CANBERRA, ACT, Oct. 8 -- Murray-Darling Basin Authority issued the following news release:

People living in the Murray-Darling Basin value and care about water in many ways. Beyond drinking water and food production, water shapes Basin communities and their futures.

We partnered with the University of Canberra's Regional Wellbeing Survey to ask residents about their connection to water. The project was funded through the Basin Condition Monitoring Program (BCMP). The goal was to improve understanding of the drivers, timing and scale of change in Basin communities as a result of water reform.

The Regional Wellbeing Survey examines wellbeing and quality of life in regional and rural Australia. This is the first time it has been expanded to ask Basin residents about water in their communities.

Responses from over 6000 Basin residents identified 10 overarching water related values:

* human health, wellbeing and safety * environmental health * liveable and viable communities * First Nations peoples having water ownership, rights and access * fair management and sharing of water resources * effective and just governance of water resources * spending time in and with nature * residents' voices being heard and acted on in decision making processes * living well with climatic variability and climate change * having a strong economy that supports jobs and livelihood opportunities.

The survey investigated the proportion of people that believed these values were being fulfilled.

The survey highlighted many universal values, which all humans hold, such as health and wellbeing, were being fulfilled. Most respondents were confident about their livelihoods and ability to navigate challenging times in the future. Many said that their communities were liveable and that they were able to enjoy time in nature.

It also highlighted which values are not being fulfilled. For example, only around a quarter of residents surveyed believe their community has capacity to cope with the impacts of climate change. It also identified a perception that water resources are not being shared, managed and used fairly.

The survey shows the diversity of views across age, gender and occupation. Those working in tourism were more likely to report observing water quality problems. Similarly, southern Basin irrigators were more likely to report water quality problems than their northern counterparts.

Residents over the age of 65 were most likely to feel the environment was in good health. Meanwhile, those aged 18 to 29 were less confident about their environment and community's future.

"Understanding community values helps us deliver water policies. Water is not a hydrological solution. It's a political, people- based, community solution," explained Strategic Science Director, Deranie Jackson.

These insights complement our other social research projects to improve our understanding of the timing and scale of changes in communities, and how water availability and reform have contributed to those changes.

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.