Once again, at Ozwater'26, the Water Quality Specialist Network roamed the exhibition floor with a tiny microphone, talking to anyone who would listen about all things water quality. This year we conducted another short quiz exploring perceptions of the water quality issues facing the sector.
We asked attendees to answer eight multiple-choice questions covering the topics we suspected might be keeping them awake at night, including PFAS, climate change, ageing infrastructure, pollution, regulation and equitable access to safe drinking water.
In the end, 41 people completed the quiz, and every participant answered every question. We were quietly impressed. We used AI to analyse the tiny microphone responses, and to help summarise the survey results and prepare a first draft of this article. As always, the results were reviewed, fact-checked and extensively edited by the committee.
As with any survey like this, 41 responses provide a snapshot of the people we spoke to, not the entire sector. Even so, the quiz results made for some interesting reading.
Consultants and contractors made up the largest group (32%) of participants, followed by utilities (22%), research and education (17%), and local and state government (15% each).
PFAS knowledge was high
Almost half of respondents (46%) said they were familiar with current PFAS research, regulations or treatment challenges, while a further 12% had been directly involved in managing PFAS issues. Only two people had heard of PFAS but were unfamiliar with the associated risks, and no one said they had never heard of PFAS.
Last year, opinions were divided on whether PFAS was over-hyped or under-addressed. This year's responses suggest that, at least among this group, understanding has continued to improve.
Climate change: near-unanimous agreement
An overwhelming 95% of respondents agreed that climate change increases risks such as algal blooms, contamination and runoff, and requires direct understanding and assessment. Only one person was unsure, and no one believed climate change affects only water availability.
Confidence in drinking water remains strong
Nearly half of respondents (49%) were very confident their local drinking water is consistently safe without additional treatment, while another 37% were somewhat confident.
Only four people expressed low confidence. That lines up with last year's tiny microphone conversations, where drinking water safety and testing featured strongly.
Ageing infrastructure remains a major concern
Ageing infrastructure continues to be one of the sector's biggest concerns. Almost half of respondents (46%) described it as a critical issue already constraining performance and threatening service reliability. Another 37% said it is increasing maintenance demands and the risk of failures.
Overall, more than 80% identified ageing infrastructure as a significant concern. That is perhaps no surprise, given infrastructure investment topped the wish list for future water ministers at Ozwater'25.
Agricultural runoff remains the leading pollution concern
When asked which source contributes most to water pollution in their region, 46% of respondents selected agricultural runoff, ahead of industrial discharge (29%) and urban stormwater (15%).
Agricultural runoff was also identified as the biggest environmental risk last year, suggesting it remains front of mind for many people in the sector.
Regulation: adequate, but only just
Opinion was more divided when participants were asked whether current water quality regulations are keeping pace with emerging risks. Almost half (46%) felt regulations are keeping up adequately, while 34% believed they are not keeping pace particularly well. Only four respondents felt regulations are keeping up very well.
Regulatory reform was one of the strongest themes from last year's survey. Judging by these responses, not much has changed.
Equity of access produced the most confronting result
Participants were asked whether safe and affordable drinking water is equally accessible to all communities across Australia. Two-thirds disagreed (37%) or strongly disagreed (29%). Less than one-third (29%) agreed to any extent. Even allowing for the relatively small sample, that result made us stop and think.
For us, the most encouraging result was the near-unanimous recognition that climate change is a direct water quality issue. Thirty-nine out of 41 respondents reached that conclusion, suggesting the people we spoke to are looking beyond today's compliance requirements and thinking about the long-term challenges facing the sector.
The most confronting finding was equity of access. When two-thirds of respondents do not believe all Australians have equal access to safe and affordable drinking water, it suggests many people in the sector see this as an issue that deserves more attention.
Comparing this year's quiz results with last year's tiny microphone conversations, several themes remain consistent. Concerns about ageing infrastructure, agricultural runoff and the pace of regulation continue to feature strongly. By contrast, perceptions of PFAS appear to have shifted from debate towards confidence, with respondents demonstrating a much stronger understanding of the issue than they did a year ago.
This quiz provides only a snapshot of the people we spoke to at Ozwater, but it offers another useful insight into the issues that matter most to water professionals.
We hope to repeat the survey each year and build a record of how opinions change over time as new challenges emerge, regulations evolve, and new technologies become available. It will be interesting to see which issues remain at the top of the list when we ask the same questions again next year.
Interested in learning more about the Water Quality SPecialist Network? Find out more here.
Transparency note: AI tools were used to help analyse the survey results and prepare a draft of this article. All content was reviewed, fact-checked against the survey data, and edited by the Water Quality Specialist Network committee.