ABSTRACT

Australia experiences a wide range and increasing incidence of extreme hydrological events, including step changes in stream flows, extreme drought, bushfires followed by heavy rain, and storm events, which impact water availability and water quality. This article discusses the management of these events in the provision of water services in urban Australia. These events are being actively and effectively managed by large water service providers, covering around 80% of the population. But the experience for the remaining 20% is mixed, with smaller service providers often struggling to meet community expectations. This suggests a need for further governance reforms.

摘要

澳大利亚经历了范围广泛且不断增加的极端水文事件，包括河流流量的阶跃变化、极端干旱、丛林大火和暴雨，以及影响可用水量和水质的风暴事件。本文讨论了在澳大利亚城市供水服务中对这些事件的管理。大型供水服务提供商正在积极有效地管理这些事件，覆盖了大约 80% 的人口。但其余 20% 的经历喜忧参半，规模较小的服务提供商往往难以满足社区的期望。这表明需要进一步进行治理改革。