Urban environmental efficiency refers to how well the built environment encourages the efficient use of natural resources—land, energy and water—and the reuse and/or recovery of waste. In this section, the changing ‘efficiency’ or ‘intensity’ over time is analysed, providing some context to the Increased consumption section.

Water efficiency

A range of factors contribute to water efficiency in the built environment: water demand from both households and industry, and the use of water from various sources, including water recycling. Reflecting the trends in total water consumption in the built environment (as seen in Increased consumption), overall per-household water consumption has increased since 2010–11, whereas the manufacturing, and commercial and services industries have all experienced increased water efficiencies during this period.

Household water use efficiency

Since 2010–11, per-household water consumption nationwide has increased by 1 per cent, from 202 kilolitres per household to 204 kilolitres per household. However, the variation between states and territories during this period is large (Figure BLT43). Households in the Northern Territory and Western Australia use the most water per household (455 kilolitres and 328 kilolitres per household, respectively), compared with Tasmanian and Victorian households (173 and 162 kilolitres, respectively). Although most states and territories have shown increases in per-household water use of between 3 and 11 per cent, Tasmanian per-household water consumption dropped 48 per cent between 2010–11 and 2014–15.

In 2014–15, Australian households spent more than $5.1 billion dollars on water, paying an average of $2.99 per thousand litres (up from $2.44 per thousand litres in 2010–11) (Figure BLT44). South Australian households paid the most in Australia, at an average of $4.46 per thousand litres (ABS (2015a)). The average price paid by households for urban distributed water rose in all states and territories from 2010–11 to 2014–15. The largest increases were recorded in the Northern Territory (106 per cent—up to $3.10 per thousand litres), Tasmania (59 per cent—up to $2.78 per thousand litres) and South Australia (44 per cent) (ABS (2015a)).

Industrial water use efficiency

In contrast to the residential sector, business and industry associated with the built environment improved their water efficiency between 2010–11 and 2014–15 (Figure BLT46). Commercial and services industries (including transport and construction) increased their IGVA per gigalitre of water used by 26 per cent between 2010–11 and 2014–15. Manufacturing businesses increased their IGVA per gigalitre of water used by nearly 4 per cent during the same period (ABS (2015a)).