Our precious groundwater

Perth’s future depends on groundwater which is being impacted by climate change. Perth’s average annual rainfall has declined by about 15 per cent since the mid-1970s and this has resulted in groundwater not being replenished as it once was.

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is committed to carefully managing our groundwater resources so it can continue to support the state’s environment, lifestyle and economy into the future.

All Western Australians have a role to play to ensure our groundwater is shared responsibly by all water users and not wasted.

Groundwater plays an important role in our environment, helping to keep our wetlands, lakes, bushland and trees alive and healthy. In Perth, we also take and use groundwater, treating it to supply drinking water, and using it to grow our local produce and water our parks, ovals, public spaces and gardens.

If you have a garden bore at your home, you are sharing Perth’s precious groundwater and can do your bit to reduce the amount of groundwater we use and help Perth become a leading waterwise city.

Collectively, garden bore users take 22 per cent of all the groundwater used across the Perth and Mandurah areas. In 2021, we estimate there are about 180,000 households using garden bores, collectively taking about 90 billion litres a year (90 gigalitres).

The State Government has introduced new measures to rebalance Perth and Mandurah’s precious groundwater resources, which are at risk from the impacts of climate change and increasing use.