4.2.8—Water scarcity mitigation strategies
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Objective
- 4.2.8
- Level
- HL
Evaluate Australia’s Water Portfolio, Not One Fix
Australia combines demand, recycling, desalination, crop and public measures because aridity and rainfall variability differ by place and time.
Tiered pricing can reduce discretionary use if essential water stays affordable; recycling substitutes treated wastewater; desalination is rainfall-independent but energy- and brine-intensive; crop and soil changes lower irrigation demand.
A coastal drought plan may use desalination for reliability while recycling and pricing reduce the volume required.
It addresses demand, reliability and environmental trade-offs through complementary levers.
A national case is not a universal recipe; transfer depends on basin, energy, finance and governance.