On Wednesday 1 November 2023 the Murray–Darling Basin Authority welcomed representatives from the National Water Resources and Sanitation Agency of Brazil, Australian Rivers Institute, and Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) to discuss the sustainable management of water resources.
The National Water and Sanitation Agency is the central institution in Brazil responsible for managing water resources, implementing the country’s National Water Resources Policy, and defining reference standards for regulating basic sanitation services.
During their visit to Australia the delegation participated in several presentations centred around water allocation and climate change resilience, which were facilitated by various government agencies and groups.
On the third day of their tour, Murray–Darling Basin Authority Executive Director Tim Goodes spoke to the delegation about water resource plans, surface and groundwater monitoring systems, and the history and implementation of the Basin Plan.
The National Water and Sanitation Agency visit follows the recent signing of the 2023–2024 Work Plan for the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between Brazil and Australia for cooperation in Water Management.
The Work Plan proposes the exchange of information and experiences in specific thematic areas and their application in the São Marcos River in central Brazil and the Pardo River in south eastern Brazil.
The objective of the actions in the two pilot basins is to increase water security and resilience in these regions, due to the growing risks related to climate change. The Work Plan will also propose actions to optimise the allocation of water resources, real-time monitoring of water quantity and quality, and real-time monitoring of water resource uses.
There are also plans to define solutions for traditional infrastructure and nature-based solutions, and integration of management and control of surface and groundwater.