23/10/2026
National Water Week October 19- 25
https://www.nationalwaterweek.org/
Water is Life
In the desert country, we know how important water is to life out here. Desert and arid lands are defined by a lack of water. The land, the animals, plants and people are adapted to the dryness. Knowledge of water and water places is critical to survival out here and this knowledge has been passed down for thousands of generations
We have rivers and creeks all over the country, but they are dry and dusty for the most part of every year, the water is stored underground – identified by the river red gums and coolabahs that branch out like arteries across the land. Permanent water places dot the country, in the gorges, in the river beds, spring fed and rainfall dependent.
Learning where to find good, clean water has been how people have survived here in the extreme and harsh environment that the desert can be. Without water, you die.
Rainfall comes. Sometimes a little and even fewer times, a lot. With an abundance of rain, comes an abundance of life. Plants grow. Frogs emerge. Insects swarm. Reptiles and birds feast. People swim and play. Roads are closed. Tanks fill. Life emerges – green, lush and healthy.
The cycles continue – driven by pulses of rainfall, years pass.
Groundwater - tens of thousands of years old in some places, needs power to reach the surface. Providing life in communities, townships, stations and homelands.
Water trapped. Water flowing. Through porous and around non-porous formations. Water underground is alive and brings life. But in many places – the water reflects what is in the ground below.
Calcium, nitrates, fluoride, sodium, uranium and many other minerals come up with the water. Some with a known safe limit and others unknown.
Water is life, but for many people in remote areas, water is an unknown, untrusted. In some places, it tastes bad, in some places it can cause harm, in most places it clogs taps, showers, washing machines and air conditioning units.
Water is life, but much work remains to be done to ensure water is life for everybody in this country.
Every two years we get together for the AWA Voices from the Bush here in Mparntwe -Alice Springs and it is a good reminder for many in the water sector about the real challenges we face in remote Australia every single day. The changing climate, economic headwinds and growing inequality are compounding factors. But the fire has been lit inside us and it keeps burning.
Water is life, clean safe drinking water changes lives for the better.
Desert Knowledge Australia acknowledges and thanks the Australian Water Association and Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) for their continued and growing support for remote and First Nations communities.
We will continue to push for investment that builds the capability and capacity of communities to better manage their water systems. Infrastructure alone will not close the water gap. Investment in people will. Creating opportunities for skills, careers and sharing knowledge will.
DKA continues to work with our partners Ekistica, The Centre for Appropriate Technology Limited (CfAT) Goyder Institute for Water Research and others to advance the proposed Water Living Lab.
The Water Living Lab will be place to test water treatment technology, a place for training, education and capacity building and connecting a community of water people (communities, utilities, governments, researchers and industry) – sharing knowledge, leveraging investments to collaborate and coordinate to drive better outcomes for people living in the bush.
We are in this for the long haul, we hope you will join us too.
Sign up to the Water Living Lab Mailing List https://wkf.ms/3W3Degq
Find out more here:
Working together for better drinking water in the bush https://goyderinstitute.org/project/working-together-for-better-drinking-water-in-the-bush/
Productivity Commission - Submission Remote Water Futures Consortium https://assets.pc.gov.au/2026-07/sub094-water-reform-2026.pdf?VersionId=KJ4FJh3OvQtCfv7Nacoa2VQ.J85us7rX&_gl=1*kv6fl4*_gcl_au*MTUyNTE0MzkyLjE3OTEzMjExMzY.*_ga*MTE4MTE4ODM0My4xNzkxMzIxMTM2*_ga_XNW84J8HF8*czE3OTI3MTk4ODckbzIkZzEkdDE3OTI3MTk5MDAkajQ3JGwwJGgw
