Sydney - more on the desalination v. recycling debate ...

Comments from the Sydney Morning Herald:

"This is not a taste-test debate," said Patricia Harvey, an alliance member and chairwoman of the Sydney Coastal Councils Group.

"Recycled water for use by industry and agriculture in Sydney could significantly reduce demand for drinking water and stretch the city's supply way beyond the next two years."

"This would prolong Sydney's drinking water supply and allow more time to reap the benefits of water saving measures, of harvesting stormwater and other waste water."

"It is clear that the majority of Sydney wants the Government to get real on recycling."

The Government yesterday defended its strategy, which includes a range of measures, such as tapping water from the bottom of Sydney's dams, pumping water from the Shoalhaven and increasing the amount of recycled water for non-drinking purposes to 70 billion litres - or close to 14 per cent of present water use - by 2011.

"We would point out that we aim to have a diverse and well-balanced plan to solve our water needs, and desalination is part of that, but so is recycling," said a spokesman for the Minister for Utilities, Carl Scully. "Our reckoning for desalination is it is the one source of water not dependent on rain."

See - City desalination plant is not the solution - poll.