Australia is one of the richest countries in the world. Yet, unsafe and unacceptable drinking water quality imposes direct and indirect costs on many communities outside capital cities and large regional towns. Previous CWEEP research identified that in 2018-19 at least 260,000 people lived in 395 small rural and remote communities (with populations less than 10,000 people) where there was at least one reported exceedance against thresholds for safe and acceptable drinking water quality. Actual gaps in access to good water quality are likely much higher due to major gaps in both monitoring and reporting. 

Negative health impacts, purchase of botted and packaged water, increased sugary drink consumption, replacement of household appliances and fixtures, and time and mental health burdens are just some of the many hidden costs of poor-quality drinking water. The causes are many, varied, and location-specific but may include source water contamination, hard infrastructure shortfalls, systemic water injustice, water extraction for irrigation and other uses, and unsustainable service delivery models.  

A major obstacle to developing and funding solutions that are fit for purpose, people, and place is an understanding of the health, social, economic, and other costs of poor water quality. CWEEP research in this area builds on the Australian Drinking Water Record developed with the Water Justice Hub to examine the costs of poor water quality and value the benefits of improved water access in specific locations and contexts, plus at the regional and national scale. We seek to develop this knowledge base with communities and community-led organisations, use it to co-design business cases for infrastructure investments and other water planning processes, and support community-led engagement with water service providers and policy advocacy.