Water use in Aussie vineyards up 18%

Australian vineyards are using nearly a fifth more water than they were three years ago, highlighting the dry conditions still affecting the country’s winemaking industry. Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that 440,000 megalitres of water was used to irrigate vineyards in 2015 – an increase of 18% on 2012. Vineyards in South Australia accounted for 46% – 203,000 megalitres of total water use – followed by New South Wales with 32% (140,000 megalitres) and Victoria with 20% (86,500 megalitres).