Pipedream is a reality ...

Moving ahead with recycling water for industrial use:

From Ipswich Qld Times

FOR so long it seemed a pipedream but now it appears a recycled water scheme for western corridor industry could be running next year.

The scheme has been under investigation for years but unprecedented demand led to it being fast-tracked into reality.

Agricultural groups who have put sweat and dollars into the plan are now optimistic their hard work is about to be rewarded.

While talk about the scheme has yet to move on to farming use for the recycled water, discussions are in the pipeline.

The state government boasts the scheme will eventually save 250 million litres of water being taken out of Wivenhoe Dam each day.

See - Recycling for industry.

Another Qld State by-election ...

This time it's the seat of Gaven on the Gold Coast, with the sitting Labor member (dubbed "the invisible man") resigning.

It will be interesting to see if Premier Beattie cops another thrashing in this by-election.

It does look like the writing is on the wall for the Beattie government - we'll know next March (if not before).

See - Invisible man quits.

Waterless woks but no recycled sewage for drinking ...

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

Sydney announces new water measures:

Water saving campaign includes waterless woks

February 20, 2006

A range of water recycling and conservation projects have been announced by the NSW government aimed at saving more than six million litres of drinking water a day.

The government will use $9 million from the state's newly established Water Savings Fund to support 27 practical, local projects as part of the Metropolitan Water Plan.

The projects range from encouraging industry to use treated ground water to a campaign to introduce waterless woks in Asian restaurants.

"The potential over 10 years is some 21 billion litres of drinking water saved as a result of the 27 projects, all with a view to guaranteeing Sydney's long term water supply," Mr Iemma told reporters.

Other initiatives include stormwater recycling and harvesting at a number of golf courses and bowling clubs across Sydney.

See - Waterless woks.

Mine expansion sends Qld town packing ...

From ABC News:

Reporter: Francene Norton

ELEANOR HALL: In western Queensland where the small coal town of Ackland is set to close down. But in an unusual twist, this is not because business at the mine which was once the town's life-blood is slowing, but because the mine is expanding right across the town.

From Ackland, Francene Norton reports.

FRANCENE NORTON: It's a garage sale with a difference. Ackland on Queensland's Darling Downs is holding a closing town sale as residents pack up and leave.

Kath Greenhalgh has lived in Ackland for more than 30 years, but her family has decided to move out before the nearby coal mine moves in.

KATH GREENHALGH: Most people don't want to leave, but because the mine is moving closer to the town… next year they'll be mining about a kilometre-and-a-half east of our town and we have the prevailing winds come from the east, so we're going to have the wind and the noise, the dust and everything else.

FRANCENE NORTON: Coal mining helped establish Ackland in 1913. More than 100 people used to live there, but less than a dozen now call it home.

KATH GREENHALGH: Some of them are a bit sad about it, but most of them, yes most of them are philosophical. A few of them… a couple of them are a bit bitter about the way things have turned out, but yes, the majority of us are, "oh well, I suppose it has to be."

See - Acland mine expands.

Mayor Thorley goes online ...

Mayor Thorley hit the internet today with a piece on the Online Opinion website (similar to her speech from the Australian Water Summit last week).

See - Thorley's online propaganda.

She helpfully listed her Seven Barriers of Water Futures - Toowoomba.

Probably wasn't expecting to see the Seven Barriers to Water Futures - Toowoomba listed as a response.

The Mayor should realise that whatever forum she uses to promote her controversial project (conferences, online forums etc.), opponents of her proposal will be there to put on record the real facts of Toowoomba's water source concerns.

Game on!

The need for independence and transparency ...

The latest edition of Waste Management and Enviroment (WME) contains some interesting comments.

An excerpt (with annotations):

The 117,000 residents of Queensland’s “garden city” are embroiled in a heated public debate after the council last year proposed cycling reclaimed effluent back into the drinking water supply.

“People just want information,” says associate professor Greg Leslie from the University of NSW.

[Dr Leslie is a consultant for the engineering firm CH2M Hill, which was engaged by the Toowoomba council for its recycling proposal - see Australian article - 24 February 2006.]

“In the absence of either the council, or people helping the council [so called "independent experts"], providing (the community) with that information, it becomes adversarial.

[No, it became adversarial because of Mayor Thorley's "drink it or buy bottled water campaign".]

You need that third party independence to come in.”

[An independent review of water source options is what is required.]

That’s where regulators come in, in this case Queensland Health. Rather than wait for a plan to be submitted, Leslie would like it to come out and say that recycling is internationally accepted, the risks can be managed and “we will make sure as good regulators that we have all the checks and balances in place”.

[You can trust the Qld Health Department to have all the checks and balances in place?]

People don't just want information. They want independent and unbiased information. If the Council won't give it to them, they'll go and look for it.

Given the Qld Government's involvement in the Toowoomba project, including their "quick and dirty" review of other options, it would be difficult to view them as independent.

One of the problems with Council's campaign is that it has been backed by "experts" who have a vested interest in seeing the Toowoomba project proceed.

And the Toowoomba City Council is only too happy to comply.

The National Water Commission application by the Toowoomba City Council states the following:

“Significant time and costs savings could be expected if the Wetalla Water Alliance is able to be extended.”

So, the Toowoomba City Council doesn't want to put its recycled sewage project out to open tender - it wants to let the companies working on the existing Wetalla upgrade (which includes CH2M Hill) get the contract.

How very transparent.

Many would also be very suspicious of the Qld Health Department's views - the same Department that presided over the Dr Death scandal and the scandalous downgrading of Qld health facilities.

And people are supposed to believe what they say?

Confusion reigns ...

As Toowoomba City Council bans the use of greywater recycling ...

see - Council bans greywater.

the NSW government promotes its use ...

see - Cash incentives to use less water.

and takes control over water tanks and greywater recycling away from local Councils.

see - Councils stripped of control.

Meanwhile, an innovative company promoting greywater recycling technology is frustrated at the lack of government support.

see - Laws hinder recycling technology.

It is interesting that Toowoomba City Council is out of step with the NSW government decision (what do they want the greywater to be used for?)

But how can people have confidence in government regulation where there is no consistency on recycling issues?

Gold Coast desalination plant site selected ...

See - Desalination plant site selected.

Urban Development Institute makes interesting comments ...

In the Toowoomba Chronicle today, the Urban Development Institute of Australia Queensland CEO makes some interesting comments.

He says a meeting held in Toowoomba agreed to support the use of recycled sewage for drinking, subject to two conditions:

1. Extensive consultation be undertaken within the community before a decision is made (too late in Toowoomba's case - the Mayor's version of consultation - accept it or buy bottled water).

2. Recycling projects must comply with all health and safety standards OF WHICH NONE CURRENTLY EXIST.

That's interesting - the Council is saying that drinking recycled sewage is perfectly safe and the UDIA is saying we need health and safety standards for drinking recycled sewage because none exist.

And the Mayor wonders why people are apprehensive about her plans for Toowoomba.

Mayor won't talk to the community ...

Comments in the Toowoomba Chronicle today regarding Mayor Thorley's continued absence from Toowoomba to attend water recycling conferences.

CADS say that the conference attendees and speakers are being lobbied so that they are aware of the feeling of opposition among some Toowoomba groups.

There were also questions which should be answered by the Mayor if the community were granted a face-to-face forum.

It is important that people attending the various conferences are not misled by Mayor Thorley's comments.

In the recent past, she has shown her ability of not letting the truth get in the way of her argument that Toowoomba should introduce recycled sewage for drinking.

Opposition pledge to fast-track dam project ...

From the Courier Mail:

25feb06

THE State Opposition has promised to fast-track construction of the Wyaralong Dam if it wins the next election, after confirming the larger Wolffdene Dam project could not be resurrected.

Nationals leader Lawrence Springborg said a coalition government would "not simply pray for rain" and instead fast-track the development of Wyaralong Dam, between Boonah and Jimboomba, southwest of Brisbane.

The Wyaralong project was included in the Beattie Government's infrastructure plan released last year but the earliest it would be finished is 2015, while the plan said it could take up until 2026 to complete.

It would be the first major dam built in Queensland in 20 years.

The Government is also investigating the possibility of building a dam at Glendower, east of Beaudesert, on the Albert River.

See - Opposition pledge to fast-track dam project.

Village flooded by pig manure - Toowoomba to offer help ...

From: Reuters
February 24, 2006

A Bavarian village was flooded by liquid pig manure after a tank containing 240,000 litres of it burst, German police said today.

Sewage rose to 50cm in the courtyards and streets of Elsa after gushing from the tank. "The village was swamped with green-brown liquid and it was pig manure – the mother of all muck," said Rainer Prediger, a police spokesman in the nearby town of Coburg.

Given the Council's concerns that people reusing greywater will reduce the amount available for recycling, should Toowoomba make an offer for the pig manure?

Pig manure in one end - Thorley water out the other end ...

The press report the Council will wish was never written ...

From today's The Australian - putting the ball firmly back in the Council's court:

Recycling receives a spray

Plans to recycle water have divided Toowoomba, Margo Reynolds reports

TENSIONS are running high in Toowoomba over proposals on water-recycling by Mayor Di Thorley that could see treated sewage included in the city's drinking water.

The plan, thought to be an Australian first, has drawn vociferous opposition from the region's commercial and industry groups, on the grounds that it could ruin the economy of the area and that alternative water is available.

The recycling plan has been labelled a marketing nightmare, particularly for any business related to food.

The council says it already tests for about 140 chemicals in the drinking water and that government bodies will assist in many more tests for the recycled water.

Mayor Thorley said the project would be a unique demonstration for the rest of Australia to follow.

A decision is expected within weeks on the proposal, made last June to the National Water Commission, for the $70 million project.

The Beattie Government has already pledged $24 million to the project, should it win community approval and proceed.

Opponents claim that no tests are available to detect many of the 100,000 known contaminants of water, including prescription drugs. They also claim there are no studies of the long-term health effects of ingesting recycled water.

The southwest Queensland branch of Commerce Queensland, which claims to represent more than 8000 businesses in Toowoomba and the southwest region, has joined the list of opponents.

Regional chairman Ken Murphy said the perception of recycled sewage had turned people off the Toowoomba area and its products.

Mr Murphy said any business related to food, particularly those in the export market, had reported that recycled water use could jeopardise business. This included the meat industry, an important economic player in the region.

While there is little opposition to recycled water in some industries, and for parks and gardens, there is great opposition to its domestic use, especially for drinking.

A petition organised by Citizens Against Drinking Sewage has about 10,000 signatures on it, while a local council area, Jondaryan shire, held a poll and found that 80 per cent of the population was against the proposal.

A petition in favour of the proposal has been circulated by staff of the University of Southern Queensland, but it is not backed by the university.

Two land developers, Clive Berghofer and Snow Manners, back Mr Murphy's claims that the proposal already has had a detrimental economic impact.

They claim that health issues and costings of alternatives have not been adequately addressed, and that alternatives dismissed by the council should be costed by an independent body.

A former Toowoomba mayor, Mr Berghofer said: "I built the last dam in Australia 20 years ago, Cressbrook Dam.

"To use toilet water for drinking just doesn't make sense.

"Why take the risk?

"There's no point in exposing people to the risk of an accident, equipment failure or human error when there are other sources of water."

The scientific community is divided on the safety of the issue, but generally agrees that it is the drink of last resort.

A 2005 report to the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council by Sophia Dimitriadis raised concerns about "unknown long-term outcomes from ingesting recycled water".

She concluded that it was important not to put public health at risk: "At present, experts are rarely able to agree on risk levels."

Dr Dimitriadis, said only two cities practised potable-water recycling: Windhoek, in Namibia; and Singapore.

Singapore puts 2 per cent of recycled sewage into drinking water, compared with Toowoomba's proposed 25 per cent.

Unlike Toowoomba's proposal, it does not allow industrial waste with chemicals or any hospital waste into the recycling plant.

The Environmental and Heritage Protection Council, responsible for developing guidelines for water reuse, has said: "In assessing chemical risk for reclaimed water, it is important to take into account emerging chemicals, for which there is little or insufficient toxicological information."

Colin Creighton, director of Water for a Healthy Country, one of the CSIRO's National Research Flagships, said keeping up with new pharmaceuticals was a challenge in water reuse.

"The new abortion drug RU486 is an example," he said.

"A method would have to be devised to test for it, if it was established that it was being used in Toowoomba."

The University of NSW's Greg Leslie worked on the Singapore project and endorses the Toowoomba recycling plan.

Dr Leslie is a consultant for the engineering firm CH2M Hill, which was engaged by the Toowoomba council for its recycling proposal.

"The water will be perfectly safe to drink, it will be six-star quality," he said.

Toowoomba has traditionally relied on the agriculture, being the centre for the rich Darling Downs.

It provides water to more than 135,000 people in the greater area.

Dam levels are down to below 27 per cent and, without better rains, the city could run out of water within 18 months.

New bores are about to be drilled under a $1.3 million grant from the Queensland Government.

In its proposal for federal funding, the council claims it will lead the nation as a unique demonstration project for Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast to follow.

It says areas adjoining Toowoomba are experiencing growth rates almost three times the state average.

Other water options include water available from coal-seam gas projects on the Darling Downs and Western Downs, where agreements to supply the water for the domestic supply for Chinchilla and Dalby are already in place.

Downs farmers have offered the town clean bore water in exchange for recycled water for their crops.

Other parties have suggested the construction of an overshot weir on Gowrie Creek, collecting storm water for water harvesting to Cooby Dam and allowing for environmental flows, or even the construction of another dam.

Toowoomba's recycling proposal relies heavily on an agreement with nearby coal company, New Acland Coal, to take residue from the recycling process for coal wash. But this appears a short-term solution, as this coal operation will operate for only about the next 15 years and the recycling plan will only come into production about 2012.

After this, the extra cost of getting rid of the toxic residue from the recycling process will be considerable and the solutions not always environmentally friendly.

One option put to the Toowoomba council, costed at an extra $70 million, is for 600ha of evaporation ponds for the waste, a cocktail of chemicals and salt.

Other options are to pipe the waste directly to the ocean at a cost of $26 million, or dispose of it by mechanical evaporation for an extra $26 million.

The final option is to have another reverse osmosis plant to treat the residue and 68ha of evaporation ponds for a total cost of $14 million.

However, the report states that though this last method is the cheapest alternative, "this method has significant unknowns".

The residue would have to be treated with chemicals to reduce problems with the osmosis membrane treatment, which was sensitive and prone to breakdowns if not maintained properly.

See - Recycling receives a spray.

Malcolm Turnbull - community acceptance is critical ...

Comments by Malcolm Turnbull in a speech to the Centre for Independent Studies:

22 February 2006

"Some communities facing very severe water shortages, such as Toowoomba in Qld and Goulburn in NSW, are considering adding recycled water into the potable water supply. Community acceptance is critical to the success of such proposals."

And it is the Toowoomba community which Mayor Thorley ignores (unless she thinks giving everyone a $41,000 Water Book will solve everything).

She prefers to offer her pearls of wisdom at conferences around Australia (at ratepayers' expense) rather than deal with the issues in Toowoomba.

See - Turnbull speech.

Mayor Thorley to Melbourne audience - if they don't like it they can buy bottled water ...

Mayor Thorley was in Melbourne today, making a case study presentation on the Water Futures project at the Australian Water Summit (airfare, meals etc at ratepayers' expense no doubt).

Once again she commented that: "We're saying there are actually alternatives and if you feel that you can't drink the water you can put in a tank or purchase bottled water."

Here is the Mayor once again telling people to buy bottled water.

Obviously this is discriminatory - there are plenty of people in Toowoomba whose weekly budget doesn't stretch to buying bottled water. So they would be forced to drink the Mayor's recycled sewage.

Mayor Thorley obviously hasn't read the previous article on the environmental problems associated with greater demand for bottled water ...

See - Mayor Thorley on tour.

Message in a bottle: water costs more than money ...

One of Mayor Thorley's great statements during the water debate is that if you don't want to drink recycled water, buy bottled water.

An outrageous and arrogant statement to make.

Now comes evidence that her plan will actually produce unnecessary garbage and consume vast quantities of energy.

So much for her controversial project being the most energy efficient (of course not independently verified).

From the Age

February 11, 2006

BOTTLED water consumption, which has more than doubled globally in the past six years, is a natural resource that is heavily taxing the world's ecosystem, according to a new US study.

"Even in areas where tap water is safe to drink, demand for bottled water is increasing, producing unnecessary garbage and consuming vast quantities of energy," according to Emily Arnold, author of the study published by the Earth Policy Institute, a Washington-based environmental group.

The study said that demand for bottled water soared in developing countries between 1999 and 2004 with consumption tripling in India and more than doubling in China during that period. That has translated into massive costs in packaging the water, usually in plastic bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is derived from crude oil, and then transporting it by boat, train or by road."Making bottles to meet Americans' demand for bottled water requires more than 1.5 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel some 100,000 US cars for a year," according to the study.

"Worldwide, some 2.7 million tonnes of plastic are used to bottle water each year." Once the water is consumed, disposing the plastic bottles poses an environmental risk.

The study, citing the Container Recycling Institute, said that 86 per cent of plastic water bottles in the US end up as garbage and those buried can take up to 1000 years to biodegrade. In addition, some 40 per cent of the PET bottles deposited for recycling in the US in 2004 ended up being shipped to China.

See - Mayor Thorley gets it wrong.

If we can put a man on the moon ...

... you can drink recycled sewage.

Or so Deputy Mayor Ramia thinks.

At the Council committee meetings this week, the Deputy Mayor implored councillors to believe in the science that was available today. Cr Ramia outlined the scepticism when NASA outlined plans to put a man on the moon - but it had happened.

This was said in the context of the Council's new $41,000 Water Book.

Councillor Shelton thinks the book offers "a one-sided view of science considering the jury is still out on the testing".

It's a book produced by the Council (with help from their consultants) which seeks to justify Council's push to introduce recycled sewage for drinking.

Why would it be anything other than one-sided? Look at the Toowoomba Water Futures website.

Forgive us for being sceptical of the Council's plans - particularly given their secretive approach to introducing recycled sewage and the way they have ignored the concerns of the community in Toowoomba and the surrounding shires.

As an example, for months the Toowoomba City Council resisted attempts to have the National Water Commission application released.

When it was released, it was discovered that the water which would go into Cooby Dam is not pure - it will have at least 30mgs/L of TDS - total dissolved salts - with unknown residual chemicals.

Let's be clear about this point.

Until the Council was FORCED to release the NWC application under Freedom of Information legislation and the level of TDS was then made public, they claimed that the recycled water was pure.

The Council distributed brochures showing nothing got through the membranes (and into Cooby dam) except pure water. (They also told us they drank recycled sewage at Disneyland!)

If they had been successful in suppressing this information, would they have EVER told the community what was in the water?

It seems unlikely.

Trust the science? First, you have to trust the Council ...

Coming soon - the $41,000 Water Book ...

$41,000 down the drain ...

Councillor Alroe to NWC - we don't care about your money ...

From today's Chronicle:

Comment from Councillor Alroe: "Regardless of whether we get the money from the Federal Government, the project will have to proceed."

This reflects a threat which is contained in the NWC application.

The simple question to ask is - WHY?

Because the Council is obsessed with an ill-conceived project that the public will never accept.

Because the Council refuses to consider other viable options.

The sooner the Council is cleared out at the next election the better.

While we're at it, there's a couple of senior people in Council ranks who should also be forced out.

Recycling water for industry - pipeline out to tender ...

From Qld Business Review:

After continuing controversy, the recycled water pipeline from Brisbane west is moving into tender stage.

The Queensland government's SEQ Water has advertised for consultants to start planning construction of the project.

The Western Corridor Recycling Water Scheme (WCRWS) has the potential to provide up to 250 million litres of recycled water each day when both stages are complete.

While the original concept was to treat Brisbane's waste water and pipe it to the Lockyer Valley and Darling Downs for agricultural purposes, WCRWS aims to take waste water from water treatment plants in western Brisbane and Ipswich to power stations at Swanbank and possibly Tarong in the Brisbane valley.

The first stage would save 110 million litres a day from Wivenhoe Dam - about 15 percent of south east Queensland's current water usage.

Stage 2 would take recycled water from the Luggage Point and Gibson island treatment plants in the east of Brisbane.

The Queensaland government last October committed $20 million to the design and inital works of the scheme.

See - Recycled water pipeline for agriculture.

Council expects calm acceptance of grey water - don't expect calm acceptance of recycled sewage ...

Deputy Mayor Ramia should not expect calm acceptance of the Water Futures proposal to introduce recycled sewage into Toowoomba's drinking water supply.

From ABC News:

Wednesday, 22 February 2006

The Toowoomba City Council says it does not expect a backlash from residents over its decision to ban re-using grey water on lawns and gardens.

The Queensland Government has introduced laws to allow people in urban, sewered areas to install grey water treatment and irrigation systems from next month.

But Deputy Mayor Joe Ramia says tests have shown salt and chemical levels in grey water would damage local soils.

He says the council does not want Toowoomba's soil to become contaminated with salt.
"Once that salt gets in, it's there forever," he said.

"You just can't get it out."

Councillor Ramia says people will still be able to bucket grey water onto their lawns and gardens under the current level-four water restrictions.

See - Council expects calm acceptance of grey water.

Mayor Thorley - "we have to look after the health of the people" ...

Mayor Thorley was commenting on the greywater reuse issue last night on WIN News when she made the comment: "we have to look after the health of the people".

Well, Mayor Thorley, here's a golden opportunity to safeguard the health of the communities of Toowoomba and the surrounding region.

Rethink your potable reuse strategy.

Withdraw the potable use component from the Water Futures proposal and look at water source alternatives.

How hard would it be to say: "I've listened to the community and the surrounding shires. You do not want to drink recycled water so we won't do that. We will re-examine other water source options, we'll discuss these options with the community and we will resolve Toowoomba's future water needs in the most appropriate way."

The community would applaud such action ...

Drugs are going down the drain ...

Drinking water may be at risk

CHARLES W. KIM, Register Citizen Staff

02/03/2006 TORRINGTON

Hundreds of unexpired prescription drugs are literally going down the drain, wasting billions of dollars and possibly contaminating drinking water, official say.

Federal and state regulations are forcing nursing homes in the United States to flush hundreds of unused blister packs of prescription drugs down the drain each week due to patient deaths and prescription changes.

"The money we are wasting is incredible," Registered Nurse Shari Yard, the director of nursing services at Valerie Manor said. "I've had to flush an entire 30-day supply (of medicines) down the toilet."

Valerie Manor is a 151-bed nursing home on 1360 Torringford St. in the city.

"It is sad that many medicines can't be re-used and have to be destroyed,"Administrator Denise Quarles said.

Medicines are distributed to these patients monthly in blister packs, which have to be destroyed if the patient dies or has their medication or dosage changed, Greg Hamley, the administrator for Wolcott Hall for Special Care on Forest Street said.

"They can't be recycled," Hamley said. "The pharmacy can't take them back."

Quarles and Yard disposed of hundreds of pills at the home Wednesday night.

Two of the prescriptions alone cost $1,200, Yard said. A registered nurse and a supervisor must be present as the pills are popped out of the blister packs into a container, which is then flushed down the toilet, Yard said.

"I couldn't make an educated guess how much is flushed," Yard said. "It is still good medicine."

Various federal agencies denied direct jurisdiction in the issue, but said interagency policies leave the homes little choice in disposing the medicines.

"There is no direct U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulation," EPA spokesman Suzanne Ackerman said. "It is a complicated issue."

Various regulations prohibit the drugs from being thrown in the trash or given to another individual, severely limiting what can be done with them.

"It leaves the nursing homes in a quandary," Ackerman said.

Ackerman said the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, however, provided"guidance" to nursing home facilities by approving flushing the medicines.

DEA officials did not respond to questions by press time.

Using the amount flushed this week at Valerie Manor, the home will destroy a minimum of $5,200 per month in medicines, or $62,400 a year.

There were 18,000 nursing homes with 1.9 million beds in the United States as of 1999, according to a Center for Disease Control report.

If all the homes destroy a similar amount to the Valerie Manor total, the national total would reach more than $1.2 billion annually.

"There is no excuse for flushing it down," former presidential candidate and consumer advocate Ralph Nader said Thursday night. "There are ways of getting rid of things using proper procedures."

Hospitals, like Charlotte Hungerford in Torrington, do not deal with these issues because they have a pharmacy on site, Hungerford spokesman Tim Le Bouthillier said.

"We have our own medicines (to distribute to patients)," Le Bouthillier said."They are dispensed internally."

The hospitals have their own stringent policies regarding drug monitoring and only destroy drugs after they expire, LeBouthillier said.

Some states, including New York and Oklahoma, have passed laws to allow the drugs to be re-used. State Sen. Chris Murphy, D-16, said Thursday the state passed a law three years ago allowing the top 50 medicines at nursing facilities to be re-packaged and re-used.

"It saved the state about $3.8 million," Murphy said. "It is a serious issue."

Murphy, who chairs the state Senate public health committee, said he hopes to add to the list of medicines this year.

The money lost is not the only concern.

Recent studies and reports are showing traces of these pharmaceuticals and other personal care chemicals showing up in water supplies throughout the nation, including drinking water supplies, Ackerman said.

"These chemicals are being found in rivers and lakes, which can serve as sources of drinking water," Ackerman said.

"The EPA is examining data from the U.S. Geological Survey to determine which emerging contaminants are occurring in public water systems."

Ackerman said the agency would study the issue to see if the "incredibly small" amounts of these chemicals will impact the environment.

"We don't know if it is a hazard," Ackerman said.

"The EPA is funding research into this issue."

Nader said he was concerned that the practice is being allowed.

"These (chemicals) are toxic," Nader said. "This is contributing to the toxicity of the ground."

See - Drugs are going down the drain.

CSIRO - formal EDC management strategy is some way off ...

With the Toowoomba City Council set to discuss endocrine disrupting chemicals at its committee meetings this week, here are some recent comments from the CSIRO on the issue:

But the exact impact of EDCs in Australia is still not clear, because our research efforts are "much less comprehensive" than overseas, says the CSIRO.

"The change in sex in fish is mainly observed in the UK and other countries," said Rai Kookana, a land and water scientist.

"That's the weakest link in Australia … We don't really know what sort of levels are here in our waterways."

To rectify this, CSIRO is using the Murray rainbow fish as a case study to find out what impact EDCs are having on native fish.

As in Britain, oestrogen from the contraceptive pill is also a major source of EDCs in Australia. The others are natural hormones (also excreted in urine) and industrial chemicals such as pesticides, dioxins, cadmium, lead and detergents.

The problem is that sewerage treatment systems are not designed to filter out chemicals such as oestrogen. Upgrading sewerage systems to filter out oestrogen would be expensive, said Dr Kookana. "It's inherently not designed for these chemicals," he said.

With study of these chemicals still in the early stages, CSIRO says a formal EDC management strategy is "some way off".

28 January 2006

See - The Age report on EDCs.

How the community is misled ...

The group supporting the Mayor's controversial project makes the statement:

"The Toowoomba Water Futures project would be able to supply water to the city in two or three years."

Even the Toowoomba City Council would agree that such a statement is misleading.

The most recent target suggested by Council is 2011 or 2012.

So, a statement that the Mayor's project can be completed in 2 or 3 years deceives the community into thinking the project will solve Toowoomba's short-term water issues.

Couple this statement with the Deputy Mayor's gloom and doom statements on when Toowoomba will run out of water and you see the game that is being played ...

Logan City getting new Mayor - is Toowoomba next?

Logan City goes to the polls on 1 April to elect a new Mayor.

See - Logan City Council - Mayor by-election.

When will Toowoomba get its chance to elect a new Mayor?

Council committee meetings - 21/22 February ...

Some interesting discussion issues coming up at the Council's committee meetings this week:

Greywater use in sewered areas

Council is set to refuse to allow Toowoomba households to install facilities for reusing greywater.

Council thinks the costs to households of greywater installations will make the option of "bucketing" (from the laundry or bathroom) more attractive to many of those who are interested in using grey water.

Of more interest, "full greywater use results in a significant reduction in the discharge to sewer and hence would reduce the amount available for recycling".

So, no greywater use for households because the Council is still holding onto the idea that it can recycle sewage for drinking.

Water Futures Toowoomba Water Book

Produced at a cost to ratepayers of $41,000, Toowoomba residents will soon receive a copy of the A5 sized book.

Reason for the book - as "people's views about water must be guided by the best information possible so that sound judgements could be made".

Almost sounds like independent assessment but I'm sure the Council doesn't mean that.

Apparently the draft presented to Councillors for these meetings "is a draft document and is not suitable for public distribution".

The draft has certainly been tossed around:

20 October 2005 - first draft presented to Advisory Panel
21 October 2005 - first draft distributed to Councillors
12 January 2006 - second draft distributed to Advisory Panel
18 January 2006 - second draft distributed to Councillors
21/22 February 2006 - revised draft presented to Councillors

Can't wait to dissect this one when it arrives!

If you don't like the book, you can always put a "Toowoomba's drinking water - no recycled sewage" sticker on it and send it back to Council.

Results of endocrine disrupting chemical testing in Toowoomba waters and wastewaters

Council employee Alan Kleinschmidt will update the committee on testing he has done, presumably on dam water.

This should be interesting - looks like the Council has been forced into defensive mode - expect more explanations which justify the Council pursuing recycled sewage for drinking.

See - Council still thinks recycled sewage will work.

Brisbane water waste ...

From the Courier Mail:

Burst water main 'ignored' for five days
21feb06

BRISBANE Water Corporation ignored a water main break for possibly up to five days as thousands of litres went down the drain.

At the height of southeast Queensland's water crisis, drinking water streamed for 150m down Grindle Rd in Rocklea, an industrial area of south Brisbane.

Fiona Baunach, an administrator at Pickles Auctions, saw the torrent when she arrived for work yesterday morning and immediately alerted Brisbane Water.

An inspector who came half an hour later said the company intended to let the water spill all day because it did not want to inconvenience businesses by turning off the taps.

Ms Baunach's co-worker said water had been running down the street since Thursday.

See - More Brisbane water waste.

Toowoomba community to Mayor - "we're not stupid" ...

Mayor Thorley was on WIN News this evening rejoicing at John Laws being on 4WK weekdays because he's in favour of recycling.

As always, the Mayor blurs the recycling issue - note she did not say he is in favour of recycled water for drinking.

Does the Mayor really think that the residents of Toowoomba are going to change their minds just because a radio personality (who doesn't live in Toowoomba and won't be drinking recycled sewage at home in Sydney) might say it's a good thing.

See here for some of the things John Laws has been paid to promote - Cash for comments.

Signs of desperation from the Mayor ...

Why water is great business ...

Buried at the back of the Toowoomba City Council's NWC application are some interesting statistics.

In a section dealing with system leakage detection (estimated at 13.5% to 15% of total water production), it states:

"- the cost savings in lost production at $0.50/kl is $500,000/y
- revenue loss at $1.00/kL is $1,000,000".

So, Toowoomba City Council is saying it costs 50 cents to deliver a kL of water and they sell it to Toowoomba ratepayers at $1.00 a kL.

A 100% mark-up! That's good business by any standard.

No wonder they want to make more water using recycled sewage and sell that to ratepayers. Certainly beats buying it from third parties where you can only add a margin. A 100% mark-up is much better.

The seven barriers to Water Futures - Toowoomba ...

The Toowoomba City Council has released its latest Fact Sheet - the seven barriers of Water Futures - Toowoomba.

Here are seven real barriers to the project:

The Seven Barriers to Water Futures - Toowoomba

Barrier 1 - Public opposition

A substantial proportion of Toowoomba's residents (and registered voters) oppose the use of recycled water for drinking in Toowoomba. A petition against the project has gathered around 10,000 signatures.

Barrier 2 - Political opposition

Many politicians are against the Water Futures project in its current form. Politicians in favour of recycling water believe it should be the community's decision whether they wish to drink recycled sewage.

Barrier 3 - Councillor opposition

Several Toowoomba City Councillors oppose the Water Futures project and are critical of the Council's handling of the issue. Concerns have been raised at the way the Mayor has concealed project details from Councillors, including incorporating project costs in forward budget estimates.

Barrier 4 - Council's PR nightmare

Toowoomba City Council's media campaign has deceived the public. The Toowoomba Water Futures website seeks to justify the use of recycled sewage rather than present a balanced view of water source issues. The Council's promotional materials have misled the public - claiming that water discharged into Cooby Dam is pure when it is expected to contain at least 30mg/litre of dissolved material and claiming that places such as Disneyland drink recycled sewage.

Toowoomba City Council has also claimed that its project merely copies many other recycled water projects around the world. CH2M Hill state in the NWC application that "the recycled water would represent 26% of the total yield or 29% of the water supply to Mt Kynoch. This ratio of recycled water is high by international standards and will need detailed review and further studies.”

Barrier 5 - Continuing health concerns

Proponents of the recycled sewage project state that there are no health concerns with the Water Futures project. This is incorrect. The long-term effects of ingesting the chemicals which remain in the recycled sewage are unknown so is the potential effect of a combination of chemicals.

To date, the Council has not confirmed the testing regime for the over 87,000 chemicals in existence which may be in the recycled sewage.

Barrier 6 - Financial concerns

The costings in the NWC application are at best preliminary. Should Acland Coal not take the RO waste stream, Council will require 600 hectares near Oakey for evaporation ponds at an estimated ADDITIONAL cost of almost $70 million. The Council's preferred alternative - using only 68 hectares at an additional cost of $15 million - is regarded by CH2M Hill as having "significant unknowns" and being "water quality dependent".

Barrier 7 - Long-term concerns

Under the NWC application, Toowoomba residents will need to cut their water consumption by a further 20%. The project at best defers the need for a new water source - it will not drought-proof Toowoomba. Also, the projected life expectancy of the Acland Coal mine means that, even if the RO waste stream is provided to the mine, an alternative for dealing with the RO waste stream will be required upon mine closure, costing at least the $70 million estimated amount set out in the NWC application.

Something to think about ...

Mayor should talk to the community ...

Letter to the Editor, Toowoomba Chronicle which sums up the Council's approach to community consultation on the Mayor's controversial project:

Mayor should talk to the community

Last week we saw the Mayor go to the north coast and address the Coolola Council and the Chamber of Commerce on how she is the leading light for recycling sewage water for drinking.

They were led to believe that Toowoomba people have embraced it and it would be on line soon.

This mayor should be talking to her community at a public meeting where people who know the facts can debate them with her and the council.

We have towns of Chinchilla, Miles and now Dalby signing on for gas water and we have a council telling us that it is not safe and that it will be too expensive.

This is deliberately misleading the public.

At Chinchilla, the gas fields are about to install a snow maker to help to get rid of water, all the time we keep bucketing the water to our gardens.

Shame, Shame on all the Council.

Never have we seen so little debate from a council on such an important issue.

RM
Toowoomba

The letter raises some interesting issues:

- why is the Mayor addressing other communities on the issue of drinking recycled sewage when she will not address the concerns of the Toowoomba community?

- her increasing absence from Toowoomba - is she still discharging her responsibilities as Mayor?

- why is the Council so afraid of public debate on the issue in Toowoomba?

- will the Mayor offer a similar story at the conferences she is scheduled to attend over the next couple of months?

Recyclers to Toowoomba residents - we'll find you wherever you go ...

Interesting comment in a Letter to the Editor, the Chronicle (annotated):

"Critics of the water recycling project contend that people will leave this city if we recycle water. [Not if it is used for industry.]

The question has to be asked: Where would they go? [Apart from Toowoomba and possibly Goulburn, anywhere really.]

Recycling is on the agenda right across this country." [Yes, but not for drinking purposes.]

The recyclers are very good at blurring reality - they make lots of references to water recycling being good and water recycling being on the national agenda. However, they often fail to draw the distinction between recycling water for non-potable uses and recycling it for drinking.

Don't mention the bit about recycled sewage ...

Anyone else think it interesting that the Toowoomba City Council City Report 2004/2005 brochure included with rates notices makes no mention of drinking recycled sewage.

The brochure states:

"Water

A project that will have a significant impact on our future as a city is Water Futures - Toowoomba. A huge amount of work has been undertaken in developing key components of this project as a direct consequence of the Queensland Government advising that our dam's safe yields were reduced by 28% in December 2004.

We have been constantly looking for ways to streamline and improve our water supply systems, including drilling more bores. With water restrictions now very stringent, it is pleasing that our community has responded positively to our severe water shortage. While our water consumption has dropped, ongoing growth around us continues to put pressure on our water production, making the Water Futures - Toowoomba project critically important to our future."

Under the heading "Future", it states:

"At the top of the list [of Council's priorities] is securing a safe and sustainable supply of water. Council will continue to plan for, and foster the growth of our city and our region."

In the "Highlights" section, it states:

"- The Water Futures - Toowoomba project, an integrated approach to water supply and management in Toowoomba."

Nowhere in the brochure does it state that the Council proposes to introduce a radical scheme to use recycled sewage for drinking. Not a single word.

Is this the latest approach of the Council - "if we don't mention it, maybe people will forget about it and we can just introduce it without talking about it again ..."?

More bores to boost water supply ...

From ABC News:

Workers are expected to start drilling another 20 bores to supplement Toowoomba's water supply by the end of the month.

It comes as the Queensland Government approves a $1.3 million grant to offset the cost of the project.

See - More bores (and we're not talking about Councillors).

Crows Nest Mayor can't understand the fuss ...

Interesting comments in the Chronicle on 15 February.

Crows Nest Mayor Geoff Patch states that growth in the shire will be affected if the Toowoomba Water Futures project doesn't go ahead.

He doesn't understand the fuss over the proposal.

At the December council meeting, the shire council voted to approve sending the Toowoomba City Council a letter of support.

Most likely, the Crows Nest shire council has not been given a copy of the NWC application nor have any of the councillors read more widely than the information provided to them by the Toowoomba City Council.

Mayor Patch says that he is at a loss to explain why there is widespread opposition to drinking treated effluent among Toowoomba residents. [Note Mayor Thorley doesn't believe there is widespread opposition in Toowoomba to her proposal - at least he acknowledges reality.]

Perhaps it is because there has been some limited debate on the issue in Toowoomba and a number of people have actually read the NWC application.

Interestingly, the Water Futures proposal creates a bizarre situation where people living in the same shire will be drinking water from different sources -

- those in Crows Nest will not be drinking recycled sewage (this may explain the absence of opposition - it doesn't affect them)

- those in the proposed dual or purple-pipe subdivision in Highfields will not be drinking recycled sewage (although it will be used for non-drinking purposes - gardens, toilets etc)

The National Water Commission application states that Crows Nest shire has mandated purple-pipe arrangements for all new subdivisions.

So, if the project goes ahead, anyone living in a new subdivision won't be drinking recycled sewage.

Given the choice of living in a purple-pipe subdivision (and not drinking recycled sewage) or living at Blue Mountain Heights (which takes its water supply from Toowoomba), which would you choose?

Expect property values to reflect the disparity in drinking water source arrangements ...

CSIRO research 'too costly' ...

From the Courier Mail:

CSIRO's research services are too expensive and quality is deteriorating, the science agency's business customers say.

Internal customer surveys have shown a drop in customer satisfaction, with perceptions that standards are falling in value, quality, range and price over the past year.

See - CSIRO troubles.

Qld Coalition to outline water policies ...

Comments from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in State parliament on 14 February:

"Over the coming months I will be making a number of policy statements in this parliament setting out the position of the Qld Coalition on a range of water issues."

See - Hansard, 14 February 2006.

Watch this space.

Irrigators oppose water charges

About 50 irrigators in the Lockyer Valley have signed declarations boycotting the Queensland Government's new water charges.

See - Irrigators oppose water charges.

Toowoomba City Council - let's slow the flow ...

Let's slow the flow is the Council's catch phrase for saving water.

Seems it might also apply to the flow of documents.

Anyone else think the Council is a little slow releasing its report of the Council committee meetings on 7 and 8 February?

Is the slowing of the flow of documents to the public due to the absence of a CEO (although there is an acting CEO) or the pre-occupation of the Mayor with water-related matters?

See - Slowing the flow of documents to the public.

Gold Coast Mayor - no need to drink recycled water ...

Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke's view on the Gold Coast drinking recycled sewage:

The Mayor's View - 30 July 2005

Will the Gold Coast need recycled water?

I believe there is no need for Gold Coast residents to fear that we will be following the example of Toowoomba Mayor, Di Thorley, in supplementing our water supply with indirect recycled water.

See - No need for Gold Coast to drink recycled sewage.

Is Mayor Thorley still mayor?

Comment from the Chronicle:

Mayor Cr Dianne Thorley's only brief appearance at this week's round of committee meetings was to lead the charge to save the tree and "make the area nice".

See - Thorley finds better things to do.

These days, it seems the Mayor is spending more of her time travelling the country as a spokesperson for recycling sewage than attending to the business of being Mayor of Toowoomba.

Just how long are the ratepayers of Toowoomba prepared to put up with this?

How Brisbane gets it wrong ...

From the Courier Mail:

Brisbane is still supplying millions of litres of water a day to the Gold Coast, despite Coast dams being close to full capacity and Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke insisting the allocation is no longer necessary.

Under a contract valid until mid-2007, Brisbane supplies 20 million litres a day from Wivenhoe Dam, one of the city's three storages now down to 33 per cent capacity.

Hinze Dam – the Gold Coast's major supply source – is 85 per cent full.

The sale – estimated at more than $50,000 a week – was defended by Cr Newman, who said residents would "understand".

A spokesman for Water Minister Henry Palaszczuk said any trade of water was a matter for the respective councils.

See - Water not needed on Gold Coast.

A BURST waterpipe in Woolloongabba in Brisbane early yesterday morning turned parts of Vulture St into a swimming pool and regular routes to work into traffic chaos.

The pipe, laid in 1915, released eight megalitres of water before being turned off by authorities.

Brisbane has 5500km of water main piping, and only 10km of it is replaced every year.

Council increased funding for water and wastewater infrastructure to $180 million last year, triple what it spent in 2001-02.

See - Time to speed up pipe replacement.

LORD Mayor Campbell Newman launched an inquiry into Brisbane's water authority yesterday after a series of breaks in water mains and a national report showing the city is losing millions of litres a day in leaks.

The Liberal mayor claims Brisbane's crumbling water infrastructure is being glossed over by a misinformation campaign by Water and City Business chairman John Campbell – claims the Labor councillor rejects.

It also emerged yesterday that Tarong Power Station was buying up to 70 million litres of water a day from Brisbane's rapidly diminishing Wivenhoe Dam – although the power supplier has its own dam.

See - BCC launches inquiry.

Premier Beattie's resignation - the soon the better ...

Premier Beattie certainly showed voters what he thinks of his Deputy and the massive portfolio workload he has given her:

Television cameras captured Mr Beattie leaning over and telling New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma: "She's Deputy Premier and Treasurer and every other piece of s--t I don't want."

How soon before water becomes a hot potato and he gives that to her as well?

See - The swearing Premier.

And - Ought to know better.

Toowoomba's latest bumper sticker ...

Council not expecting bore backlash ... should expect voter backlash ...

From ABC News:

Council not expecting bore backlash

Toowoomba City Council says it does not expect a backlash from residents who could face restrictions on using backyard bores to water their gardens.

A Natural Resources Department paper has proposed giving councils the power to restrict the bores. The Government says a number of councils, including Toowoomba council, have asked it to regulate private bores in urban areas.

Toowoomba council's deputy Mayor, Joe Ramia, says people should not be allowed to use bore water to keep their lawns green when the city is facing one of its worst droughts.

"Make sure they're not used for anything other than for domestic use and by domestic use ... I mean inside the house," he said.

See - Council not expecting bore backlash.

Deputy Mayor Ramia stated on WIN News last night that he had an open mind on the issue of gas water.

Is this political speak for "I will continue to ignore requests from people to examine other water source options for Toowoomba"?

How long does this debacle need to continue before the Toowoomba City Council is forced to look at other options in detail?

How would a new Council CEO feel coming on board to be told to only focus on the recycled sewage option and ignore other potentially viable options such as gas water?

Remember, Councillors immunity from personal liability under the Local Government Act only applies where they are acting honestly and without negligence:

Section 240 of the Qld Local Government Act 1993 states that "[a] councillor does not incur civil liability for an act or omission done honestly and without negligence under this Act".

Could the continued failure to look at other water source options be considered negligence on the part of Councillors?

Anyone want to be part of a class action against individual Councillors?

Toowoomba City Council under pressure ...

From WIN News:

COAL SEAM WATER

Council under pressure.

Toowoomba City Council again under pressure to investigate the possibility of accessing water from Coal Seam Gas.

Darling Downs MP Ray Hopper says there are several options council should be looking at, but the argument's falling on deaf ears.

Dalby's options.

The Coal Seam Gas water option is the exact path Dalby Town Council is considering.

They're currently negotiating with Arrow Energy to draw on the resource from the Millmerran - Wondoan pocket, to guarantee supply for residents well into the future.

See - WIN News - coal seam gas water is a winner!

How long can Mayor Thorley maintain the charade that there are no other options.

Chinchilla adopts gas water; Dalby adopts gas water ....

An independent assessment - what's all the fuss about?

A number of politicians and councillors have called for an independent assessment of Toowoomba's water supply options.

This reflects Recommendation 13 of the House of Reps Sustainable Cities Inquiry Report.

So what's the problem?

Surely if the State and Federal governments are planning to spend taxpayers' funds, they would want to know it is being spent on the most appropriate water source for Toowoomba.

Surely the Toowoomba City Council would want its ratepayers to know that their money is being spent on the most appropriate water source for Toowoomba.

And if Mayor Thorley is so confident that her controversial project is the best for Toowoomba, she shouldn't be concerned by an independent assessment of Toowoomba's water supply options.

So what's the problem?

Mayor Thorley couldn't be concerned that her recycled sewage project may not be assessed as the most appropriate water source for Toowoomba, could she?

Otherwise, why would she be afraid of an independent review ...

MP Malcolm Turnbull - "You do not need to put recycled water into the drinking water stream" ...

You can't get much clearer than MP Malcolm Turnbull's statement on ABC Radio yesterday (8 February 2006):

MALCOLM TURNBULL: You do not need to put recycled water into the drinking water stream. With modern technology it is perfectly safe to do so.

The water produced from modern recycling plants is frankly, purer than the water in Warragamba Dam. But there is no need to use this water in the drinking stream and there are plenty of industrial and other uses, not to speak of replenishing the natural flows in the Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers.

While many disagree with his comments regarding the safety of recycled water, you can't get much clearer than his statement that there is no need to put recycled water into the drinking water stream.

How will Malcolm Turnbull reconcile this statement with Mayor Thorley's request to put recycled water into Cooby Dam for drinking purposes?

See - ABC AM Report.

Council goes to exteme lengths ...

Another Letter to the Editor, the Chronicle:

Council goes to extreme lengths

"Nod from doctors" (TC, 3/2) shows the council will go to extreme lengths to cajole support for their drinking water using a presentation they paid $10,000 to CH2M Hill to review.

I had a home presentation from Alan Kleinschmidt, Kev Flanagan and Leith Boully. What they don't make clear when they make the presentation is that the water returning to Cooby Dam is not pure water.

According to the council's submission to the National Water Commission it contains at least 30 milligrams per litre of dissolved solids.

The local Pure H20 campaign is dangerously deceptive.

These solids can be any substance that exists in raw sewage regardless of size.

The issue isn't whether someone is going to get diarrhoea from drinking the water, it is that scientists agree that the long-term effect of ingesting minute traces of emerging chemicals could be catastrophic on future generations.

Los Angeles is at present horrified by traces of pharmaceuticals in their water supply after treated effluent spent seven years percolating through sand aquifers back to the bores.

SM
Toowoomba

Despite the backpedal, recycling still on nose ...

From the Sydney Morning Herald on the issue of the shelving of the desalination plant:

More details were also released about the Government's water recycling strategy but it did not increase its target of recycling 70 billion litres, or about 13 per cent of Sydney's water, by 2015.

See - Despite the backpedal, recycling still on nose.

Voicing disapproval of Mayor Thorley ...

Another Letter to the Editor, the Chronicle (with annotations):

Value for money questioned

Between now and the next council election in 2008 the mayor is likely to be paid about $180,000 salary by ratepayers.

What are we likely to get in return for that money? [More jaunts to conferences - is she really working for the recycled water companies?]

It looks as if we will have three dry dams and no town water supply within the next 18 months. [Don't believe the Deputy Mayor's scare tactics - enough water until April 2008 assuming no more rain - see Dam levels.]

It would not be surprising if after the disastrous situation of another summer that the mayor is still talking about the so-called virtues of a recycled sewage water project.

So far past and present Thorley-led councils have failed miserably to ensure Toowoomba has an adequate water supply.

Ct Thorley should resign from her position. [She can run again at the by-election if she wishes.]

BE
Toowoomba

Sydney opts for aquifers - puts desalination on hold ...

Bowing to voter pressure, the NSW Govt has shelved plans for its desalination plant and will use newly discovered aquifer groundwater instead.

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

SYDNEY'S unpopular desalination plant will be put on ice by the State Government after a community outcry and fears that it would cost the Labor Party votes at the March 2007 election.

Cabinet met yesterday and was presented with the initial results of drilling in western Sydney, which revealed there might be up to 30 gigalitres a year of groundwater in aquifers. That would nearly match the 45 gigalitres a year that might have been produced by the Kurnell desalination plant.

The groundwater has been known about for several years, but the scale of the reserves was untested. The most recent testing provides the Government with the political figleaf to put the plant on hold for several years. The reserves are large enough to provide additional water for several years. But mining the aquifers will raise questions of the environmental effects of extracting groundwater on this scale.

The backflip follows two weeks of angry community meetings at which the Government has attempted to explain the detail of the planned 125 megalitre a day plant. The most recent meetings in Marrickville, a seat where the Government faces a threat from the Greens, were just as hostile.

Interesting to see how the NSW Labor government is responding to voter concerns.

Will the Qld Labor government follow suit and look at the alternatives to drinking recycled sewage in Toowoomba and the surrounding region?

The Qld Opposition have already put recycled sewage firmly on the election agenda by stating that a multi-source strategy had been developed which would secure future water sources without the need to drink recycled sewage.

See - Still no recycled sewage drinking for Sydney.

Announcing 4350election ...

As the water debate shifts to the State political agenda, with Qld State elections due in 2007 and with Toowoomba City Council elections due in 2008, a sister blog has been created: 4350election.

This blog will cover election issues with a particular focus on the use of recycled sewage for drinking.

Recycled water becomes a State election issue ...

Comment by MP Mike Horan in the Chronicle:

And on water, Mr Horan said, a multi-source strategy had been developed which would secure future water sources without the need to drink recycled sewage.

Pretty easy to see which party to vote for if you don't want to be made to drink from your toilet!

Mayor Thorley off on another jaunt ...

This time to the Water Reuse and Recycling Conference 2006 in Sydney:

28 April 2006

1.45pm Case Study: Water Futures Project

Mayor Dianne Thorley, Toowoomba City Council

Mayor Thorley shares her experiences with how she led the plan to build a water recovery plant to process the city’s wastewater and provide drinking water. Describing the process, the best technologies in the world for water reuse, key considerations, community education and engagement.

Do you think she'll explain to the audience how much opposition there is, how she has ignored the surrounding Shires and how her NWC funding application is stalled?

At 4.15pm on 27 April, there is a Panel Discussion on Community Attitudes to Water Recycling - that should be interesting.

Also at the Conference are:

- MP Gary Nairn, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Note - MP Turnbull may now take his place)

- Dr John Radcliffe, Commissioner, National Water Commission

So they should have plenty to discuss!

See - Yet another conference for the Mayor.

Pay your rates ... and send a message ...

Council has sent rates notices out to Toowoomba ratepayers.

See - Rates notices dispatched.

A great opportunity to tell the Council what you think about the Mayor's controversial recycled sewage project.

If you post your cheque to the Council, write on the section of the rates notice you send with it:

"I do not want to drink your recycled sewage."

Write it on the envelope too.

If you pay your rates at the Council's payment counter, tell them you don't agree with the Mayor's plan.

Just a thought ....

Water Futures update ...

Another update due at the Council committee meetings this week.

See - Council committee meeting agenda - 7-8 February.

Mayor Thorley - resign and put your proposal to the vote ...

Both MP Malcolm Turnbull and the NWC Chairman and CEO Ken Matthews have stated that projects involving recycled water for drinking should only be introduced if they have the support of the community.

To date, the Mayor has declined to try to arrange a referendum on the issue.

If the Mayor thinks that the community supports her proposal, the solution is simple - she should resign as Mayor and nominate herself in a by-election for the position of Mayor.

Logan City Council faces a by-election following the resignation of their Mayor (who doesn't intend to nominate again).

See - Logan Mayor resigns.

A by-election is required if the position has become vacant more than 12 months out from the next local government election (due in March 2008).

As required by the Local Government Act, the by-election must be held within 10 weeks of the resignation of an incumbent Councillor.

Within 14 days of the resignation, the vacancy must be advertised in a local newspaper, inviting nominations. Mayoral candidates at the last election must also be notified of the vacancy.

If the Mayor is confident that she will be re-elected by her supporters and those in favour of her controversial recycled sewage project, she should have no concerns.

And the people of Toowoomba will get to pass judgment on whether they really want to drink recycled sewage.

You could understand if people wanted to vote for the candidate that won't make you drink from the toilet ...

Innovative Wastewater Project For Darling Downs ...

Election press release from the Beattie Government in 2004

No mention of wanting Toowoomba people to drink recycled sewage.

Government
Premier & Trade
The Hon. Peter Beattie MP

29 January 2004

TOOWOOMBA: A re-elected Beattie Government will provide $11 million to fund an innovative waste water project for Toowoomba and the Darling Downs, Premier Peter Beattie announced today.

"The Wetalla Wastewater Project will provide a significant economic boost for industry, mining and horticulture in the region through increased production and jobs growth," the Premier said.

"We will work in partnership with the Toowoomba City Council to upgrade the existing Wetalla Wastewater Treatment Plant."

"We will significantly increase the capacity of the nine-kilometre pipeline to the proposed Charlton Wellcamp Industrial estate so that recycled wastewater is available to industry."

This will guarantee sufficient quantities of water for industrial applications and pave the way for new industry and new jobs.

It will also set the stage for a partnership with private industry to extend the pipeline a further 40 kilometres to the Acland Coal mine.

This would underpin a significant increase in coal production while providing terrific benefits to growers along the pipeline route.

"The project has great all-round benefits and the environment will also be a winner because the salt and nutrient flow into Gowrie Creek and on into the Murray Darling Basin will be reduced."

It is innovative and exciting and will harness the potential of the region while contributing to the health of the Murray-Darling Basin."

Mr Beattie said his Government was committed to supporting Queensland Councils to improve the efficiency of their Water and Sewerage Treatment Plants.

"Since 1998 my government has provided more than $84 million on waste water treatment plants throughout Queensland," he said.

"If re-elected we will further invest in the treatment of water and sewerage to ensure protection of the environment and sustainable development are brought together for the benefit of the whole community."

Beattie reveals plans to quit ...

From the Sunday Mail:

PREMIER Peter Beattie has vowed to quit politics within months if he cannot fix Queensland's health crisis.

Mr Beattie revealed he would hand over to deputy Anna Bligh and give her plenty of time to win the next state election, due between February and May 2007.

In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Mail yesterday, the man who has led Labor since 1996 indicated he could resign as early as September or October.

See - Quit plans.

Beattie recycles same old spin on water crisis ...

Qld Opposition Party comments on the State government's approach to the water crisis:

See - Beattie recycles same old spin on water crisis.

Winning Minds to Water Reuse ...

Presentation given last year by Linda MacPherson, CH2M Hill

Winning Minds to Water Reuse: The Road to NEWater, Linda MacPherson, CH2M Hill

This presentation will examine the remarkable marriage of advanced technical work with a carefully crafted public education and outreach strategy, culminating in the opening of the NEWater Visitor Centre in Singapore.

The NEWater Visitor Centre illustrates how technology and public understanding can be successfully aligned to build community understanding and support of water reuse technologies and their benefits. [A "guided" democracy helps too.]

Experiences in the United States and elsewhere had shown that public understanding of water reuse often fails due to the stigma associated with used wastewater.

Registrants will learn that reframing public understanding about water, the water cycle and technology through innovative communication strategies, visual images, and computer programs is a key to aiding public understanding for what is universally recognized as one of the most difficult public perception issues.

See - Presentation.

Water-speak for "let's spend large amounts of your ratepayers' money to see if we can convince you to do something that lots of people aren't sure about - and you get a nifty Visitors Centre too!"

Psychiatrist gives Council letter ...

Article in today's Chronicle makes interesting reading, particularly for the details which are omitted.

Psychiatrist Dr Joyce Arnold says she doesn't have any problems with the Council's controversial recycled sewage proposal.

She says she was happy with the explanation given to her by Council employee Alan Kleinschmidt.

She is the current president of the Local Medical Association which she says passed a resolution to send the Council a letter of support for its proposal.

The article fails to say how many doctors supported sending the letter and how many (1, 2, 3 ... ) members of the LMA are needed to pass a resolution.

Interestingly, the Council has been trying for several months to get a public statement from a doctor, any doctor, so as to give some credibility to their proposal (part of the "give the public confidence" play book).

Also interesting is the connection between Dr Blaikie, member of the Council's Water Futures advisory committee, and his membership of the LMA.

So is it actually someone who knows one of the advisory panel members being asked to watch a CH2M Hill prepared slide presentation given by one of the Council employees?

That sounds like a lot of independent research ...

Getting on with the job ...

From the Courier Mail:

ANZ, Qld Gas plan $200m power station

THE ANZ Bank's infrastructure investment arm will build and own Queensland Gas Company's proposed $200 million gas-fired power station near Chinchilla under a joint venture deal announced yesterday.

QGC plans to toll surplus gas from its Berwyndale South coal seam methane project through the 200 megawatt power station to be owned by ANZ's Energy Infrastructure Trust.

CS Energy is also building a 750MW coal power station at nearby Kogan Creek that will come on stream next year.

The ANZ deal has the potential to double QGC's gas sales volumes either under contract or through power generation to about 30 petajoules a year – equivalent to about 5 million barrels of oil.

See - ANZ, Qld Gas plan $200m power station.

NWC and MP Turnbull agree - it's up to the community to decide ...

Chairman and CEO of the National Water Commission, Ken Matthews, while not commenting on the specific Toowoomba proposal, is quoted in the Australian Financial Review (30 January 2006) as stating:

"In general, the NWC would like to find a community in Australia which is prepared to fund indirect potable reuse of water. But whether that should be Toowoomba is a decision for the Toowoomba community".

This was followed by MP Turnbull, Parliamentary Secretary with special responsibility for water, stating in the Courier Mail (2 February 2006):

"I support it being used for drinking if circumstances make that the best solution and the community favours it."

Mr Turnbull was also quoted in the Australian Financial Review (30 January 2006) as saying:

"But if a community doesn't want to drink recycled waste water, then that's their decision."

These are the two people closest to the decision making on Toowoomba's controversial recycled sewage application currently before the NWC.

While the Prime Minister must sign off on it, it is up to the NWC to make a recommendation and MP Turnbull's role to assist the Prime Minister in his decision making.

And both are saying that the Toowoomba community must be in favour of it.

And what does Toowoomba's Mayor Di Thorley say:

"If you don't like it, you can drink bottled water."

See if you can tell which people think the community's view is important and which person thinks you should ram a decision down the community's throat ...

MP Turnbull clarifies his position ...

MP Malcolm Turnbull is quoted in today's Courier Mail as saying:

"I am an advocate of recycling. I believe it is safe to introduce it into the drinking water stream."

"I support it being used for drinking if circumstances make that the best solution and the community favours it."

Here are his quotes from 2005:

8 November 2005:

"But from a practical point of view there is simply no need to introduce recycled water into the potable water system. There are ample uses for recycled water: industrial, parks, gardens, street cleaning and above all, replenishing the streamflows of our rivers and thereby replacing the potable water currently released into them."

See - MP Turnbull's website.

24 July 2005

"Well, you can frame the question in all sorts of ways to get the answer you seek, of course. But let me just say this question of drinking recycled water in Sydney is a furphy. It's a non-issue, because there is no need to put that recycled water back into the drinking water system. There are plenty of non-potable, non-drinking uses for it, not least of which is restoring the environmental flows in our rivers. Israel is a good example. They recycle 70 per cent of their waste water and drink none of it and have no need to drink any of it. Can you treat recycled water to make it fit for drinking? Of course you can. Absolutely, and in many parts of the world that is done. Do we need to do it in Sydney? No, we do not."

See - ABC Insiders.

Turnbull is somewhat consistent in his views - he thinks it is safe to drink (others are less likely to agree on this point) - he doesn't want to drink it in Sydney (where he lives) - and he thinks it is up to the community to decide whether they want to drink it.

Toowoomba dam levels update ...

The table below shows the information on dam levels as indicated on the Toowoomba Water Futures/CH2M Hill website as at 1 January 2006 and 1 February 2006.

This provides an indication of water usage over the past month and shows how long the water in the dams will last.

You will not see this comparison on the Toowoomba Water Futures/CH2M Hill website.

Cressbrook:

Percentage of Capacity = 26.7% (1 Jan); 26.3% (1 Feb)
Volume = 21.1 Gigalitres (1 Jan); 20.8 Gigalitres (1 Feb)
January usage - 0.3 Gigalitres
Months remaining: 69 months

Cooby:

Percentage of Capacity = 31.4% (1 Jan); 30.2% (1 Feb)
Volume = 6.6 Gigalitres (1 Jan); 6.3 Gigalitres (1 Feb)
January usage - 0.3 Gigalitres
Months remaining: 21 months

Perseverance:

Percentage of Capacity = 25.1% (1 Jan); 22.8% (1 Feb)
Volume = 6.7 Gigalitres (1 Jan); 6.1 Gigalitres (1 Feb)
January usage - 0.6 Gigalitres
Months remaining: 10 months

Overall (combined dams):

Percentage of Capacity = 27.1% (1 Jan); 26.2% (1 Feb)
Volume = 34.4 Gigalitres (1 Jan); 33.2 Gigalitres (1 Feb)
January usage - 1.2 Gigalitres
Months remaining: 27 months (2 years 3 months) - i.e. until April 2008

This assumes no more rain over the next 2 years 3 months.

The estimate does not allow for evaporation but also does not allow for decreased water demand through winter and the possibility (should the Toowoomba City Council so wish) of greater use of alternative water sources such as bores.

Turnbull goes recruiting for water expertise ...

Employment opportunities in Malcolm Turnbull's office

1 February 2006

Senior Political/Policy Adviser

The successful applicant will be responsible for providing the Parliamentary Secretary with advice and analysis of high quality on federal legislative, policy and political issues and be responsible for liaising with the Minister’s parliamentary colleagues, department, industry and community organisations.

In addition some knowledge or experience in water and related areas, resource economics and/or environmental science may be considered an advantage.

Applications close 8 February 2006

See - Employment opportunities.

When did the Council move from industrial use to drinking use?

In 2003, the Qld Department of State Trade, Development and Innovation made the following press release.

There was no mention at that time of using the recycled sewage for drinking purposes.

Why the change from August 2003 to June 2005 - why not leave it just for industrial purposes? No one is doubting the benefits of using recycled sewage for industrial use - what has most people perplexed is why force Toowoomba residents to drink recycled sewage when drinking water is put on crops just outside Toowoomba.

To any sensible person, this just doesn't make sense.

TOOWOOMBA WASTEWATER OPTION UNDER FURTHER INVESTIGATION

Toowoomba City Council and the State Government are working on developing a business plan for a localised wastewater solution that could offer the Downs a new economic catalyst, the Minister for State Development, Tom Barton, said in Toowoomba today.

“A local wastewater response, worth up to $50 million, would also enhance the whole region’s economic and environmental outcomes,” Mr Barton said.

“Studies into shifting Brisbane’s wastewater to the Darling Downs have now proven that it is not economically, financially or environmentally sustainable.

“However work has been progressing on a localised response between the State Government and the council. Once this business plan is developed, Commonwealth support will be sought. More than $938,000 has been spent on wastewater studies that prove the grander Brisbane to the Downs project it is not viable."

“The negatives of the greenhouse gases resulting from the production of energy for pumping alone outweigh the benefits afforded to Moreton Bay in terms of water quality.”

However, Mr Barton said, the studies have shown that by optimising the output from Toowoomba’s Wetella Treatment Plant there could be bonuses for the Downs:

• Acland Coal mine’s production could be increased from less than one million tonnes a year to more than two million tonnes a year;

• a guaranteed water supply significantly progresses the Charlton-Wellcamp Industrial Estate’s viability;

• associated success with Charlton-Wellcamp further enhances calls for a Second Range Crossing; and

• water quality into Gowrie Creek could be improved.

“Already the Toowoomba City Council has shown a lead by entering into a long-term wastewater agreement with the Millmerran Power Station with 1000 ML/year,” Mr Barton said.

“This was enhanced by Deputy Mayor Peter Woods’ comments last Friday at the Toowoomba PCYC opening, where he intimated that the city would be looking to further optimise its wastewater gains.”

Mr Barton said that apart from Wetella enhancing the city’s economic opportunities, it offers an ecologically sustainable outcome for the disposal of Toowoomba’s wastewater.

It would:

• permanently remove all Toowoomba’s nutrient load from Gowrie Creek (more than 200 tonnes annually) – which was also consistent with the Council of Australian Government (COAG) objective of rehabilitating the Murray-Darling Basin;

• permanently remove all Toowoomba-generated dissolved solids from Gowrie Creek (more than 13,000 tonnes annually), which is consistent with the Commonwealth’s Nation Action Plan on Salinity; and

• create more irrigation options below Wetella.

Mr Barton said studies have shown that to shift Brisbane’s wastewater from Brisbane to the Downs could cost governments as much as $810 million.

“Even if producers were to pay $150/ML, that would not cover operational costs, let alone make a contribution to the capital costs of any project to the Darling Downs,” he said.

“We need to sort out the final numbers for this $50 million-plus project, and work out a fair distribution of any shortfall between the parties who will benefit.

“In particular, we are keen to see the Federal Government throw their support behind a unique opportunity to address the largest single point source of salinity and algal blooms in the Darling river system.”

12 August 2003

See - No mention of drinking recycled sewage.

Another perspective on the Beattie government ...

See - Peter Beattie stars in "BT".

Qld Government to upgrade four major dams ...

From Qld Country Life:

30 January 2006

The Queensland Government has reaffirmed its commitment to upgrade four of the State's major dams - Bjelke-Petersen, Tinaroo Falls, Fred Haigh and Borumba.

Natural Resources Minister, Henry Palaszczuk, says the Government recognises the importance of the spillway upgrades on the SunWater dams, in terms of safety and preparations for extreme flooding.

But I thought the consensus was that it wasn't going to rain again ...

The latest Beattie reshuffle ...

The fifth ministerial reshuffle in 18 months.

The Department of Natural Resources and Mines adds "Water" to its name.

Water infrastructure firms as an election issue.

Read the press release.

Toowoomba Water Futures - the news just keeps getting worse ...

The Toowoomba Water Futures website presents a very one-sided view of the water issues facing Toowoomba.

Any now we know why!

The Toowoomba City Council has contracted out development of the website to CH2M Hill.

The most recent costings released by the Toowoomba City Council for the Water Futures project show that, under Contract No. PQ16-05/06, the Council will pay CH2M Hill $10,000 for further development of the Toowoomba Water Futures website.

If you were wondering why the Water Futures website only presents half the story, why it ignores the other water options, the Sustainable Cities Inquiry Report and the reports for the Federal government suggesting further research into recycled water is required, now you know.

It's not in the interests of a website developer who also wants to build the new recycled water facility to put a balanced view on the website.

See - CH2M Hill developed Water Futures website.

Amazing ...

Water has to be safe, whatever the source ...

Article in today's Chronicle quotes the acting CEO of the Local Government Association of Qld on the issue of future liability.

It's a good point and one which the Toowoomba City Council has avoided to date.

Will Toowoomba City Council be liable if anything goes amiss?

The Council has a duty of care to provide safe water to drink.

That exists now and would always be the case irrespective of whatever the water source.

Circumstances don't change, irrespective of whatever the water source may be - whether it's rainwater, retreated water, groundwater, desalinated, chlorinated water. Whatever the source of the water that council uses and treats and provides to the public, its obligation is to ensure it's fit for the purpose and only if someone could establish negligence as a consequence of suffering some injury or damage from the consumption and use of that water would liability apply.

It's a good point.

With news reports from Los Angeles pointing out that testing is revealing residual drugs in recycled water and the long-term effects being unknown, the question remains - who will be liable if something does go wrong.

Has the Council asked for long-term insurance coverage from the recycled water companies? If products installed by private companies fail, should the public bear the liability for the loss?

Interesting questions which remain unanswered ...