Tanya Plibersek has 335 days to find 750 gigalitres of water.

Plibersek, the federal water minister, needs to find the supplies to fulfil Australia's ambitious promise to restore the balance of the Murray-Darling Basin.

The Murray-Darling Basin Plan - a $13 billion pledge crafted in 2012 to mend decades of excessive river usage - includes a pledge to set aside 2,750 gigalitres of water annually, nurturing native habitats, flora, and fauna along the river's winding course.

Over the past decade, the Commonwealth has made progress, allocating over 2,100 gigalitres each year towards this audacious objective. 

The journey involves purchasing water licences (dubbed ‘buybacks’) from irrigators and a dash of infrastructure upgrades. 

There have been countless sirens sounded by the Productivity Commission and the Murray Darling Basin Authority about the challenge in fulfilling the plan. Victoria and New South Wales, for instance, have pleaded for deadline extensions as they struggle to meet their obligations under the plan. 

At the river's terminus, South Australia had long rallied against any delays, championing the swift fulfilment of promises. However, South Australian Water Minister Susan Close recently began advocating for new deadlines. 

Extending the June 2024 deadline would require federal legislative tweak, but finding the spare gigalitres will take an intricate ballet of efforts.

NSW’s Labor government has signalled willingness for an extension, while Victoria has emphasised its commitment to the 2018 agreement, steering clear of buybacks.

As 335 days linger on the calendar, the journey remains far from over.