454 project_image_fid=353657]

The Parker is Abadeen's second Melbourne apartment development, following the successful Malea, on Central Park in Malvern, which recently completed its construction.

“The Parker offers something truly unique; design elegance, community connection, and green space at your door,” Leoncelli added.

“It’s the kind of place you dream about, then realise you can actually live in.”

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145454]

Joel Robinson

Abadeen launches The Parker in Caulfield North, secures $6.25 million sub-penthouse sale

Water

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The NSW Government is introducing new measures to crack down on anti-competitive behaviour and expose speculation in the water market, to address concerns raised by regional communities.
Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey said the NSW Government would begin public consultation in November to determine what improvements should be made to our existing water registers.
“Water Transparency is currently front of mind in our communities and we have created multiple platforms to improve it in NSW,” Mrs Pavey said.
“We need to ensure that the details captured on our water register are strong enough to ensure transparency, but don’t go too far by putting farmer’s details at risk."
“The interim ACCC report highlighted the potential dangers to farmers of having too much information on the register and indicated a number of unintended negative consequences of such an approach"
Mrs Pavey said she looks forward to the final Australian Competition and Consumer Commission report to be handed down in February 2021, addressing foreign ownership and water speculation. 
Minister Pavey is also now calling on the ACCC to look at overseas ownership, monopoly ownership and unhelpful speculation, along with registration of brokers across state borders.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

NSW cracking down on water market speculators

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The NSW Government yesterday introduced legislation to strengthen disclosure requirements for water ownership and trades for all NSW Members of Parliament.
Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey said the Constitution Amendment (Water Accountability and Transparency) Bill 2020 will provide more certainty to Members of Parliament and improve public confidence in the pecuniary interests register.
“The community rightfully expects Members of Parliament to be diligent and fully transparent when disclosing their pecuniary interests, but there is currently a lack of clarity around how valuable water assets should be recorded,” Mrs Pavey said.
“The proposed legislation will require all Members to record water ownership and share components as an asset, in the same way they must declare business or real estate interests – this includes a delivery right within an irrigation corporation.
“The legislation will also require any water trades to be declared within 14 days, rather than the current six months, along with any money earned and the net impact on remaining water holdings.”
The inclusion of water trades and tightening timeframes on reporting them is a significant change.
“Water asset ownership and how they’re traded is something we are taking very seriously to improve confidence among our communities and is also another step in improving transparency within the sector,” Mrs Pavey said.
“The NSW Government is committed to completing its water reform agenda, including strengthening public registers for water ownership and trading.
“Any further changes to registers involving private citizens must be done in a way that promotes transparency whilst protecting the privacy of our farmers.”
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NSW introduces new pecuniary interest disclosure requirements for water

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GUEST OBSERVATION
As regional Australian towns face the prospect of <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/plan-c-is-a-problem-a-town-without-ground-water-nears-day-zero-20191022-p53334" target="_blank">running out of water</a>, it’s time to ask why Australia does not make better use of recycled wastewater.
The technology to reliably and safely make clean, drinkable water from all sources, including sewage, has existed for <a href="https://www.applied.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/drinking-water-through-recycling-full-report.pdf" target="_blank">at least a decade</a>. Further, <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/water-reform/national-water-initiative-agreement-2004.pdf" target="_blank">government policy</a> has for a long time allowed for recycled water to ensure supply.
The greatest barrier to the widespread use of recycled wastewater is community acceptance. Research from around the world found the best way to overcome reluctance is to embrace education and rigorously ensure the highest quality water treatment.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298470/original/file-20191024-31434-187ua6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298470/original/file-20191024-31434-187ua6o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
In 2006 Toowoomba voted against introducing recycled water, despite extensive drought gripping the area. <a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/allanhenderson/2351100815/in/photolist-nQkp38-4zL1mX-aDPpEZ-aDPpLV-fEdSCh-hvcdT7-nQiamA-o7ESdb-fEdQK7-NyMorG-o7Mtex-hvcFhN-nMBXnf-29iZvnt-uobZDu-uEkpLu" target="_blank">Allan Henderson/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY</a>
Why not use stormwater?
Many people are happy to use recycled stormwater, while being reluctant to cook, drink or wash with recycled household wastewater. But there are technical, cost and supply issues with relying on stormwater to meet our country’s water needs. Stormwater has to be cleaned before it is used, the supply can be irregular as it is reliant upon rain, and it has to be stored somewhere for use.
On the other hand, household wastewater (which is what goes into the sewerage system from sinks, toilets, washing machines and so on) is a more consistent supply, with <a href="https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/04/04/from-wastewater-to-drinking-water/" target="_blank">80% or more</a> of household water leaving as wastewater.
Furthermore, wastewater goes to treatment plants already, so there is a system of pipes to transport it and places which already treat it, including advanced treatment plants that can treat the water to be clean enough for a range of purposes. There are strong economic, environmental and practical arguments for investing more effort in reusing wastewater to meet our water supply needs.
This water can be used for households, industry, business and agriculture, greening public spaces, fighting fires, and topping up rivers or groundwater.
The water cycle
Technically, all water is recyled; indeed we are drinking the <a href="https://www.xplorationstation.com/" target="_blank">same water as the dinosaurs</a>. Put very simply, water evaporates, forms clouds and falls as rain, and is either absorbed into the earth and captured underground or filtered through rock and goes back again into oceans and rivers.
When we capture and reuse water, we are not making more water, but speeding up the water cycle so we can reuse it more quickly.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298473/original/file-20191024-31471-1tnktt1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298473/original/file-20191024-31471-1tnktt1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Not pictured: the many, many animals and people every drop of water has passed through over millennia. Wikimedia Commons, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-SA</a>
We do already <a href="http://www.awa.asn.au/AWA_MBRR/Publications/Fact_Sheets/Water_Recycling_Fact_Sheet/AWA_MBRR/Publications/Fact_Sheets/Water_Recycling_Fact_Sheet.aspx?hkey=54c6e74b-0985-4d34-8422-fc3f7523aa1d" target="_blank">reuse wastewater</a> in Australia, with many parts of regional Australia cleaning wastewater and releasing it into rivers. That water is then extracted for use by places downstream.
Despite this, there have been significant community objections to building new infrastructure to reuse wastewater for household use. In 2006, at the height of the Millennium drought, Toowoomba <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160105-why-we-will-all-one-day-drink-recycled-wastewater" target="_blank">rejected the idea</a> entirely.
However, since then a scheme has been <a href="https://www.watercorporation.com.au/water-supply/our-water-sources/recycled-water" target="_blank">successfully established</a> in Perth. We must examine these issues again in light of the current drought, which sees a number of Australian regional centres facing the prospect of <a href="https://meltwaternews.com/ext/mediac/213698325.pdf" target="_blank">running out of water</a>.
Lessons from overseas
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298467/original/file-20191024-31453-10p3sbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/298467/original/file-20191024-31453-10p3sbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Singapore has had enormous success in reusing wastewater for all kinds of purposes. EPA/HOW HWEE YOUNG
Despite initial reluctance, many places around the world have successfully introduced extensive wastewater recycling. Places such as Singapore, Essex, California, New Mexico, and Virginia widely use it.
Recent research from the <a href="https://www.wsaa.asn.au/publications" target="_blank">Water Services Association of Australia</a>, working with other research bodies, found several key lessons.
Firstly, the language we use is important. Phrases like “<a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/toilettotap-back-on-the-agenda-as-nsw-looks-again-at-recycled-water-20180919-h15kqh" target="_blank">toilet to tap</a>” are unhelpful as they don’t emphasise the extensive treatment processes involved.
The social media and news outlets can play a significant role here. In Orange County, California, wastewater was introduced through a slow process of building acceptance. Influential individuals were enlisted to explain and advocate for its uses.
Secondly, communities need time and knowledge, particularly about safety and risks. Regulators play an important role in reassuring communities. In San Diego, a demonstration plant gave many people the opportunity to see the treatment process, drink the water and participate in education.
We need to go beyond information to deep consultation and education, understanding where people are starting from and acknowledging that people from different cultures and backgrounds may have different attitudes.
El Paso successfully introduced wastewater through strong engagement with the media and significant investment in community education, including explaining the water cycle.
Finally, quality of the water needs to be great and it needs to come from a trustworthy source. The more it happens, and people know that, the more likely they are to feel reassured.
It’s clear the public expect governments to plan and act to secure our future water supply. But we can’t just impose possibly distasteful solutions – instead, the whole community needs to be part of the conversation.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/125798/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Roberta Ryan, Professor, UTS Institute for Public Policy and Governance and UTS Centre for Local Government, University of Technology Sydney.
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/80-of-household-water-goes-to-waste-we-need-to-get-it-back-125798" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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80% of household water goes to waste, we need change: Roberta Ryan

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Groundwater being pumped from a highland aquifer, only to be whisked away in tankers and sold in little plastic bottles by a multinational corporation – it’s a difficult concept for a small farming town to swallow.
Just ask the residents of Stanley, Victoria, whose four-year court battle to stop a farmer bottling local groundwater for Japanese beverage giant Asahi ended in failure last month. They were left with a A$90,000 bill for legal costs.
Locals have clashed with the bottled water industry in many parts of the world, including the United States and Canada, and perhaps most famously in the French spa town of Vittel, where residents have accused Nestlé of selling so much of their water to the rest of the world that they barely have enough left for themselves.
These conflicts demonstrate the challenge of balancing the competing demands on water drawn from underground. Compared with surface water, which is less tricky to monitor, groundwater is far harder to govern.
Under the Australian Constitution, water is primarily governed by the states. In Victoria, groundwater in high-use areas is managed using groundwater management plans under the Water Act, and water for commercial or irrigation purposes requires a take and use licence. This licence specifies the maximum volume of water a user is allowed to divert each year and under what conditions - what is often called an ‘entitlement’.
If a licence-holder wants to amend their licence, they need to apply to their regional water corporation.
It was one such application that triggered the dispute in Stanley. Local farmer Tim Carey applied to change the source of 19 million litres of his existing licence from surface water to groundwater, and from agricultural to commercial purposes. This would allow him to truck the water to a bottling plant run by Mountain H2O, owned by Asahi.
The changes were approved by Goulburn-Murray Water under the local water management plan. Stanley’s residents were concerned about the impact on irrigation and the environment, and tried to challenge Carey’s operation under local planning laws. But the court said that his approved water licence meant he didn’t need planning approval too. With no clear legal options now left for local residents, that may well prove to be the final say on the matter.
How did this happen?
Unfortunately, before about 1980, water entitlements were given away like kittens by various water agencies. As a result, in some areas, users are entitled to much more water than they actually use - sometimes more than is sustainable. And politics generally precludes any intervention to amend these inflated entitlements once the licence-holders have become used to having them.
Extensive droughts in the late 1970s and early 1980s, combined with the Darling River’s striking algal bloom in the early 1990s, catapulted the importance of effective water management into the public consciousness.
In 1997, this resulted in “the cap” – limits on surface water diversions in the Murray-Darling Basin. However, the cap didn’t limit groundwater extractions, which then increased dramatically. The regulation of groundwater, memorably described in an 1861 court case as too “secret, occult and concealed” to even attempt, has long lagged behind that of surface water.
It wasn’t until the Millennium Drought (2000-09), with the advent of the National Water Initiative and the federal Water Act 2007 that Australian groundwater management underwent significant, large-scale reform. The main thrusts of the reforms were the development of legal and planning frameworks to achieve sustainable management of surface and groundwater, and the restructuring of water markets to be nationally compatible.
The new water governance regime created under the federal Water Act, under which the Commonwealth assumed important powers over waters in the Murray-Darling Basin, allows for groundwater markets and new limits on groundwater withdrawals. Groundwater trading is generally constrained by rules that require the “to” and “from” locations to be hydrologically connected to one another.
Stanley’s groundwater falls within a new mega-planning area that covers great swathes of northern Victoria. The new management plan for this area is due at the end of the year, but is currently only 30% complete.
Even if the plan is finished on time, groundwater sustainability in regions like the Ovens might elude us. Limits on water extraction are generally based on the entitlements in the area. But as current groundwater usage is less than those entitlements, “sleeper” licences can still be activated. During shortages, when the economic value of water peaks, people can trade water that would otherwise remain unused. In some management regions, the total entitlement volume is roughly double or more than the actual usage.
The Stanley case shows how communities can mobilise when groundwater moves from one use to another. If new plans further encourage groundwater markets, we should brace ourselves for more of the same – although it is unclear whether other communities would enjoy any more legal success than the people of Stanley.
What are management decisions based on?
High-profile cases like Stanley’s highlight the need for a robust scientific basis for licensing decisions. Communities facing change will have a difficult time accepting decisions that are not supported by rigorous science.
Unfortunately when it comes to groundwater, it’s far from straightforward to work out how much water is down there and where it goes. An expert hydrogeologist retained by Stanley’s residents argued that the modelling used to estimate the impact of the bottled water extractions was very simplistic. Mapping groundwater with an overly simplistic model is akin to using an identikit sketch of a smiley face to catch a criminal.
But water corporations have finite resources, and if we want in-depth analysis, then we need to invest in management planning tools such as drilling programs and numerical groundwater models supported by monitoring data and surveys of groundwater-dependent ecosystems. This sort of analysis is time-consuming, expensive and currently a political stretch. Governments only tend to spend serious money on groundwater investigations once people start running out of water.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/96418/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">However, if we want to get groundwater licensing right, it needs to be scientifically robust, environmentally sustainable, and procedurally fair. As Stanley’s residents discovered, there might be no second chance.
Emma Kathryn White, PhD Candidate, Infrastructure Engineering, University of Melbourne
Rebecca Louise Nelson, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Melbourne
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-happens-to-small-towns-whose-water-becomes-big-business-for-bottled-brands-96418" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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What happens to small towns whose water becomes big business for bottled brands?

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GUEST OBSERVER
As Cape Town counts down to “day zero” and the prospect of its taps being turned off, there have inevitably been questions about whether the same fate might befall a major Australian city. The most striking parallels have been drawn with Perth – unsurprisingly, given its drying climate, rising evaporation rates (which increase consumption and reduce water yields) and growing population.
So is Perth really running out of water? The answer depends on what type of water is being considered, and what constitutes “running out”.
When faced with this question most people think of drinking water, which is of course essential for household use.
It often ignores non-potable groundwater that is heavily relied upon in Perth to irrigate gardens, lawns, ovals, golf courses and market gardens. This water is also used by light and heavy industry, as well as being crucial to the health of wetlands and vegetation across the coastal plain.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/206115/original/file-20180213-44654-66n9ff.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Lake Jualbup in Perth’s western suburbs showing periods of low and high water level. Photos by Geoffrey Dean. saveourjewel.org, Author provided
Perth’s drinking water supplies are largely safe, thanks to early investment in the use of groundwater and in technologies such as desalination. But somewhat ironically, as this recent book chapter explains, the future supply of lower-quality water for irrigation and to support ecosystems looks far less assured.
A drying climate
Perth’s annual rainfall has been declining by about 3mm per year on average, while the number of months receiving at least 200mm of rain has halved. Meanwhile, the annual mean temperature anomaly has increased by 1℃ in southwest Western Australia in the past 40 years and possibly by more in Perth, given the urban heat island effect.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/206135/original/file-20180213-44654-q46rcz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Perth’s rainfall trend, as measured at Perth Airport’s rain gauge. Bureau of Meteorology
The overall effect is that soils and vegetation are often dry, meaning that rainfall will be lost to evapotranspiration rather than running off into rivers and dams, or recharging underground aquifers.
At the same time, Perth has made major changes to its drinking water supply. The city now relies chiefly on groundwater and desalination rather than dams. For a variety of reasons, drinking water use per person has declined, most notably since the early 2000s when sprinkler restrictions were introduced. Some have switched to self-supply sources such as backyard bores, so for them total water use may even have increased.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/206138/original/file-20180213-44633-7ug4r4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Perth’s trends in runoff, population, and water supply. Water Corporation
The reduction in per capita use of drinking water is just as well, because inflows into Perth dams have fallen from 300 billion litres a year to less than 50 billion. This disproportionate drop in stream flows, even against the backdrop of declining rainfall, means that evaporation from reservoirs can exceed inflows in very dry years.
Since the late 1970s, Perth has increasingly used groundwater rather than dam water. Seawater desalination has also grown to almost half of total supply. Even more recently Perth began trialling a groundwater replenishment scheme to recharge aquifers with treated wastewater.
With the declines in rainfall and streamflow predicted to continue, water security will continue to be an important policy issue over the next few decades. Although both are much more expensive than dam water, desalination and groundwater replenishment look set to secure Perth’s drinking supply, because seawater is virtually unlimited, and wastewater availability increases in line with the city’s growth.
Why are non-drinking water supplies less secure?
Boosting drinking water supplies with desalination or groundwater replenishment is unlikely to resolve the pressures on non-potable supplies. To understand why, it is necessary to understand Perth’s unusual hydrology.
Most of Perth is built on permeable sand dunes, which can soak up even the heaviest rainfall. This allows runoff from roofs and roads to be directed into nearby soak wells and absorption basins.
As well as cheap disposal of stormwater, the sands provide Perth with a place to store excess water from winter rains, which is then relied upon for summer irrigation. As a result, local governments have been able to provide many irrigated parks and sports ovals, and more than a quarter of Perth households use a private bore to water their gardens.
This arrangement isn’t as sustainable as it once was. Groundwater levels are falling under many parts of Perth, forcing the state government to reduce allocations and to introduce a range of water-saving measures such as winter sprinkler bans.
Unlike dam inflows, we don’t yet know the full scale of the reduction in natural groundwater recharge rates. But the question still remains: what can we do to halt the decline of this important water store, particularly as Perth’s population is expected to grow to 3.5 million by 2050?
About 70% of local road runoff and half of roof runoff already recharges the shallow unconfined aquifer, because it is the cheapest way to dispose of excess water in areas with sandy soils. As well as reducing discharge costs, this practice helps to ensure that bores do not run dry in summer.
Perth also has large main drains that are designed to lower groundwater levels in swampy areas and prevent inundation. Some of these waters could be redirected into the aquifer where there is a suitable site.
Don’t waste wastewater
About 140 billion litres of treated wastewater are discharged into the ocean every year in the Perth-Peel region. A further 7 billion litres are infiltrated into the sands as a means of disposal where there isn’t an option for ocean outfall. Recent investigations of these land disposal sites have shown them to be effective in protecting wetlands from drying and providing water for public and private irrigation.
Investigations have also shown that the quality of treated wastewater can be greatly improved when infiltrated through the yellow sands into the limestone aquifer in the western part of Perth. It is suitable for irrigation after a few weeks’ residence within the aquifer.
Without these kinds of measures, local governments will struggle to water parks and sports ovals, to protect Perth’s remaining wetlands, and to safeguard the trees that help keep us cool.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/90857/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">So while drinking water supplies for an affluent city like Perth are reasonably secure, our vital non-drinking water supplies need to be augmented using some of the water we currently discharge into the ocean. As Perth gets even hotter and drier, and green spaces and wetlands are needed to provide much-needed cooling, we can no longer afford to let any water go to waste.
Don McFarlane, Adjunct professor, University of Western Australia
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-perth-really-running-out-of-water-well-yes-and-no-90857" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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