PROJECT DETAILS


  • Project No 1125
  • Project Name Analysing the economic impact of harmful and nuisance algal blooms (HNABs) on the Australian water industry
  • Lead Organisation Melbourne Water
  • Research Lead UNSW Sydney
  • Main Researcher Dr Bojan Tamburic
  • Completion Year 2023

Status: Complete

Focus Area: Source & Catchments

National Research Priority: Liveability, Supply Optimisation

Project Description

This report on analysing the economic impact of harmful and nuisance algal blooms (HNABs) on the Australian water industry is the first effort in two decades to estimate their economic impact. Understanding the full impact of blooms on recreational water use, source water management, water treatment (for drinking, stock, agricultural and recycled water), and finished water quality, enables industry to better evaluate and target research into bloom mitigation and management.

The research was successful in identifying and categorising the present-day costs associated with the management of harmful and nuisance algal blooms in Australia. However, there is insufficient information to extrapolate a national estimate for the ‘cost of algae’ for the whole country.