We provide monthly updates of where water quality issues may occur across the Basin.
Visit our Newsroom to view the latest water quality threats maps.
The amount of water used from the rivers of the Basin has increased substantially over time. It is also used in more ways than it used to be. Along with droughts this increased usage has led to some rivers and wetlands being degraded. It has also affected animal populations as land use changes and because the degradation of wetlands interrupts the breeding cycles of fish and birds, decreasing their overall populations. This affects recreation, tourism and communities that rely on these wetlands.
A total of 3.6 million people (including the entire population of Adelaide which is not in the Basin) rely on water from the Basin rivers for many uses, including drinking, washing, farming and irrigation.
To benefit humans and wildlife, water quality and water availability must be carefully managed to ensure the Basin stays healthy, now and in the future.
Water management and land-use practices, as well as natural processes, affect water quality in this large and complex river system.
Key facts
More than 2.4 million Australians rely on Murray–Darling rivers and their tributaries for drinking water.
Clean, fresh water sustains 120 waterbird species and more than 50 native fish species, many unique to Australia.
Poor water quality can adversely affect water-based recreational tourism, and the communities that depend on good water quality.
Good-quality water powers billions of dollars of primary production across the Basin every year.
Across the Basin, 30,000 wetlands, including internationally significant ones, rely on quality water for their continued existence.
Last updated: 29 April 2025