Recycling and permanent water savings the only solution to falling dam levels

Thursday, 02 November 2006 23:10

Total Environment Centre (TEC) Urban Campaigner Mr Leigh Martin said "With climate change threatening to make rainfall even less reliable it is essential that the NSW Government embark on a major effort to increase water recycling, introduce permanent water restrictions and ensure that business and industry become more water efficient. Current programs are insufficient”.

The NSW Government’s Metropolitan Water Strategy relies heavily on tapping groundwater reserves in western Sydney, taking more water from the Shoalhaven River, and pumping water from the bottom of dams that is currently inaccessible. While there are some welcome initiatives on recycling, much more is needed to provide a permanent solution.

“Utilising groundwater reserves may buy some time but carries environmental risks such as reductions in stream flows and effects on wetlands and is, at best, a one-off measure. Once the groundwater is used up it will take years to replenish. Taking more water from the bottom of dams and from the Shoalhaven River is dependent on rainfall and will place the Shoalhaven under greater environmental stress”, Mr Martin said.

TEC has called on the Government to massively increase the recycling target in the Metropolitan Water Strategy and to embrace indirect potable reuse as part of the overall solution.

“Sydney’s long term water security depends on a massive increase in water recycling, including potable reuse initiatives. Indirect potable reuse is already occurring in Richmond and Windsor which draw their water from the Hawkesbury River, downstream of a number of tertiary treatment sewage treatment plants. The technology already exists to provide safe, indirect potable reuse elsewhere in Sydney”.

TEC has also called on the Government to introduce permanent low-level water restrictions, such as adopted by Melbourne and Adelaide and to do more to make businesses and industry more efficient.

“Water restrictions have made an important contribution to reducing water wastage among residential customers. Those savings need to be made permanent and implementation of water savings plans for business and industry made mandatory. This should be supported by penalties for failing to comply and pricing reform to reward more efficient water use”, Mr Martin said.