Liberal breakthrough on water recycling

Friday, 16 February 2007 23:42

Total Environment Centre (TEC) Director Mr Jeff Angel said "Using purified recycled water is a crucial part of creating a long term sustainable and cost effective water supply. Desalination by contrast is expensive, energy intensive and creates problems with disposal of highly saline brine”.

TEC has also slammed revelations by the Minister for Water Utilities David Campbell that the Government will increase the size of its proposed desalination plant from 125 to 500 megalitres per day if supply levels continue to fall.

“It is clear that claims by the Government that is committed to recycling as a major part of its water plan are a sham. The Minister has revealed that the Government’s plan is simply more and more environmentally damaging desalination”.

The plan announced by the Opposition today would direct highly treated water from western Sydney treatment plants into Prospect Reservoir when total supply levels reach 20%. Recycled water would constitute approximately 10% of Sydney’s water supply.

“Recycled water would be treated twice and diluted twice before reaching the consumer providing a safe source of water of identical quality to that currently available from kitchen tap. The plan recognises that the community is ready to accept recycling and water sustainability”, Mr Angel said.

Importantly the plan would deliver more recycling and at faster rate than the Government’s plans to use recycled water only for industrial and outdoor uses and TEC has called on the Government to match the Opposition’s policy and announce equivalent or better recycling plans.

“Using recycled water as part of our total supply yields much greater dividends than non-potable recycling alone. There is simply no way for the Government to match this level of recycling without making a similar commitment to the Opposition”.

“The first political step toward using purified recycled water in our drinking water supply has been taken. The onus is now on the Government to show that it is serious about recycling and water sustainability”, Mr Angel said.