The Water Account Australia 2008-09:

Background and Main Findings

ABS House45 Benjamin Way, Belconnen ACT

29 November 2010

Background

• 4th ABS Water Account Australia

– Last release 28 November 2006

• Changes since last time

– Adoption of the SEEA-Water 2007

– Water Act 2007

• The Water Account Australia is part

of a developing program of

environmental-economic accounts

at the ABS

Information silos

• Data developed to answer one particular question or problem

• Difficult to figure out if all information is included

• Not always easy to see the whole picture, or how it relates to other things

Source: Julie Hass, Statistics Norway

Environmental-Economic Accounting• Help to make sense

of the larger picture

• Help to identify pieces that are missing

• Can make connections to other statistics - especially economic statistics

Source: Julie Hass, Statistics Norway

Information

Data users

Audiences for information Indicators and accounts

Data items

SEEA-W

Standard tables

Supplementary tables

Indicators

Decision makers & wider public

Managers

and analysts

Researchers

Yes

Analysis

Research

Advice

Headline indicators

Indicators on

specific subjects

or industriesIs there an issue?

SEEA-Water

Economy

Exports

Evapo-

transpiration

Other Industries

(incl. Agriculture)

Imports

Abstraction

Sea

Atmosphere

Collection of

precipitation

Households

Abstr

actio

n

Water collection,

treatment and supply

Inland Water Resource System

Surface water(reservoirs, lakes, rivers,

snow, ice and glaciers)Soil water

Groundwater

upstream

basins and

aquifers

outside

the territory

of reference

Natural transfers

(e.g. infiltration,

seepage, etc.)

Sea

Inflows

downstream

basins and

aquifers

outside

the territory

of reference

Outflows

Pre

cip

itation

Evap

o-

tra

nsp

ira

tio

n

Sewerage

Rest of

the World

EconomyRest of

the World

Economy

Re

turn

s

Retu

rns

Re

turn

s

• Economy and environment

• Stocks and flows

• Monetary and physical

• Pollution

• Water quality

12 Standard Tables of SEEA-Water

1. Physical supply

2. Physical use

3. Gross and net emissions (of pollution)

4. Emissions (of pollution) by Sewerage Industry (ISIC 37)

5. Hybrid (Monetary and Physical) supply

6. Hybrid use

7. Hybrid supply and use

8. Hybrid water supply and sewerage for own use

9. Government accounts for water related collective consumption services (Monetary)

10. National expenditure for waste management (Monetary)

11. Financial accounts for waste water management (Monetary)

12. Asset account (Physical)

Plus 12 Supplementary tables

BoM

ABS

ABS

Source of pressure on water resources:

• Macro trends in total water use, emissions, water use by natural source and purpose, etc. ‘Decoupling’ economic growth and water use, pollution

• Industry-level trends: indicators used for environmental-economic profiles

• Technology and driving forces: water intensity/productivity and total (domestic) water requirements to meet final demand

• Modelling. E.g. projections of future water needs, impact of reduced water availability on economic activity or environmental health

Uses of water accounts

Data sources for the Water Account Australia

ABS surveys

– Water Supply Survey

– Agricultural Survey

– Annual Integrated Collection (of Mining, Manufacturing and other industries)

– Electricity Generators Survey of Water Use

– Household surveys (March Labour Force Supp. Survey)

Other

– National performance reports (NWC and water associations)

– Data from Commonwealth and State/territory governments

– Annual reports of companies

– Research

Main findingsWater consumption down 25% since 2004-05, from

18,767 GL to 14,101 GL

• 38% fall in agriculture – 12,191 GL to 7,589 GL

• Large falls in cotton, rice, dairy pasture and sugar

Value of distributed water supplied is up nearly $2 billion (56%), from $3.5 billion to $5.5 billion

• Household paying $927 million extra

• Businesses paying $994 million extra

Average price of water nearly doubled from $0.40/kL to 0.78/kL

• Household pay the highest average price $1.93/kL

• Agriculture pays the lowest average price $0.12/kL

Main findings, cont.Industry valued added per GL is up $41 million/GL

or 76% from $54 million/GL to $95million/GL

• Largest increase in IVA mining of $129 million/GL or 133% ($97 m to $226m /GL)

• Agriculture up 77% from $2.2 million/GLto $3.9 million/GL

Gross value of irrigated agricultural production up 13% or $1.4 billion from $10.6 to $12 billion

• GVIAP is 29% of the total gross value of agricultural production (almost unchanged since 2004-05 when it was 30%)

• GVIAP peaked in 2006-07 at $12.5 billion and 35% of total gross value of Agriculture production

Climate

Source: Bureau of Meteorology

2009

A1.1 ANNUAL RAINFALL 1992-93 TO 2008-09

1992–93 1996–97 2000–01 2004–05 2008–09

Financial Year

Rainfall

(mm)

0

200

400

600

800

2008-09 2004-05

Water consumption

02000400060008000

100001200014000

Agric

ultu

re

Min

ing

Man

ufac

turin

g

Elec

tricity

Wat

er s

uppl

y

Oth

er in

dust

ry

Hou

seho

ld

ML

(1,0

00 m

3)

2004-05

2008-09

Percentage change 2004-05 to 2008-09

-30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Agriculture

Mining

Manufacturing

Electricity

Water supply

Other industry

Household

Australian water consumption by industries and households

Agricultural activity

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

Cereals for

grain/seed

Cotton Rice Sugar cane Fruit and nuts Grapes Vegetables for

human

consumption and

seed

Dairy pasture Other agricultural

water use

GL

2004-05 2008-09

Water consumption by State

-50% -40% -30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20%

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

NSW Vic. Qld SA WA Tas. NT ACT

GL

2004-05 2008-09

Percentage change 2004-05 to 2008-09

Gross State Product per GL

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Australia NSW Vic Qld SA WA Tas NT

kL

2004-05 2008-09

ACT = $384m/GL in 2005-05 and $536m/GL in 2008-09

Industry gross value added per GL of water consumption

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

All industries Mining Manufacturing Electricity Water supply All other

industries

Agriculture

$m

illi

on

pe

r G

L

2004-05 2008-09

From 54 $m/GL in 2004-05 to 95 $m/GL in 2008-09

Inland Water Resources

Water SupplySewerage

HouseholdsElectricityMining Manufacturing*Agriculture

Other industries

? ?

?934448412334?

?

? ?

722

715 336 44841 320 172

3391433267

3626

944228

?

?

?

515

Australia – physical water supply and use, 2008-09 (GL)

1594

79

9336

103 9277 87

?

2

The Sea

1163

Key

Wastewater

Water

Reuse water

33

* Note shown is the supply of distributed water and reuse water by mining and manufacturing, 25 GL in total.

Inland Water Resources

Water Supply

ISIC 36

Sewerage

ISIC 37

HouseholdsElectricity

ISIC 35

Mining*

ISIC 5-9

Manufacturing*

ISIC 10-33

Agriculture

ISIC 1Other ISIC

2,3,38,39, 45-99

6 1406

??????

3

21 208

?

? ? ? ? ?

490153406

?

122977

7

?

?

?

Australia – monetary water supply and use, 2008-09 (million AUD$)

3074

?

?

? ??? ?

3316

?

The Sea

?

Key

Wastewater

Water

Reuse water

* Note shown is the supply of distributed water and reuse water by mining and manufacturing, 25 GL in total. No monetary available for these.

Monetary vs. physical use of distributed water (% of total use)

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Agriculture

Mining

Manufacturing

Water Supply

Electricity

All other Industries

Households

Volume of waterValue of water

2008-09

Australian average water prices for industry and households – $/kL

$-

$0.50

$1.00

$1.50

$2.00

$2.50

Agr

icultu

re

Mining

Man

ufac

turin

g

Elect

ricity

Wat

er sup

ply

Oth

er in

dustrie

s

Hou

seho

lds

Aus

t. Ave

rage

Av

era

ge

pri

ce

pe

r k

L

2004-05 2008-09Households $1.93/kL

Agriculture $0.12/kL

Aust. Average $0.78/kL

Per capita household water consumption

0

50

100

150

200

250

Australia NSW Vic Qld SA WA Tas NT ACT

kL

2000-01 2004-05 2008-09

Some problems in compilation of the water account

• Classification of units to industry in the case of multiple activities and multiple sites.

• Industry classifications used by water suppliers and others does not follow ANZSIC

• Multiple data collections and poor coordination of data sharing

• Many units supplying water or sewerage services are operated by government and data on this specific aspect of services are difficult to separately identify

• Spatial referencing – economic data is related to enterprises and there is generally poor spatial referencing (usually to post code)

• Estimation of losses in distribution

• Recording of the flows for use of water in hydro-electricity and water for cooling

• Definition and reporting of environment flows

Issues

• Timeliness – data available 17 months after reference period

• Higher quality regional data are needed

• Greater disaggregation of industry data

• Surface and groundwater splits

• Data sources are changing (in general improving but still not stable)

• Understanding what and when we can get from other data providers (and especially BoM and NWC)

• Development and application of water accounting standards at business, state, national and international levels

• Appropriate valuation of water and water infrastructure assets

• Better integration of environmental, social and economic data

An Integrated Environmental-Economic Information Systemfor Australia

Bio-physicalSocio-economic

Treasury, ABS, ABARE,

PC, PM&C, DRET,

state/territory, etc

DEWHA, BoM, DCCEE,

Geoscience Australia,

MDBA, BRS, CSIRO,

state/territory, etc

Some agencies and researchers operate across both spaces

researchers

ABS Proposed plan for Integrated Environmental-Economic Account

Energy Account(June 2011)

IntegratedEnvironmental - Economic

Accounts

National Accounts DataLand Account

(Pilot February 2011)

Water Account(29 November 2010)

Waste Account(2011?)

EPE Account(2012?)

Environment Industry Account

(“Green Economy”?)(2014)

Assist others (e.g. BoM, Victorian government,

others)

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4655.0.55.001

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4655.0.55.001

Thank you to everyone outside of ABS that

has assisted us

Thank you to the ABS team

Thank you for listening

Dr. Michael Vardon

Director

Centre of Environment and Energy Statistics

michael.vardon@abs.gov.au

Contact details

mailto:michael.vardon@abs.gov.au

Rainfall in Australia

Source: Bureau of Meteorology

2009

A1.1 ANNUAL RAINFALL 1992-93 TO 2008-09

1992–93 1996–97 2000–01 2004–05 2008–09

Financial Year

Rainfall

(mm)

0

200

400

600

800

% Annual Rainfall 2008-09

% Annual Rainfall 2004-05

Water consumption

02000400060008000

100001200014000

Agric

ultu

re

Min

ing

Man

ufac

turin

g

Elec

tricity

Wat

er s

uppl

y

Oth

er in

dust

ry

Hou

seho

ld

ML

(1,0

00 m

3)

2004-05

2008-09

Water consumption

Percentage change 2004-05 to 2008-09

-30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Agriculture

Mining

Manufacturing

Electricity

Water supply

Other industry

Household

Water consumption by State

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

NSW Vic. Qld SA WA Tas. NT ACT

GL

2004-05 2008-09

-50% -40% -30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20%

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

Australian water consumption by industries and households

Agriculture

Forestry and fishing(a)

Mining

Manufacturing

Electricity and gas supply

Water supply(b)

Other(c)

Household

0 2500 5000 7500 10000 12500

GL

2008–092004–05