The Murray Darling Association is the peak body for Local Government in the Murray Darling Basin and represents Local Government and communities at State and Federal level to guide the development of policy and the management of Murray-Darling Basin resources.
Why is the Murray Darling system important?
Mitcham may seem a long way from the current problems being experience in the Darling but if you turn on a tap anywhere in Adelaide, Port Pirie or Port Augusta or the many small towns you are reliant on the Murray Darling system.
Adelaide uses 157 giga litres each year, that’s 157,000,000,000 litres which is about one third of Sydney Harbour.
Approximately 49% of our water comes from the Murray which is on average one and a half percent of the Murray’s available flow and on average two thirds of Metropolitan Adelaide’s water.
Throughout the whole Murray Darling Basin Local Government has a voice through the Murray Darling Association. The Murray Darling Association is comprised of 12 Regions.
Each region has vastly different priorities, from intense irrigation, grapes, fruit, almonds, walnuts, cotton, rice, wetlands, transport, fishing, stock water, water birds, native fish, cultural concerns and rural communities to Adelaide with a population of 1.2 million people.
Mitcham is part of region 7 - Adelaide Metro to represent the interests of the region and advocate for sustainable water outcomes.
The strategic priorities include:
- Encourage investment in water saving measures.
- Exchange information about water savings measures.
- Encourage efficiency in water use.
- Understand the water supply system and water sources across the catchment.
- Share information about water savings and efficiency across the Murray Darling Basin.
- Publicly inform communities across the basin of Adelaide’s water supply system.
- Promote efficient use of water across the basin.
- Seek to ensure adequate compliance and audit measures are in place.
- Promote understanding of water uses and environmental issues across Adelaide and the wider basin.
- Promote the role of Local Government in being an integral part of Water management across the basin.
- Promote an understanding of the economic importance to SA and Adelaide of the River Murray and the Murray Darling Basin.