Machka
Wow-took 25 years for the Snowy mountain project-and Snowy Mountains-not what I picture when I think Australia(I was aware you folks had snow and ski resorts-but not what I picture)
Didn't you folks have a HUGE HUGE flood-one of the big cities- NOT TOO FAR BACK??
So odd DRY PLACE big floods-
Parts of dry inland Texas have flooding problems-but mainly flash floods -last hours not days weeks
And you folks have an aquifer the envy of the rest of the world-barely tapped(but punched with what the links called something like un"contained" bores-for sheep and crops I guess)
But your cities WORRY about water-because they live on "rain/snow water" and you don't get lots of rain
One link mentioned you folks use some desalination(implication was it was for emergencies)-usually means SEVERE water concerns
Oh-big aside in respect to toilets-I measure one of the tanks on a 20 yo toilet of ours-fairly typical of older residential toilets- 9.4 liters
Water-most important thing for a city/country-no water no city (no food locally-gotta buy or steal it)