The journey to a water sensitive city - a case study of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia

Water security is a vital part of ensuring a sustainable future. This is particularly true for many cities in Australia where relatively low rainfall, population growth and climate change places communities under water stress. The 'Water Sensitive City' is one in which water is drawn from a range of water supplies and that sustainably interacts with its surrounding environment. Every city has a unique water history in which the economic, environmental and social history have impacted on the development of water management. Tracking the evolution of water management of a city from its initial stages can provide information regarding the journey towards a Water Sensitive City. Water management in Ballarat has been tracked from the establishment of the first water supply to the city in the 1850's until 2015 using historical records from the local water authority. These records show that Ballarat generally followed the classical water development model with the introduction of water supply, sewerage and water treatment. Water use in Ballarat increased dramatically from 1941 until 1980, in line with increased standards of living as expected. However, after this time water use decreased despite continued population growth, and commercial water use decreased as a percentage of total use and external water use also declined. The reasons behind the decline in water use since 1980 may contain lessons that can be used in the establishment of Water Sensitive Cities