Every October, National Water Week reminds Australians to pause and reflect on the value of our most precious resource. This year’s call to action – Bring Water Into Focus – encourages all Australians to see water not just as a resource, but as the invisible thread connecting everything in our lives.
While National Water Week stands as a celebration of the value of water, for the water sector, raising awareness around the value of water among the broader community is both a challenge and a reminder. Despite living on one of the driest inhabited continents, many Australians still take water for granted. Climate extremes are increasing, and the risks of droughts, floods and water quality challenges remain part of our ongoing reality.
While these challenges feel urgent, they are not unique to Australia. Across Asia, Africa and the Pacific, communities have long faced scarcity and climate extremes. Out of necessity they have developed innovative and resilient ways to deliver water security, often with fewer resources. Their experiences offer valuable lessons as we consider our own water future.
Lessons in long-term vision
One of the biggest challenges in water planning is the mismatch between political cycles and the lifespan of major water assets. Short-term decision making can leave critical infrastructure underfunded or reactive, instead of strategically planned for future generations.
This is where global examples provide a useful contrast. In India, the Dams Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) aims to improve the safety and performance of more than 100 large dams over a multi-year program.
These assets underpin water supply, irrigation and energy for millions of people. Protecting and enhancing them requires foresight that stretches beyond a single political cycle, something Australia must increasingly embrace.
The power of collaboration
Another lesson is that collaboration underpins success. For the Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant – set to become one of the largest hydropower plants in Central Asia with an installed capacity of 1,880 MW and nearly 6,000 GWh annual generation – the project relies on a tripartite effort between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
The project, for which SMEC has prepared the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Report, is about more than clean energy. It is a regional integration initiative and a platform for cooperation across energy, water, and climate. These principles resonate strongly in Australia, where water projects must navigate competing environmental, cultural and social priorities often across multiple jurisdictions.
Community ownership matters
In many countries, water management is supported by community-led solutions. Water is understood not simply as a utility but as the foundation of social stability, economic reform and quality of life. These initiatives succeed because they foster local ownership and stewardship.
In South Africa’s City of Tshwane, where non-revenue water losses were estimated to be as high as 40%, SMEC piloted a Water Conservation and Demand Management Initiative aimed at cultivating a water-wise mindset.
The initiative saw the rollout of a Community Awareness and Education Campaign for households and sought to involve community participation through the appointment of local residents and diploma students as contributors to the program.
A different path forward
Bringing water into focus requires us to shift perspective. We must treat water as a finite and precious resource. We need hybrid approaches that combine large-scale infrastructure with decentralised and community-led solutions.
Indigenous and local knowledge must be integrated alongside engineering expertise to ensure equity and cultural alignment. Policy frameworks should create space for cost-effective and scalable solutions like the Jal Javeen Mission in India that can be easily replicated across different geographical locations. And we should measure success not in terms of assets delivered, but in the long-term benefits created for people and communities.
A call to action
National Water Week is an opportunity to learn from others, share stories, to question our current practices, and to recognise that wisdom often comes from those who have managed with less.
Our work globally has shown that water is not just about supply. It is about people, resilience, livelihoods, the environment and the future we want to build.
As Australia brings water into focus this October, let us expand our thinking to learn from global lessons and ensure that water remains at the heart of resilient and thriving communities.
Ashley Zanetti is Global Operations Director, Water + Environment, SMEC.