The Bureau of Meteorology has launched a ‘Climate Resilient Water Sources’ web portal. It describes the new website as an “interactive site providing comprehensive mapping and information on desalinated and recycled water sources for more than 350 sites across Australia, both publicly and privately owned and operated.”

The site describes climate resilient water sources are those on which climate variability, such as variation in rainfall and temperature, has little or no influence. The dataset provides information on two of the most significant climate resilient water sources, desalination and water recycling.

Desalinated water is water sourced from desalination processes and is not confined to marine desalination. Recycled water is treated sewage effluent, including water from sewer mining. It may be potable or non-potable, and excludes urban stormwater.

The dataset is provided by site owners and operators as well as publicly available information. CSIRO did the initial stocktake of plants with production capacities greater than 50 ML (megalitres) per year.

BoM said in a statement that the information will “inform the Australian community, government and the water industry of the contribution that these sources make to secure water supplies for current and future residential, industrial, mining, commercial and agricultural needs.”

The portal can be accessed at www.bom.gov.au/water/crews. It enables users to search for information on capacity, production, location and use of these alternative water sources throughout Australia. Local government and water utility owners and operators can add and update their data directly to the portal’s database, which is then linked to the website.

The new portal is part of the Bureau’s ‘Improving Water Information’ program, which aims to build a detailed picture of Australia’s water resources to support policy and planning.