A new national water bank could help safeguard Australia against a looming water crisis.
Storing water underground is not a new idea, but it's been gaining traction not just in scientific circles, but political ones too.
Last month's intergovernmental panel on climate change, warned rainfall could decline in parts of Australia by as much as 70 per cent in the coming three to four decades.
Director of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training Craig Simmons, says amassing water underground would save on large evaporation losses, around the country.
"Traditionally we've been storing water in dams and reservoirs and to minimise evaporation is critical,” he says.
"Excess rainfall, storm water and, in some cases treated waste water, could be potentially stored in aquifers."
Mr Simmons says excess surface water could be plunged underground through injection bores.
"Like a bank balance, the idea of a national water bank means we will know, at any given time, how much water we have on hand,” he says.
"We could measure how much we've put in, how much we're 'earning', plus keep tabs on how much we're 'spending' via a range of field devices that measures water pressure and quality."
However, Mr Simmons says not all aquifers would be suitable.
"We would have to look at the available water sources, when they're available and look at the geological materials to see how easy they can absorb excess water,” he says.
"The next step for us is to do a national reconnaissance to look at those things.
"We know from experience, both in Australia and internationally, that there are excellent examples of where this is working."
Mr Simmons says the National Centre for Groundwater and Deloitte Access Economic last year investigated the economic value of the nation's groundwater.
"We found that groundwater directly supports $34 billion of agriculture, mining, manufacturing and urban water use, " he says.
"We know with climate change of the prospects of a drying climate.
“And we know Australia is a land of droughts and flooding rain, and we know there is a drought on its way.
“It's a case of when, not if."