Practitioner Perceptions of Social and Institutional Barriers to Advancing a Diverse Water Source Approach in Australia

Abstract

Traditional urban water management systems are ill-equipped to address future challenges. Despite policy rhetoric supporting Total Water Cycle Management and the diverse water supply approach, there are many social and institutional barriers to effective implementation. A quantitative online survey with over 1000 practitioners in three Australian capital cities identified practitioners' level of receptivity to the diverse water source approach, and their experience of the scope and priority of such barriers to their implementation. The analysis revealed a high level of practitioner support, yet a critical lack of institutional tools and incentives for supporting implementation. The paper provides a series of recommendations for addressing this issue.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the urban water practitioners who completed the questionnaire. Thanks are also due to the National Urban Water Governance Program industry funding partners and the Australian Research Council, for generously supporting the research.

Notes

1. At the time of the survey, the Western Australian Government had already announced and commenced work on the development of a 17GL desalination plant to supplement Perth's conventional water supplies.