Busselton is well known for its coastal lifestyle, but beneath its calm surface sits a complex regional water story.
As one of Western Australia’s fastest-growing areas, the region faces rising demand, shifting climate patterns, and increasing pressure on groundwater. For Busselton Water Chief Executive Officer David Hughes-Owen, these pressures are not distant challenges but immediate priorities that shape every aspect of the organisation’s planning.
He said the appeal of moving to Busselton after decades in the sector came from both lifestyle and purpose.
“It was a great opportunity to take the 25 or 30 years I had been in the industry and look at how I could support building a contemporary and agile water utility that sets a benchmark for customer service and environmental stewardship.”
Those ambitions now sit at the core of a broader Busselton water strategy to guide the utility through the next decade of growth.
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How is Busselton Water responding to climate and coastal pressures?
Busselton’s coastal position creates unique vulnerabilities. Groundwater salinity has been rising along parts of the coast, reflecting long-term climate trends across the south west.
Hughes-Owen said the shift is already visible.
“We are seeing increasing salinity in our coastal bores. We have developed a long-term programme to transition our bore field inland. That process has already started and will continue for the next 10 to 15 years.”
The Busselton Water Supply Improvement Project is a major part of this work. The first stage includes a new inland bore and treatment plant supported by state and federal funding. The move inland is not about increasing supply but securing what the utility already has.
“We need to start early. Infrastructure takes time, and we want to make sure we get that transition underway now.”
This long-horizon approach has become central to the Busselton water strategy, particularly as the region balances climate variability with sustained population growth.
Building resilience for a growing regional community
Busselton’s population is increasing by about 2.6 per cent each year, with seasonal tourism creating sudden, intense demand spikes. During summer holidays, the population can grow several times over, placing significant pressure on infrastructure and operations.
“Our forebears built big resilient systems 20 or 30 years ago, so we have been trading on that for some time,” Hughes-Owen said.
“But we see the next 10 to 15 years being a real challenge. We have doubled storage in parts of the network, and the new project will add around 20 per cent more capacity during the summer period.”
Regional resilience also extends beyond water storage. Energy continuity is a key concern, particularly for an area that relies heavily on pumping.
“Water is so reliant on energy. We have put in backups to ensure we can continue supplying water if the grid goes down.”
What role do consultants and partnerships play in regional resilience?
As a small utility, Busselton Water operates with leaner internal resources. That reality has pushed the organisation to adopt a flexible and collaborative model.
Hughes-Owen said the approach is deliberate.
“We are generally reliant on consultants and expert advisers for capacity and capability. We are open with our contractors and vendors about our constraints, and that lets us work together in ways that are innovative but not cost-prohibitive.”
The utility often works with boutique consultants and regional specialists, as well as with experts from across the country, particularly in the areas of digital metering and data systems. Collaboration with other water utilities is also central to the Busselton water strategy.
“For example, we are currently working closely with Victorian utility South East Water on digital smart metering. We work closely with Water Corporation on procedures and policies, and I often reach back into my networks at TasWater. Maintaining strong utility networks is really important.”
Strengthening community trust and engagement
Regional utilities occupy a unique position. Their teams often live in the same neighbourhoods they serve, and customers know their utility far more personally than those in metropolitan areas do.
Hughes-Owen said this proximity shapes the organisation’s entire outlook.
“A good regional utility will see its closeness to the customer as an advantage. If we are open, honest and available, we can work through challenges together.”
Over the past three months, Busselton Water has established new customer groups to discuss long-term issues such as supply costs, water efficiency, and local system resilience. The aim is to give the community a structured voice as the utility navigates the next decade of decisions.
“What water was in the past, which was a low-cost and easy solution for your home, is now becoming higher cost, more challenging and more highly regulated. These are conversations we need to have together.”
Driving regional sustainability
Sustainability is central to the organisation’s direction. In the past five years, Busselton Water has cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent despite a 15 per cent rise in water demand. This has been achieved through solar installations, variable-speed pumps, and operational optimisation.
Hughes-Owen said the next step is to expand digital metering and use data to reduce water loss and improve customer education.
He also sees broader benefits for local industries that rely heavily on secure water supplies.
“There is no reason why a utility like ours cannot support wineries, agricultural growers and other industries. Water is vital for their viability. Our role is to provide long-term resilience across the region, not just in the public supply.”
What does the future look like for regional water management?
For Hughes-Owen, optimism comes from collaboration. He believes the sector understands the importance of ensuring regional Australia has secure and sustainable water supplies. The ability of smaller utilities to be agile, transparent and community-focused gives them a vital role in shaping statewide conversations.
As the Busselton water strategy advances, Hughes-Owen said policymakers can benefit from listening closely to regional voices.
“Regional water utilities are great places for innovation because they are agile and face challenges at their doorstep. We can provide a point of difference to the water conversation in Western Australia.”
He added that influence often comes from being close to the community itself.
“Being smaller means we are well placed to challenge ideas and provide real examples to government.”
And for Hughes-Owen, that is the essence of what a regional water utility brings to its state.
“We can be more nimble, more flexible and very open in the way we support our community and our policymakers.”