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 ..."?
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 12:49 PM
5 Comments:
If anything, opponents of the mayor's plan are strengthened by her continued refusal to sit down and work out a water source package that does not include drinking recycled sewage.
If she had limited her plan to supplying recycled water to industry, she would have her funding by now.
2:35 PM, February 16, 2006
I think that teacher should stick to what she knows more about. There is massive opposition to drinking recycled effluent and TCC will find that out if they attempt to go ahead with there project as is!
2:53 PM, February 16, 2006
Once there are hundreds or thousands of stickers around Toowoomba, will the mayor still say there is no opposition to her plan?
2:58 PM, February 16, 2006
I have to agree that the Mayor is being very stubbon and not listening to the people on this issue. I do not care how much extra we have to pay for the water to get it from anywhere but from sewerage! Just spend the money, not as if there is a shortage of it!
3:12 PM, February 16, 2006
One of the main problems is that the other options have never been independently costed. It may well be that other options are cheaper, the same cost or only marginally more expensive.
The Council just says - we've costed it. But it should be independently assessed.
And the recycled sewage costings are very rubbery. If Acland Coal doesn't take the water, add another $70 million to the $70 million cost. The Council says it would only cost $15 million more to use evaporation ponds but the CH2M Hill report says the $15 million option is full of uncertainties. Figure on an extra $70 million at least.
Also, the $3 million for the Visitors Centre was plucked out of the air - they have no real idea about how much that could cost. The Singapore one cost $5 million Singapore dollars several years ago - so they just ballpark $3 million for Toowoomba.
If it goes ahead, figure on plenty of cost over-runs. I bet the contractors won't accept fixed-price contracts.
3:27 PM, February 16, 2006
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