As a former farmer and government advisor on water reform policy, Southern Cross University’s Associate Professor Peter Coombes has got his own ideas about what water security is. 

With drought hovering nearby and Rous County Council proposing a new dam for Dunoon, the future of water in the Northern Rivers is an issue close to the heart of our local community. 

As one of the co-authors of the Prime Minister’s Science Engineering and Innovation Council assessment of Australia’s water future, what does Prof Coombes see as the way forward in this dry land of ours?

Water security

“Water security, the way it’s pitched, worries me,” Prof Coombes said. “It’s often seen as part of an agenda relying on centralised large infrastructure – and it’s often falsely perceived as the only way forward.

“The reality is water efficiency. The way communities use and don’t use water can make a difference to water balance in a region’s ecosystem. 

“That’s the bit often left out of the water security discussion and it doesn’t appear prominent in the discussions I’ve read since I’ve been in the area. 

“There’s a lot of all talk about contributing as a society, and this region is more suited to a collaborative effort than other regions. We need to empower and include citizens in creating solutions - and properly count the contribution of people saving water – whether it’s rainwater tanks or grey water. 

Questions

“We also need to look at what the water utilities like Rous County Council are doing well.

“We need to have a community conversation about the challenges – what is the future of harvesting water out of dams as the climate changes? - and it’s changing.

“What is the future of water out of rivers? There’s a wide range of other things we can also do – not delivered by a centralised water utility.

Ground water

“We need to talk about ground water extraction. 

“NSW chief scientists have said there doesn’t seem to be a lot of impact on our ground water – but you need to look village by village in the region. Your water table will change if you are immediately downstream from significant groundwater extraction.

“Across the country, the reality is - everyone is drawing down groundwater and this affects the flow of rivers.”

Farmers and gas

Prof Coombes moved to Lismore just over a year ago and he’s seen how people here are concerned about the environment and want to be part of these “important discussions” about water and environment.

With the gas industry pushing exploration in our communities, how does he see the extraction processes impacting on water?

“Up until last year I was also a farmer and experienced living a region that went through gas exploration processes,” he said. 

“Now, as a systems scientist, I see that it’s not right to say the processes do not impact our water systems - so we need to be careful. In a region like this where we use a fair bit of ground water, we need to be sure that the gas industry’s impact on water resources is acceptable.

“I’m not convinced that type of gas extraction can go ahead without impacting on ground water.

Politics and gas lobby

“I was a political advisor for 25 years, and I know how these things play out. I also know the gas lobby is a strong lobby and the Federal Government is now pushing gas strongly. Coming out of Covid, people are looking for nation building projects and have strong agendas.”

From farmer to scientist

Prof Coombes grew in South Australia, then worked in Queensland as a farmer on avocado and pineapple farms. Then he moved to Newcastle and studied at Newcastle University before moving on to work in various government departments. 

While he was studying civil engineering and working on surveying projects, he discovered he had a great interest in science and added environmental science into his studies. 

His PhD looked at water sensitive urban design as he combined science with his humanitarianism and desire to understand human behaviour. 

From Santos to Government

“I then worked in what used to be BHP as one of their chief scientists – it was interesting to get the experience. I also worked for Santos as an exploration officer in the Simpson Desert for 18 months before working in government.

Disheartened

It wasn’t always easy though. 

Prof Coombes also served as Chief Scientist for the Office of Living Victoria, advising the Victorian Government on water reform policy.

He said that working in government “you can get disheartened on a daily basis when you are concerned about the environment”.

“But it also makes you aware of the fantastic things people are doing – that the world is not ass negative as you think it is,” he said.

Outspoken change maker

“I see myself as making change,” Prof Coombes said. “I’ve always been fairly outspoken - saying the hard things when no one else will.”

“Often government departments are staid organisations – then passionate young people come in. When I came in, the local government bosses harnessed my desire to make things better.

When he had an appointment to the government science and innovation working group on water, he worked with the Federal water minister to find a solution to the Murray Basin water issues. 

“They had 12 people working under a chief scientist as part of a national initiative to have a serious go as to how to approach water in this country.”

“I worked with the inspiring Peter Cullen - who passed on his great contribution to water and environment and we were able to make significant change.”

Sydney water efficiency

“In 2000, I was also invited into national cabinet with the water minister and North Sydney mayor and worked on water efficiency solutions which contributed to reducing the environmental impact of our cities.

Liveability

“I introduced liveability into water policy. When you are creating systems, you need to think about how the water solution is not about a security outcome – it’s about a whole of society objective.

“Part of the change process of people’s thinking is introducing key ideas into the argument – at first my ideas were hotly contested.

Habitat

“But I showed they contribute to quality of life. Water is about the environmental experience - about rivers and enjoying that habitat.

“Life isn’t a series of disconnected things – everything is connected to everything else and when we don’t consider that, we lose a whole range of things, from insects to birds.

Trade off

“Every time we create a water plan for the human population, we have to have a trade off. Like, what is the fate of the river versus quality of life and water security?

“Nothing comes for free and there are things that are valuable, not in dollar value, but in terms of shaping the lives of us and our children. 

“When making decisions about policy, I start with the ideal and if I get 10% of the outcome I want, it will be a great achievement.” 

Urban water cycle solutions

For the past two decades, Prof Coombes has been Managing Director of Urban Water Cycle Solutions, an independent applied science and policy think tank. 

“I started this in 1990s, so I could do independent studies - and directly contribute to policy processes,” he said. “I’ve helped reshap policy debate in Australia - like the recent tribunal to change the pricing of water. Citizens were not charged for water - only charged for what they used 

“I’m planning to work more on community environment and water utilities, looking at what’s best for the whole society and am hoping to collaborate with Rous Water on a new way of thinking about water resources.

Southern Cross University

Prof Coombes is currently the Chair of Engineering in the School of Environment, Science and Engineering at Southern Cross University.

In his career, he has been awarded more than $3 million in research funding, the GN Alexander Medal for contributions to the science of hydrology and water resources, and recently the president’s medal for services to engineering by Engineers Australia.

He said he enjoys teaching young people so they can make a difference. 

“This year, I’m teaching reclamation of water to civil engineers for when they work with buildings,” he said.

“I want to pass my knowledge onto people so they can make the world better.