Productivity Commission wrong on water restrictions

Friday, 28 March 2008 23:24

TEC Water Campaigner Mr Leigh Martin said "Water conservation rules have been a major success in reducing water use and educating public on the need to conserve this precious resource. Abandoning these rules would risk a return to wasteful water practices of the past such as using the hose to wash paths and driveways”.

The Productivity Commission has claimed that water restrictions are costing Sydney households $150 per year, however, this ignores the immediate benefits of using less water in reducing infrastructure costs and environmental impacts.

“The Productivity Commission’s view is short sighted and ignores the fact that conserving water reduces the need for expensive and environmentally damaging infrastructure such as new dams and additional desalination. The costs of additional infrastructure would simply be passed onto customers through higher water bills. Water conservation also ensures that water can be put back into our stressed river systems for desperately needed environmental flows,” Mr Martin said

TEC has urged governments to ensure that water conservation rules are maintained and used to complement ongoing price reform.

“Price reform and water conservation rules go hand in hand in encouraging the wise and careful use of water. While pricing needs to provide a strong signal to save water wherever possible the responsibility of saving water must be shared equally in the community. No-one should be able to pay their way out of the obligation to conserve our water resources. This will simply put a greater burden on the less well off and long-term environmental interests,” Mr Martin said.