The development of Australia's water markets represents a centrepiece of national water reform. Trade in various water products has grown substantially in recent years, with the combined value of markets estimated to be $3 billion in 2009-10. Water markets provide an example of successful national micro-economic reform, ensuring that scarce water resources are most effectively...

Recent advances in science and technology and today's more diversified water sources are presenting new challenges to water quality regulation and management. According to this report, some decisions are being made without a full appreciation of the longer-term risks and costs. In other instances, existing regulation is stifling innovation. This report outines three reform options...

This report examines the case for adopting pricing approaches for the efficient management of externalities within the urban water sector. It provides a valuable source of analysis for the parties to the National Water Initiative to deliver on their commitment to implement pricing that includes externalities where found to be feasible. This report suggests that...

The National Water Commission's 2007 and 2009 biennial assessments of progress in the implementation of the Intergovernmental Agreement on the National Water Initiative raised concerns about the performance of the urban water sector and declared that the National Water Initiative did not give sufficiently clear guidance on the required direction for urban water reform. To...

The Australian urban water industry faces significant challenges in meeting growing demands on urban water resources under a shifting climate. Through this project, National Water Commission, in partnership with Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), identified several important areas where nationally coordinated action would benefit the Australian urban water sector and progress commitments made under...