The West Australian government will modernise the state's century-old water laws in the face of the impact on resources from climate change.
A Water Resources Management Bill will bring together and update six pieces of legislation in a bill that will be easier to understand and administer.
"This legislation will allow us to better manage WA's water resources that are being impacted by climate change and provide secure water supplies for future generations," Water Minister Dave Kelly said on Friday.
The reforms will safeguard water supplies and increase certainty for water users while ensuring the long-term sustainability of water resources and protecting the environment.
The bill is also designed to cut red tape by enabling faster licensing decisions and easier trading, especially in low-risk situations.
It will provide tools to manage high-use water resources that are being affected by climate change such as Perth's main Gnangara groundwater system.
Mr Kelly said a key feature of the reforms was recognition of Aboriginal people's spiritual, social and economic water use.
"Access to water underpins many WA industries, which in turn supports our economy and WA jobs," he said.
"Water legislative reform has been more than a decade in the making and is strongly supported by industry, water users and the community alike."
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