Senator Andrew Bartlett
Sunday, September 18, 2005
 
Water Water Everywhere
I’m at home in Brisbane this weekend. It’s quite dry (not to mention extraordinarily windy), which is actually one more reminder of water issues and how prevalent they are becoming.

Water issues are definitely a topic of big interest amongst federal politicians. A breakfast briefing and forum on water issues by some CSIRO scientists held in Parliament House a week ago attracted over 25 MPs from all parties. There is certainly clear, if overdue, recognition that a lot more needs to be done about the way we use (and re-use) water.

A frequently cited phrase is that Australia is the driest (inhabited) continent in the world. However, this is a fairly misleading comment which is only true in a geographical sense, not in a per capita sense. Water resources per person are actually better than many other nations, especially as the majority of Australians live in areas where rainfall or water is reasonably plentiful. However, we are also one of the most profligate users of water and unless we change our ways dramatically, we are going to be in big trouble quite soon.

As mentioned in my previous post, I was keen to get out of Canberra this week and back into Queensland as soon as possible. I flew up to Townsville on Thursday night to attend part of the state conference of Queensland conservation councils. THere was a fair bit of focus on problems with rampant coastal development. I wrote a while ago about an example of this in Mission Beach. Climate change issues are also looking harder and harder, which may well lead to permanently reduced rainfall, compounding our water supply issues.

Brisbane’s Courier-Mail newspaper has been giving a good amount of attention to water issues in recent times, and this weekend had a story which showed just how serious our water problems are in South East Queensland, and how poorly various levels of government have performed in this area. The Courier-Mail also commissioned a report by the Queensland branch of the Australian Water Association.

I have written before (twice) about the Toowoomba City Council’s plans to recycle highly treated effluent back into the towns’ drinking supply. I think this is a very good idea and we have to start strongly pursuing these options (along with many others), at least in those areas where it is cost effective. I’d have to say a couple of the people I spoke with at the conservation conference were less than convinced about this, but I’m comfortable with it given the range of scientific involvement and the monitoring safeguards in place. (although one commenter on my previous posts doesn’t agree).

I was sent details of this blog site specifically focussed on the Toowoomba plans. The people behind it seem to be very much against the project, but even though I’m in favour of it, I’m even more in favour of wider public discussion on these sorts of issues, so I thought I’d mention it.

People in Brisbane interested in the issue should try to get along to a forum this Tuesday night 20th September, featuring the Mayor of Toowoomba, Dianne Thorley, who is a big promoter of the project. She’s a straight talker too, and I expect will give a good speech and be open with her answers. It’s organised by the Brisbane Institute and is being held at Customs House in the city from 6pm. (cost up to $22)

posted by Andrew Bartlett @ Sunday, September 18, 2005 Permalink
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