Why water is so profitable ...

Buried in the Notes to the Financial Statements in the Toowoomba City Council's 2004/5 Annual Report are the following figures:

Water Services:

Revenue - $21,945,000

Expenses - $12,475,000

Net - $9,470,000

(A profit margin of 43%)

Wastewater services:

Revenue - $18,057,000

Expenses: $8,269,000

Net: $9,788,000

(A profit margin of 54%)

These two functions of the Toowoomba City Council are their most profitable earners.

Wastewater services relates to the disposal of wastewater.

Imagine if, instead of discharging that wastewater into Gowrie Creek, you could pipe it back to the residents of Toowoomba (via Cooby Dam) and charge them for the privilege.

Not only do you earn money for taking the wastewater from them, you earn more money by selling the treated wastewater back to them for drinking and yet more money for taking that wastewater from them.

It's a profitable little monopoly which will allow the Council to spend up big on other projects ...

The end of the blogs?

Appearing in yesterday's Chronicle were the following comments in relation to blogs reporting on the Toowoomba City Council's controversial recycled sewage project:

"A spokeswoman for Local Government Minister Desley Boyle said because Toowoomba’s poll would be run under the provisions of the Local Government Act, all election material would be subject to it. That included advertisements, pamphlets, handbills and information published on the internet, which legally would have to provide contact details authorising them."

“If these sites remained online within the election period and contained opinions designed to influence the outcome of the poll, they would be considered election materials and would need to include a contact name and address,” the spokeswoman said.

But are they correct?

See - the short answer.

Also see - the long answer.

Dalby secures long-term water supply ...

Media Release by Dalby Town Council:

Dalby Town Council

27 April 2006

Dalby secures long-term water supply

In a decision that will secure Dalby's long-term water supply, Dalby Town Council last night unanimously agreed to accept a funding agreement through the Australian Government's Water Fund to proceed its $10 million Dalby Water Supply Redevelopment Project.

Council's decision is subject to securing State Government funding to match Federal funding of $3.33 million and negotiating a suitable supply contract with Arrow Energy.

In an Australian first, Council's new water strategy will achieve a highly reliable base water supply for the town with the four-year project including:

• Construction of a purpose built desalination plant with the capacity to treat 4 million litres a day of coal seam methane water;

• A water recycling scheme that will ultimately recycle 100% of the town's wastewater for use on major parks and sporting fields; and

• A demand management strategy.

The cost of the $10 million project will be funded with $3.33 million from the Australian Government to be matched by $3.33 million from the State Government, $1.3 million from Arrow Energy and $2 million contributed by Dalby Town Council.

Dalby Mayor Cr Warwick Geisel said the aim of the project is to reduce the impact of the region's seasonal conditions on Dalby's water supply by using water resources that would otherwise be wasted.

"The overall benefit of Dalby's innovative new water strategy is the efficient use of our precious water resources that will ultimately improve the liveability and amenity of our growing town. Finite resource, even coal seam methane water, will not last forever. By undertaking this project we hope to better educate the community of the complexity and expense of harvesting water for drinking."

The Mayor also cautioned that while the project is technically and financially feasible, it is not without its challenges.

"Council, in partnership with Arrow Energy, have been operating a pilot plant for the last six months and these results have helped us to determine the costs and treatment processes required to operate a full-scale plant. The bottom line is that the cost of treating water is expensive and water tariffs are expected to increase. However, as a result of this project Dalby will be in the unique position of having a long-term reliable basewater supply."

Council's spokesperson for water Cr Barry O'Shea said Dalby residents should be very proud of Council and its staff for developing the innovative strategy and gaining significant funding to undertake the project.

"Council and the residents of Dalby owe a huge thanks to our dedicated team of water treatment officers, led by utilities manager Terry Fagg. From 170 applications received nationally by the Australian Water Fund, Dalby is one of 11 communities to be selected to benefit from the funding."

It is expected that by early 2008 the new desalination plant will be operating to full capacity and construction of the recycling scheme will be complete by mid 2010.

See - Dalby's smart use of water resources.

Toowoomba now surrounded by water source options ...

... and doesn't know which way to turn.

The decision by Premier Beattie to sell Qld's electricity assets to fund the construction of two new dams places yet more pressure on the State government and Toowoomba City Council over their controversial recycled sewage project planned for Toowoomba.

The expected $1 billion windfall from the sale of power assets is to be "ploughed into a Queensland Future Growth Fund, to be managed by Treasury, with legislation ensuring proceeds are spent solely on infrastructure needs."

The fund's first projects include financing two new dams, located along the Mary and Logan rivers in south-east Queensland, to be built by 2011.

The Mary River dam, north of Brisbane, will service Gympie and the Sunshine Coast - it will rival the size of Brisbane's Wivenhoe Dam.

A second dam would also be built along the upper reaches of the Logan River, either at the already-proposed Wyaralong Dam site or at Tilleys Bridge, near Rathdowney, providing water to western areas including Ipswich, Springfield and Beenleigh.

Two new weirs will also be built in central Queensland and $300 million invested in clean coal technology.

See - More dams planned for South-East Qld.

Also see - Qld map - Toowoomba surrounded by water source options.

With gas water to provide water to towns to the west of Toowoomba, including Dalby and Chinchilla, and a new dam to provide water to places to the east such as Ipswich and Springfield on the outskirts of Brisbane, any decision by Toowoomba City Council to proceed with its recycled sewage project would leave the city isolated as the only place opting to force its residents to drink recycled sewage.

The second proposed dam would relieve future demand pressure on Wivenhoe dam which raises the question of whether this is Premier Beattie's secret "Plan B" for Toowoomba - linking Toowoomba to Wivenhoe Dam with water to be pumped to Toowoomba in times of drought.

Toowoomba City Council has now admitted that it has sufficient water supplies (through the use of bore water and other water sources) to survive for a number of years. While Wivenhoe dam is currently at low levels, this will not always be the case.

Toowoomba City Council denounced the plan to build a pipeline from Wivenhoe dam to Toowoomba as too environmentally expensive - they claim it is 17% less energy efficient to pump water uphill than the cost of producing recycled sewage.

However, what they fail to state is that any increased energy costs (if accurate) are only incurred in times of need.

Connecting Toowoomba to Wivenhoe dam could easily be completed as part of a whole-of-region approach to water source issues.

Premier Beattie is already planning to link the proposed desalination plant on the Gold Coast to Wivenhoe Dam. It doesn't take too much thinking to link Toowoomba into this strategy ...

Damn - there are plenty of options ...

From the Courier Mail:

27 April 2006

Disposal driven by drought

DROUGHT. That's the key reason Queensland's energy assets are being sold off to the private sector for more than $1 billion.

It's all about tackling the ravages of climate change and ensuring Queensland's economy has a future.

But for a Government faced with fighting an election as southeast Queensland residents endure some of the toughest water restrictions in decades, it sure has a muddled policy platform.

A year ago today Premier Peter Beattie and former treasurer Terry Mackenroth told Queenslanders the Government would build the Wyaralong Dam, near Boonah, by 2015. They apologised to local residents whose property would have to be resumed, but defended the decision as essential.

Yesterday that story had all changed when the Government had a few more dollars in its pocket courtesy of the electricity asset sell-off.

New dam options had suddenly materialised and could be built by 2011.

The Government will investigate a site at Tilley's Bridge near Rathdowney to replace Wyaralong.

According to the Premier, it could hold more water but would involve relocating the Palen Correctional Centre and the Mt Lindesay Highway.

But there is nothing new in this. The former Water Resources Commission investigated Tilley's Bridge in 1990 but recommended the development of another site – at Mary River, near Gympie, the other new dam the Government announced yesterday.

The Opposition will fight the next election on the Government's failure to plan and deliver for Queensland's water needs.

It will be tough for the Government to convince voters it's on top of the water shortage when it is clear the dam solutions have been known for years.

See - Disposal driven by drought.

Toowoomba City Council's latest approach - keep blaming everyone else ...

Toowoomba City Council's Director of Engineering Services, Kevin Flanagan, is off to another conference in early May.

This time it's the Enviro 06 conference in Melbourne between 9-11 May.

His topic - Water Futures - Indirect Potable Use.

Admittedly, the deadline for conference papers was earlier this year and the debate has moved on since then. However, Mr Flanagan takes the opportunity to slam CADS as the reason for the difficulties Toowoomba City Council are encountering convincing Toowoomba residents to accept drinking recycled sewage.

In the paper to be delivered at the conference in May, Mr Flanagan states:

"Toowoomba is necessarily at the forefront of this communications challenge. Its ability to provoke a thoughtful and informed public discourse on this subject will influence others in Australia and across the world as the internet and blogging continue to shape public discussion of issues. This topic is particularly vulnerable to being driven by emotion resulting in complete intentional or inadvertent emotionalization of the issue."

"The importance of understanding and reframing how people think about water has never been more critical than it is in Toowoomba. It is important that Toowoomba be able to engage their public in a reasoned discussion rather than have decisions focus on seemingly emotional, irrational responses over the origin of recycled water and overstated health risks."

"A group opposed to potable use of recycled water, Citizens Against Recycled Sewage (CADS), has formed. Armed with "facts", "figures" and "reports" all sourced from the internet, CADS seek and obtain media coverage to scare the populace and to promote conspiracy theories."

Looking at some of the points:

"Its ability to provoke a thoughtful and informed public discourse on this subject"

- from a Council which refuses to hold any public meeting to debate the issue of recycled sewage for drinking purposes.

"as the internet and blogging continue to shape public discussion of issues"

- no denying that.

"this topic is particularly vulnerable to being driven by emotion"

- wonderful emotional statements like "we'll run out of water" and "there'll be no money for other water sources if you reject the referendum".

"resulting in complete intentional or inadvertent emotionalization of the issue"

- water industry jargon.

"it is important that Toowoomba be able to engage their public in a reasoned discussion"

- 10 months on and the Toowoomba community is still waiting for the Council to organise one group meeting to engage in meaningful discussions on community concerns.

"seemingly emotional, irrational responses over the origin of recycled water and overstated health risks."

- Council has never answered questions regarding the long-term health risks of drinking recycled sewage - parading an "expert" through Toowoomba to declare that his 5 year old would drink it doesn't really count.

"A group opposed to potable use of recycled water, Citizens Against Recycled Sewage (CADS), has formed."

- CADS has been the centre point for opposition to the Council's controversial recycled sewage project. However, many Toowoomba people opposed to drinking recycled sewage have never met CADS. The blogs and websites now springing up do not appear to have any links to CADS - they are ordinary citizens outraged at Council's plans and their conduct over this issue.

"armed with "facts", "figures" and "reports" all sourced from the internet"

-a significant amount of the information used by those opposing the Council's plans come from the Council's own National Water Commission application, the document they resisted giving to the public under a FOI request.

- some of the "facts, figures and reports" do come from the Council's own websites and a lot of that information is quite misleading.

"CADS seek and obtain media coverage to scare the populace and to promote conspiracy theories."

- there does appear to have been a shift in media reporting in Toowoomba. Once it became clear that Council had misled the public (and the media) on the issue of the need for the recycled sewage project otherwise the water would run out, the media has given more air and print space to those opposing the Council.

- asking that all water source options be independently assessed is hardly scaring the public, nor is asking for confirmation that there will be no long-term health risks from drinking recycled sewage, nor is pointing out that the Council's proposed mix of 25% recycled sewage is not done anywhere else in the world and even Council's own advisers think it is "high by international standards".

- there have certainly been plenty of conspiracy theories floating around. Who know what offers of consulting roles post-retirement have been offered should the recycled sewage project proceed. We may never know, particularly if the project does not proceed.

Mr Flanagan will be preaching to the converted in Melbourne. His time might be better spent in Toowoomba "engaging the public in a reasoned discussion" as outlined in his paper ...

Highfields developer - people want to drink recycled sewage ...

Claims in today's Chronicle by a developer active in Highfields who, using an example of WalMart in the US installing energy-reducing systems in their buildings, claims that people will be naturally attracted to drinking recycled sewage.

"They're finding not only are they doing the right thing from a reduced energy perspective but people are driving from the other side of town and other counties to shop at these centres," he said.

When was the last time you drove to another town to visit a store just because it had installed low wattage light bulbs?

See - Developer - people will want to drink recycled sewage.

This is contrary to every statistic published to date on people's reactions to being asked to drink recycled sewage.

Crows Nest Shire has mandated second or "purple" pipe installations in new subdivisions so it's important to distinguish exactly what is being discussed.

However, it seems unlikely that real estate agents will start incorporating recycled sewage in their advertising any time soon:

"3 bedroom lowset house, close to transport, drinking water connected to town recycled sewage scheme, only city in Australia to force its residents to drink recycled sewage, only city in the world to make its residents drink a mix of up to 29% recycled sewage. Best offer."

When selling bottled water is not selling bottled water ...

... when you are Deputy Mayor Ramia.

As reported in today's Chronicle, Toowoomba City Council Deputy Mayor Ramia denies that he has any conflict of interest in participating in voting on the Council's controversial plan to force Toowoomba residents to drink recycled sewage notwithstanding his ownership of a company which sells bottled water.

Excerpts:

When not in council's dark chambers, Cr Ramia makes money selling drinks, including bottled water, to events and cafes from his Orchy franchise.

Cr Ramia said he did not stand to lose or gain from council's push to introduce recycled water into the drinking supply because he only sold small bottles to events and cafes.

See - Ramia says no conflict of interest.

See - Councillors Code of Conduct.

As reported in the Chronicle last week, one of the small number of attendees at the Mayor's latest attempt to convince people to vote yes as part of her $460,000 ratepayer funded yes campaign said:

"Ms Saviker said she supported recycling “if it was the best option” but had hesitations about drinking it. If water recycling proceeded, her 18- month-old daughter would be treated to bottled water."

But there's no conflict of interest ...

Turnbull - this isn't the Republic referendum ...

Seems MP Turnbull has so little interest in Toowoomba and the recycled sewage project that he is not concerned that the referendum is conducted in a transparent manner.

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Government washes its hands of Toowoomba's recycled water poll

25 April 2006

THE Federal Government will not be drawn into any feuding over the poll to decide whether recycled wastewater should be injected into the city's water supply.

"The process of the referendum is up to the council," a spokesman for Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, overseeing water policy," said.

But there is mounting community concern over Toowoomba City Council's decision to set aside $760,000 – $300,000 for the poll and $460,000 to only fund the Yes case.

The council's rationale is that $460,000 is 1% of the combined Commonwealth and State governments contributions to the Water Futures Toowoomba project provided the Yes case is successful.


The article goes on to state that "Cr Michele Alroe said the money would be refunded if the Yes case were successful."

Councillor Alroe's only basis for saying this would be if the Council deducted this amount from the Federal government funding, however, there was nothing in the Federal government conditional approval which expressly permits this.

Councillor Shelton was less than impressed by Friday night's antics:

"I don't believe this is what John Howard had in mind when he and Malcolm Turnbull decided that a referendum must be held.

"I would appeal to the Prime Minister's sense of fair play to immediately halt this distorted process," Cr Shelton said.

"Council has already spent tens of thousand of dollars with multinational company CH2M Hill trying to convince people that recycled sewage for drinking is routine and safe.

"This whole process is a sick joke."

See - Turnbull washes his hands of Toowomba referendum.

Sewage recycling concerns go to PM ...

From the Courier Mail:

Sewage recycling concerns go to PM

24 April 2006

Opponents of a scheme to recycle sewage for drinking water in Toowoomba have appealed to the Prime Minister to intervene after Toowoomba City Council voted to use what they claim is a biased question in a referendum of city residents.

Federal Government approval of funding for the world-first project to create 25 per cent of the city’s drinking water supply from recycled sewage depends upon a majority of residents approving it.

But councillors opposed to the scheme claim the referendum question is rigged in favour of the “yes” case.

Cr Lyle Shelton said the question “Do you support the addition of purified recycled water to Toowoomba’s water supply via Cooby Dam as proposed by Water Futures — Toowoomba?” was deceptive in avoiding the crucial issue of whether people wanted to drink recycled sewage.

In addition, council had voted to fund a $460,000 media campaign funding the “yes” case but to spend nothing promoting the “no” case, Cr Shelton said.


It would be odd if the Prime Minister agreed with the actions of Mayor Thorley.

In 1999, as Prime Minister, he presided over the Republic referendum process which permitted equal funding for both sides of the debate.

It seems equally likely that the recycled water companies and research academics are shaking their heads at the latest debacle by the Council.

The Council's decisions just alienate more voters and show that Toowoomba City Council is by no means convinced that the public will support its controversial recycled sewage project.

Mayor Thorley spent a number of months telling media outlets that 70% of the community supported her project. If that was the case, why would it be necessary to spend any money at all on the yes campaign.

To treat Councillors Beer, Barron and Shelton as outsiders to be denied funding to put their side of the debate before the people who elected them as Councillors is one of the most bizarre decisions of Mayor Thorley and her supporters to date ...

Council shocked at its own actions ...

From WIN News:

Water Referendum Costs

Price tag shock

Toowoomba City Council concedes it's shocked at the price tag for the Water Futures Poll.

It's budgeted seven hundred and sixty thousand dollars on the vote and a yes campaign, money critics say would be better spent looking for immediate solutions to the water crisis.

See - First referendum to use biased funding model.

It seems very surprising that the Council would be shocked at its own decisions. The $460,000 to be used on the Yes campaign is an amount plucked out of the air with no reference to any actual cost estimates.

Perhaps even the Councillors are beginning to be shocked by their own outrageous behaviour ...

Deputy Mayor Ramia - do as I say not as we do ...

From ABC News (annotated):

Toowoomba to offer water poll cooperation

24 April 2006

Toowoomba City Council says it will cooperate with other councils conducting their own water poll.

The council has decided on the question that will be put to Toowoomba residents who will decide if a $68 million plan to recycle sewage for drinking water will go ahead.

The Federal Government has agreed to fund a third of the project if residents vote yes in the poll [subject to a number of other conditions].

Toowoomba deputy Mayor Joe Ramia says his council will provide other councils with details of the poll.

"Once the question has been formulated, now that question can be used in Jondaryan could be used at Rosalie or at Crows Nest because that is a question that Toowoomba city will be asking communities to vote on and I suppose it's only fair that shires that do get water from it have the same questions. Toowoomba will cooperate with them 100 per cent," he said.

The Mayor of Jondaryan, Peter Taylor, says about 3,000 residents in his shire rely on Toowoomba's water supplies and they have a right to have a say.

"We'll be paying the cost of that poll and we'll forward the information and the results of that poll to Toowoomba City Council, it will be up to them whether they take any notice of it or not," he said.

"But we believe our residents are entitled to a say, we think their views are important and that's what we'll do in the interest of democracy and the rights of our people."

See - Ramia about face.

After many months of the Toowoomba City Council ignoring requests from neighbouring shires for further information, suddenly Deputy Mayor Ramia is saying Council will cooperate with the shires "100 per cent".

Seeing is believing ...

Irrigators confident of accessing water from gas reserves ...

From ABC News:

24 April 2006

Irrigators confident of accessing water from gas reserves

Southern Queensland irrigators are confident they will be next in line to access vast amounts of water from underground coal seam gas reserves.

The Federal Government has announced a $10 million project to allow the Dalby Town Council to use 1,000 megalitres of water extracted along with natural gas by Arrow Energy.

Cotton grower Paul McVeigh says irrigators are making an application to the National Water Commission so they access the water.

"The challenges I suppose this is new water, it's water that's never been available before and I think the exciting side of it is that at this stage you know water is probably the biggest issue in the whole Australian community and here we are sitting on a great asset," he said.

"For the mining industry their focus is on delivering gas and energy and our focus is using their waste product and turning it into an asset."

See - Gas water offers regional solution.

More closed door Council meetings ...

This time, a special closed door meeting on 26 April to consider the Draft 10 Year Capital Financial Plan.

See - More secret Council meetings.

Republic referendum vs Sewage referendum ...

... spot the funding difference.

In 1999, the Federal government established funding guidelines for the referendum held in relation to the proposal that Australia become a Republic.

MP Malcolm Turnbull (then of the Australian Republican Movement) chaired the Yes advertising campaign committee.

Each of the Yes and NO committees had access to up to $7.5 million to develop and run a national advertising campaign for or against the proposed republic model.

The advertising campaign committees developed advertising campaigns to be run through media outlets of their choice in the three to four weeks leading up to the referendum vote.

These campaigns were intended to inform a robust public debate about the issues and present alternative views directly to the voters.

The Government’s role was limited to checking that each committee’s proposals met the basic standards, the committees remained responsible for the content of the campaigns.

See - Guidelines for Republic referendum advertising campaigns.

Flash forward to 2006.

On 21 April, Mayor Thorley rammed through Toowoomba City Council a proposal that it spend $460,000 of ratepayers' money on the Yes campaign while providing NO money whatsoever to the No campaign.

Councillors voting in favour of this resolution were:

- Mayor Thorley
- Deputy Mayor Ramia
- Councillor Englart
- Councillor Albion
- Councillor Alroe
- Councillor Schneider

See- Council shame file (including email addresses and home phone numbers should you wish to voice your displeasure at their decision).

Also see - Ratepayer's cash only funds Water Futures "yes" case.

Malcolm Turnbull (who would have kicked up a fuss if his Republic campaign had been starved of Federal funds) is now Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister with responsibility for water issues.

He has given conditional approval for Federal funding for Mayor Thorley's controversial recycled sewage project, subject to a number of conditions including a referendum of Toowoomba voters on the issue.

One can only wonder if MP Turnbull contemplated that Mayor Thorley would pull such a stunt as part of her attempts to force Toowoomba residents to drink recycled sewage.

To those involved in the debate, it is no surprise.

Mayor Thorley's latest antics show a Council desperately clinging to the hope that, if they throw sufficient funds at its Yes campaign and starve the No campaign of funding, Council will somehow get majority approval from Toowoomba voters for the recycled sewage project.

For 10 months, the Mayor has ignored attempts to have all water source alternatives independently assessed.

Why?

Because she knows that the recycled sewage project won't stack up on an independent assessment.

So, when she has to conduct a referendum, what does she do?

Create an uneven funding playing field to give her a perceived advantage in marketing her recycled sewage project.

Once again Mayor Thorley and the Council have completely misunderstood the nature of the game.

By allocating equal funds to both the Yes and No campaigns, Mayor Thorley would have shown to the community that she was willing for the recycled sewage project to be judged on its merits. (If she had any confidence in the project, she would do this.)

By denying funding to the No campaign, she has provided at least $460,000 in anti-advertising for the Yes campaign.

Her Yes campaign will forever be known as Mayor Thorley's $460,000 Yes campaign.

It is hard to see how her actions are "conduct which promotes and maintains the public's trust and confidence in the integrity of the local government and the good rule and government of its area" (See - Code of Conduct for Councillors).

She has called into question the integrity of the Council and its decision making.

She will probably be subject to formal complaints and official investigations into Council's decisions.

Mayor Thorley, is it all really worth it?

Council meeting - 21 April 2006 ...

Read the minutes.

See - Minutes.

Flanagan gets cheque book but has no vote ...

One of the true ironies of the recycled sewage debate is that the Council's Director of Engineering Services, Kevin Flanagan, gets to spend $460,000 of Toowoomba ratepayers' money funding the Yes campaign ...

... but he doesn't get to vote at the referendum.

Mr Flanagan doesn't live in Toowoomba.

He won't even get asked his view - Crows Nest Shire Council will only ask residents of Blue Mountain Heights and Highfields for their views.

So the person most responsible for planning to make you drink recycled sewage won't be asked for his view and isn't entitled to vote.

And it's not his money he's spending on the Yes campaign ...

Council decides to use ratepayers' money to fund only the Yes campaign ...

The decision by the Toowoomba City Council to spend $460,000 of Toowoomba ratepayers' funds on the Yes case is yet another example of the PR train wreck which is the Council.

In order to at least have given the "appearance" of balance in the lead up to the referendum, Council should have allocated some of Toowoomba ratepayers' funds to the NO case.

Much will no doubt be written on this issue over the coming weeks, however, Council's decision merely reflects the bias of their decision making to date.

The Mayor is hellbent on forcing Toowoomba residents to drink recycled sewage and will resort to any tactic to try to get her way.

The NO campaign has run smoothly so far for little cost while pro-groups Pure H20 and the Council's own Advisory Panel have either imploded or been disbanded.

The failure to allocate Toowoomba ratepayers' own money to fund the NO campaign will only galvanise opposition to the Mayor's controversial recycled sewage project.

It is perhaps the worst PR mistake Council has made so far ...

Premier Beattie seizes control of water supplies ...

From ABC News:

Qld Govt seizes control of water supplies

The State Government is to take control of water supplies in Queensland, ending a row between local councils over water restrictions.

Premier Peter Beattie says sweeping measures will be introduced into Parliament today, which will give the newly-created Water Commission the power to decide on the frequency and the severity of restrictions.

Mr Beattie says he will discuss the changes with Brisbane's Lord Mayor Campbell Newman this morning and will also speak to other south-east Queensland mayors.

The Premier says it is time to start treating water supplies like liquid gold.

"We've had one of the worst droughts on record, we've got climate change - the projections are that Queensland will become drier in the next decade - and frankly we need to have better organisation and better control of water than we've done in the past," he said.

"This is the way ahead to protect Queenslanders to ensure they've got the water they need."

See - Qld government seizes control.

Qld Opposition - you will not drink recycled sewage ...

... and a pipeline for gas water to Toowoomba will be fast-tracked.

Letter to the Editor, the Chronicle from Jeff Seeney, Qld Shadow Minister for Natural Resources and Mines:

I wish to clarify the Coalition's position on recycled water in light of ... recent comments.

The Coalition believes recycled water can and must be used by industry and for irrigation in both domestic and agricultural situations. It is absurd to be discharging tertiary-treated water into bays and rivers while at the same time using fresh water to irrigate golf courses and farms.

It is the Coalition's long-term vision to have a Queensland where all treated sewage effluent is recycled instead of being dumped into our waterways.

However, we do not believe Queenslanders should be forced to drink recycled water, especially when alternatives have not been properly examined and opportunities to use recycled water in industrial and agricultural situations go untapped.

In Government, the Coalition will switch industrial water users to recycled water rather than drawing fresh water from our dams where appropriate, while we will also encourage water swapping between recycled urban water and irrigators' fresh water supplies.

Further the Coalition would fast track construction of a western pipeline from the coal seam gas fields to bring water to Toowoomba, Dalby and Oakey.


Toowoomba City Council has now admitted that there is sufficient water for Toowoomba even if the current drought continues.

Toowoomba does NOT have to adopt desperate measures such as the controversial recycled sewage project.

There is time to examine the alternatives and, if gas water is the best alternative, build the pipeline to bring water into Toowoomba.

Dalby Coal Seam Gas Water fact sheet ...

Project Information

21 April 2006

Redevelopment of the Dalby Water Supply through the Integrated Use of Coal Seam Methane Water, Recycling and Demand Management

Dalby, Queensland

Total funding: $10 million with funding of $3.33 million from the Australian Government plus GST, $5.37 million from the Dalby Town Council and $1.30 million from Arrow Energy.

About the project

The project will showcase an Australian first — the use of coal seam methane water for potable water supply. As a by-product of the geological coal formation process, water within coal seams traps methane gases. The project involves construction of a pipeline and a preliminary treatment and reverse osmosis plant to treat the coal seam methane water. The project will also see the existing Waste Water Treatment Plant upgraded to produce Class A recycled water for use in Dalby and further development of the council’s water demand management programme. The project is reliant on an agreement between Arrow Energy and Dalby Town Council to supply the water for the project.

Project benefits

The project will:

- enable the council to initially return up to 1350 Megalitres a year of extraction licences to the regulator from over-allocated systems — potentially increasing in the future to 2250 Megalitres a year

- benefit the environment through reduced demands on over allocated systems demonstrate the innovative treatment coal seam methane water as a source of potable water supply

- increase recycled water use for urban irrigation activities, and

- develop and implement an enhanced water demand management programme for the Dalby shire.

The project will advance the National Water Initiative objectives of dealing with over allocated systems and securing urban water supplies.

See - Dalby Coal Seam Gas Water fact sheet.

Dalby Coal Seam Gas Water gets funding green light ...

Press release by the Prime Minister (annotated):

21 April 2006

FUNDING INNOVATIVE WATER PROJECTS IN QUEENSLAND

I am pleased to announce that two further leading edge water projects in Queensland worth $15.4 million will receive funding of $5.93 million from the Australian Government’s Water Fund.

Along with the five Queensland water projects already announced - Gold Coast capturing water losses project, Mackay Wastewater recycling project, Bundaberg Groundwater project, NQ Water supply upgrade, and Water Futures Toowoomba [subject to conditions] - these water projects in Queensland bring to a total seven Queensland projects supported to date, representing total investments of over $225 million with contributions of over $100 million from the Australian Government's Water Smart Programme.

The Australian Government will provide $3.3 million towards a $10 million project at Dalby in Queensland. The project will be one of the first occasions in the world where coal seam methane water has been used for potable water supply.

Through this project the Dalby Town Council will initially return up to 1350 megalitres a year of extraction licences back to existing water sources, providing benefits to the environment. The project is reliant on an agreement between Arrow Energy and Dalby Town Council to supply water for the project.

The Government will also provide $2.6 million to a $5.4 million project at Hervey Bay in Queensland to install advanced water meters on residential properties to be read remotely.

This will provide the opportunity to introduce a “time of use” billing system which will encourage home owners to use water in off-peak times. This is a significant innovation in residential water management. The project will improve information for water planners, defer construction of water supply infrastructure and potentially achieve water savings of up to 1000 megalitres a year.

I congratulate Wide Bay Water, the Dalby Town Council and Arrow Energy for taking the initiative to find solutions to our water management challenges.

See - Dalby gas water funding approval.

This is an interesting development.

Here's what Toowoomba City Council says about gas water:

"Given its close contact with coal and gas, CSG water would be expected to contain hydrocarbons, including polyaromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, that are known to be carcinogenic. Water associated with coal and/or gas seams is also known to contain elevated concentrations of radionuclides including radium, uranium and radon. It appears that no studies have been done to determine the actual concentrations of these contaminants in the water in question."

The terms "would be expected" and "it appears that" indicate that Toowoomba City Council did no actual research into whether coal seam gas water would be an alternative water source for Toowoomba. "Ignore it, brush it under the carpet and hope it goes away" seems to be the Council's mantra for alternatives to drinking recycled sewage.

See - TCC tries to scare people over gas water.

Here's what Pure H2O said about gas water:

"... this water:
- is highly toxic, even compared with wastewater
- has a very high salt content, leaving the dilemma of where to dispose of any salt extracted from the water."

Salt disposal will be handled by Arrow Energy. This comment conveniently ignores the RO waste stream disposal dilemma faced by Toowoomba City Council as part of its controversial recycled sewage project.

The use of coal seam gas water is highly innovative and preferable to letting it evaporate.

Anyone think it was interesting that the Prime Minister made these announcements (as he does with most funding grants by the NWC) but he let MP Turnbull make the announcement regarding Toowoomba Water Futures? (This press release is on the PM's official website - the Toowoomba Water futures press release sits on MP Turnbull's private website.)

Also, Prime Minister Howard is in Queensland this week - he doesn't seem to have taken the time to stop in to Toowoomba to congratulate Toowoomba City Council on a job well done ...

Water takes centre stage again in State parliament ...

From ABC News:

Qld Govt commits to water projects

A day after sustained attack in Parliament over water issues, the Queensland Government has hit back with an announcement of extra funding for water infrastructure.

The Opposition yesterday accused the Government of failing to address drastic water shortages.

Premier Peter Beattie this morning unveiled a further $127 million for water projects in south-east Queensland.

The Water Minister, Henry Palaszczuk, has told Parliament the developments will help secure future water supplies.

See - Government to spend on water infrastructure.

See - Hansard - 20 April 2006.

Once again, no mention of the Toowoomba Water Futures project by the State government ...

Council recycled sewage promotional video ...

Who made it and how much did it cost?

In the Chronicle today, news that three Toowoomba City Councillors were excluded from the viewing of a Water Futures promotional video following the Council Committee meeting.

Councillors Beer, Barron and Shelton were asked to leave the room so that the remaining Councillors could view it.

Council did not use the opportunity yesterday to disclose how much the video cost ratepayers but it seems it will be used in the Yes campaign.


Excerpts from the article:

The three renegade Councillors opposed to the Water Futures Toowoomba project are angry that they have been excluded from the special showing of a promotional video.

They concede that because of their misgivings abut the safety issues associated with the recycled water they did not want to be involved in the production.

Their presence was deemed "inappropriate".

Cr Beer said: "we are supposed to have harmony, team spirit - all that went out the window."

The 15 minute promotional video outlines the project with comments from young people, prominent Toowoomba citizens and Councillors.

Cr Shelton said it is "inappropriate" for any sort of promotional video to be aired before the poll." "I think that would be wrongful for ratepayers' resources to be used to promote the Yes case," he said.


The video should be an interesting piece of creative fiction to watch. A bit long though. At 15 minutes, it will probably bore most people. But it's sure to include wonderful statements about how "it's so safe, I want my 5 year old to drink it".

Expect the video to talk about Singapore but not mention the desalination plant or the new dams. It probably won't draw the distinction between 1% usage in Singapore and 25-29% proposed for Toowoomba. It probably won't say that drinking recycled sewage at those rates is not done anywhere else in the world and Council's own advisers think it is "high by international standards".

It probably doesn't mention Israel as the Council hadn't thought of that wonderful example until MP Turnbull turned up. It might mention Windhoek but fail to deal with all their operational problems and law suits. And it might try to rely on some unplanned indirect potable use examples for Toowoomba to follow.

And who made the video and how much did it cost?

Well that was CH2M Hill and its subcontractors and it cost Toowoomba ratepayers $60,000.

Given that CH2M Hill has been on minimal work duties for the Council for some time, the video is from some months ago. Expect some interesting inconsistencies and glaring errors. There may even be people appearing in the video who have now changed their mind about the Water Futures project as more information has come to light.

It might even include some pictures of Disneyland ...

Council surprise - there is other water ...

What a surprise.

Contrary to Council's scare tactics for the past 10 months to rally support for their controversial recycled sewage project, there is sufficient water for Toowoomba to draw on for a number of years.

From the Courier Mail:

Fresh water source
By Amanda Gearing

20 April 2006

TOOWOOMBA City Council has identified enough underground water to provide 80 per cent of the city's water supply even if the drought continues until 2009.

In a meeting yesterday, councillors were told the city's water supply could be guaranteed to 2009 without reliance on the controversial sewage-to-tap drinking water proposal.

Underground water from the Great Artesian Basin, local basalt bores and bores at nearby Geham, will provide an additional 6725Ml of water each year and will begin coming on stream in six months' time.

The additional underground water will provide almost 2000Ml/year more water than the council's proposed $68 million sewage-to-tap recycling plan.

See - Water found to survive for years.


The Toowoomba City Council and its councillors should be ashamed at the fraud they have perpetrated on Toowoomba citizens.

To have engaged in a scare campaign for the past 10 months - adopt our recycled sewage proposal or we'll run out of water - was completely misleading and dishonest.

It has been necessary for the Council to be dragged kicking and screaming to admit to the community what we suspected - that Council's Water Futures strategy was a lie.

Remember that when it comes time to vote ...

State government plans second desalination plant ...

From the Courier Mail:

Options widen

WATER authorities have begun planning for a second desalination plant as the long-running drought tightens its grip on southeast Queensland.

The proposal, which would complement the Gold Coast's plans for a desalination plant, is being described as a "contingency option" in SEQWater's regional drought strategy.

The plans were revealed as the Beattie Government battled Opposition attacks over its failure to construct any new dams to bring relief to the state's parched southeast.

See - State government examines other water options.

Water takes centre stage in State Parliament ...

Water issues took centre stage in State Parliament yesterday with the Government claiming that it would build two new dams and the Opposition claiming it was all talk and no action.

The State Opposition has pledged to build dams if elected next year and to also encourage recycling of water to free up potable water for drinking purposes.

Water is firming as a key State election issue.

The State Opposition knows that the Beattie government has sat on its hands and not planned for the increased population in south-east Qld.

The Government is trying to convince an already sceptical public that it is addressing water shortage issues.

NRMandW Minister Mr Palaszczuk (dubbed the "Minister for No Water" by the Opposition) outlined all the wonderful things the Beattie government is doing in relation to water (the recycled water pipeline, a regional water grid, new water storages such as Glendower and Wyaralong dams and the Cedar Grove and Mary River weirs) but studiously avoided referring to the Toowoomba Water Futures project.

See - Hansard - Water issues.

Perhaps he knows a vote loser when he see one ...

Council decision day - the agenda ...

The agenda for the Council's meeting on the referendum this Friday:

See - Council meeting agenda.

Raises some interesting questions:

- Will the Council actually recognise the results of the poll if Toowoomba residents vote NO or will the Mayor plough ahead like some Eastern European dictator believing that she knows what's best for Toowoomba?

- Will Council agree to fund the Yes and NO cases or will Mayor Thorley and her little group vote to block funding for the No campaign?

- Will the rather ineffective Water Futures advisory panel (which at one point semi-morphed into the equally ineffective Pure H20) be disbanded?

- How will Council handle the appointment of the Returning Officer, given that the acting CEO has correctly confirmed he has a conflict of interest?

- Should the section of the Council meeting dealing with the budget for the poll be a closed door session?

- Will the Mayor and her little group try to propose a question which confuses the voters?

Any attempt by the Mayor to interfere in the process seems likely to just further annoy the public, resulting in an even higher protest vote.

Friday will be interesting ...

Mayor Thorley explains ...

From today's Chronicle:

Parents and children can get a better understanding of [what] Toowoomba's water recycling scheme means at a special morning tea organised by the Childbirth and Parenting Education Association. The morning tea will be held at 9.45am at Grand Central. Mayor Cr Dianne Thorley will be the guest speaker.

Do you think the Mayor's opening sentences will be:

"I just want to tell you that no other city in the world asks its citizens to drink recycled water at the rates we're proposing. Singapore is a maximum of 1% and we're going to do somewhere between 25% and 29%. Even our advisers think that this is high by international standards."

Wouldn't that be refreshing?

Council gets more people offside ...

Do you think all the people against the Council's new parking changes are going to vote Yes on polling day?

See - Workers angry at free parking for Council employees.

Is polling day going to be "send the Council a message" day?

Just a thought ...

Council meetings - 18/19 April 2006 ...

Some interesting agenda items scheduled for the Council Committee meetings this week:

- Agenda item 16 - Water Supply Contingency Planning - a detailed summary of other water source options to get Toowoomba through the drought complete with timings for drawing on these reserves. The agenda makes it clear that the Water Futures project is not one of the options for solving the drought.

This is more information that Council has kept hidden from Toowoomba residents for many months. More recently, Council has backtracked on its "adopt Water Futures or we'll run out of water" strategy to admit that Toowoomba will not run out of water and there are contingency measures which can be put in place.

Now we know a little more of the details.

- Agenda item 20.1 - Briefing - Excessive use of water - Motels (spa baths) and take-away food outlets - a somewhat less detailed summary of the water usage of spa baths in motels and take-away food outlets. It includes wonderful statements such as "Spa baths in motels are generally of a 'fill and draw' type. That is, they are filled each time they are used and the water is then released to waste."

And the conclusion - "that Council note the actions that are being taken to reduce water usage by motels and take-away food outlets and restaurants".

- Agenda item 27 - Notification of expenses incurred by the Mayor between October 2005 and March 2006 - this period includes a lot of her promotional trips for the recycled water industry. Council is required to confirm these expenses.

Interestingly, the Corporate Plan Reference for the expenses refers to:

"1.1 Marketing the lifestyle and business (including education and health) advantage of Toowoomba throughout Australia and overseas.

1.6 Encourage new business to establish in Toowoomba and existing business to relocate to Toowoomba."

It would seem to be quite difficult to consider the Mayor's tripping around the country at ratepayers' expense to promote her ill-conceived sewage recycling plant as having anything to do with marketing Toowoomba's lifestyle and business (including health!) or encouraging new business to establish in Toowoomba or existing business to relocate to Toowoomba.

Councillors will need to think seriously whether they can actually approve this expenditure under the Corporate Plan references or seek some other justification.

In terms of Mayor Thorley's overall spending for this period, you will need to visit the Council to examine the actual amount. Council doesn't allow access to any attachments via the internet so Mayor Thorley's spending is not quite so public.

- Agenda item 31 - Confidential - Draft 10 year capital financial plan - a confidential briefing on the draft financial plan - it would be interesting to see how the plan deals with the State government requirement for the Council to raise the dam spillways and the prospect of higher debt levels if the Water Futures project goes ahead, particularly the need for an alternative to using Acland Coal for the RO waste stream.

See - Council Committee meetings - 18/19 April 2006.

Council borrowings - what you didn't know ...

Did you know that Toowoomba City Council borrowings for the 2004/5 financial year were $50,788,000?

Interestingly, for 2005-6, there are two line items:

- $500,000 - Bridge Street Quarry Gardens - 20 year term
- $1,000,000 - Bridge Street Quarry Gardens - 20 year term.

So Council has allocated $1.5 million of its debt to the 'white elephant' Quarry Gardens project.

What happens if this project never goes forward - what happens to the debt?

Also of interest, Council indicates that the Water Futures project will increase Council debt by $38 million (based on a total project cost of $112 million).

So Council debt will increase to over $88 million (excluding any other debt assumed by the Council related to other activities).

That's an increase in debt of over 75%.

Council's debt servicing ratio for 2004/5 (i.e. the ability of Council to service its debt from revenue) was 9.64%.

Expect a significant increase in the amount of your rates dollars which goes to service Council debt ...

Easter under Mayor Thorley's reign ...

As you sit and eat your Easter eggs this Easter, consider what life could be like with the recycled sewage plant up and running ...

The great recycled sewage escape clause ...

Every government likes a good escape clause when making a commitment:

"Premier Beattie and Mayor Di Thorley have said that they have investigated all other options and have assured the Australian Government that these other options are not feasible for both environmental and economic reasons."

See - Turnbull press release.

So, if it turns out that there are other viable options, well, the Federal government was just relying on what Premier Beattie and Mayor Thorley had assured them. So it's their fault. The Federal Libs will get to belt Qld State Labor for misleading them (which may well be the plan) and Mayor Thorley, well, she'll be history anyway.

Or something like that ...

Toowoomba City Council - we want a recycling plant just like the one in Namibia ...

Just in time for Easter, Toowoomba City Council gets news it would probably not want to hear before the holiday break.

That other prime example of sewage recycling that Toowoomba should follow, Namibia, is a dud!

In the past week or so, MP Turnbull has been saying Toowoomba should follow Israel's example, except that Israel doesn't use recycled sewage for drinking - just for agriculture and irrigation.

Then there's one of the Council's prime examples used in their $41,000 Water Book - Windhoek, Namibia.

Toowoomba residents should drink recycled sewage because in Namibia they do it and it's wonderful.

Or is it?

Seems the Goreangab water reclamation plant is a dud and the High Court in Namibia has agreed.

The City of Windhoek recently won a High Court case against Standard Bank South Africa under its financial guarantee for a range of problems experienced with the water-treatment plant after it was designed and built by South African Company DB Thermal. The company charged the city N$92 million to build the plant, which was handed over two years later than anticipated in 2002.

See - Windhoek gets a dud recycling plant - 5 April 2006.

For a long time, the recycling plant, which was supposed to produce 21,000 cubic metres of purified water a day, was standing idle because a number of design flaws were detected.

See - Recycling plant has design flaws - 19 August 2004.

Problems with malfunctioning equipment and sloppy contractors apparently continue to dog the effective running of the Goreangab Water Reclamation Works.

The plant continues to be unreliable - at one time with 19 stoppages in as many days.

See - Problems dog dud recycling plant - 14 December 2005.

And this is the example that the Toowoomba City Council holds up for Toowoomba to follow?

No thank you.

Can the Toowoomba City Council provide one example anywhere in the world where people drink recycled sewage at rates of 25% and above (as proposed for Toowoomba) using their 'wonderful' technology?

I didn't think so ...

Sewage news round up ...

From today's Chronicle:

- Toowoomba City Council will hold a meeting at 3.00pm on 21 April to look at the nuts and bolts of the recycled sewage referendum. The agenda will focus on who will write the 1000 word outlines for the Yes and No case [who decided on 1000 words?] and the actual wording of the question.

Mayor Thorley says in relation to costs [remember that 2% rate increase threat?] - "We'll have to look at the budget where there is money, where we can access money or whatever - we have no idea how much is needed at this stage". [But you were threatening to increase rates by 2% anyway.]

Mayor Thorley also said: "At the end of the day, the one question we have is: Are we offering pure water?"

The answer is clearly NO.

- interesting Letter to the Editor from LS who wants to sue anyone who votes NO [well those who said so publicly anyway] because all residential and commercial real estate in Toowoomba will suffer severe losses in market value if not becoming worthless overnight. [The sky will probably fall as well!]

If anything, a Yes vote which leads to Toowoomba becoming the ONLY place in Australia where its residents are expected to drink water containing at least 25% recycled sewage could have an interesting impact on long-term property prices.

- another Letter to the Editor from BE who states: "It's astonishing that we have an extremely serious water crisis and yet some councillors, including Cr Thorley, appear to have a "couldn't care less" attitude [including their Japan/Korea trip]. The only ones who appear to have common sense are Crs Beer, Shelton and Barron. Sensibly they removed their support for Water Futures months ago."

- and a Letter to the Editor from PC at Kingsthorpe who says "we were sent the [$41,000] Waterwise book but then told by Di Thorley that we are not even allowed to vote. We are entitled to an opinion an a vote."

The letter goes on to say "Just because we may not live in Di's back yard [not sure you'd want to!] should not rob us of our say." "Will we just be shut out into the dark because we prefer to live out of Toowoomba? Get over yourself, Mayor Thorley, you aren't the queen of the Darling Downs." [No, but she's captain of the HMAS Toowoomba!] "You had your chance of fixing the problem with pipes from Wivenhoe and you blew it."

Just another day in paradise ...

Toowoomba community water grants ...

Some worthwhile water recycling projects with funding approval from the Federal government:

Round 1

Project: Installation of Water Saving Devices in Public Toilets

Applicant: Toowoomba City Council

Details: This project will save water by reducing the number of flushes needed in public urinals in Toowoomba. This will be achieved through the use of 'Sani-sleeve' which will reduce the number of urinal flushes from 46 to just 4 per day. This project will save 16,118,400 litres of water per year.

Approved funding: $22,914.55


Project: Harvesting Rainwater for the Toowoomba Hockey Association

Applicant: Toowoomba Hockey Assn

Details: This project will save water by replacing the existing spray irrigation system with a water efficient sub-surface irrigation system at the Hockey Club, Toowoomba. In addition, tanks will be installed to collect rainwater for irrigation. This project will save 1,960,000 litres of water each year.

Approved funding: $27,931.50


Project: Improving Water Quality in the Cooby Catchment

Applicant: Cooby Landholders Group

Details: This project will improve water quality in the Cooby catchment by excluding stock from 4.5 km of the creek through riparian fencing. This project will also contribute to controlling erosion and forming wildlife corridors by planting drought resistant plants. Additionally, water quality in the town water supply will be improved as Cooby Creek Catchment feeds directly into Cooby Dam, a main water supply for Toowoomba City and surrounding areas. This project will result in 5 hectares being revegetated.

Approved funding: $30,727.27


Project: Improving Irrigation and Amenities Efficiency At Bowls Club Toowoomba Qld

Applicant: Toowoomba Bowls Club Inc

Details: This project will save water by installing a programmed irrigation system and water efficient amenities at Toowoomba Bowls Club. Waterless urinals, water efficient toilets, and tap valves will be installed to make water savings in the club washrooms. Additionally, a rain tank will collect water to irrigate the greens and supply the toilets. This project will save 1,801,057 litres of water each year.

Approved funding: $42,051.82


Project: Harvest rainwater from clubhouse guttering for watering of two bowls greens

Applicant: North Toowoomba Bowls Club

Details: This project will involve the installation of rainwater tanks to store rainwater that is collected from the roof of the North Toowoomba Bowls Club. The collected water will be used instead of treated water to irrigate the club greens. These changes will save 600,000 litres of water each year.

Approved funding: $27,727.27


Project: Mary MacKillop Catholic School Stormwater Recycling

Applicant: Corporation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba

Details: This project will re-use stormwater and rainwater to irrigate the school grounds via a water efficient drip irrigation system at the Mary MacKillop Catholic School, Highfields. Water will be pumped into underground holding tanks, then gravity fed to supply the irrigation system. This project will save 1,500,000 litres of water each year.

Approved funding: $38,581.82


Project: Mater Dei School Rainwater Recycling Project

Applicant: Corporation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Education

Details: This project will install of rainwater tanks to collect water from the roof of the Mater Dei School, Toowoomba. The collected water will be used to irrigate the school gardens and oval, and to supply the toilets. This project will save 2,200,000 litres of water each year.

Approved funding: $45,454.55


Project: Water reduction initiative

Applicant: Centenary Heights State High School

Details: This project will improve water efficiency at Centenary Heights High School, Toowoomba, by implementing a range of water saving initiatives. These include installation of dual flush toilets and flow reduction devices on taps and drinking troughs. In addition, a tank will be installed to collect rainwater to irrigate the playing field and for high pressure cleaning. These changes will save 1,200,000 litres of water each year.

Approved funding: $45,454.55


Project: 650,000 Litres Saved with Tanks, Spring-loaded Taps and Water Wise Gardens

Applicant: Corporation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba

Details: This project will improve water efficiency at the St. Saviour's College, Toowoomba, by implementing a range of water saving initiatives. These include installation of spring-loaded taps and a water efficient drip irrigation system. In addition to this, a tank will be installed to collect rainwater to supply hand basins and the irrigation system. These changes will save 630,000 litres of water each year.

Approved funding: $19,245.45

See - Round one community water grants.

Ramia to Shire water customers - take a hike ...

In today's Chronicle, Deputy Mayor Ramia says hand off Toowoomba's dams.

He rejects suggestions by Jondaryan Mayor Peter Taylor that a regional water authority with surrounding shires be formed.

Jondaryan Mayor Taylor is pushing for Toowoomba, Jondaryan, Crows Nest and Rosalie to work together to solve the region's water needs by "bringing what they have" and sorting out how it can be spread.

Ramia says its unworkable because Toowoomba owns most of the region's supplies, making the shires unequal partners.

In a clearly arrogant stance towards the other shires, Ramia says that the shire councils should look towards securing their own future water needs, although he did not rule out developing some commercial arrangements.

So Deputy Mayor Ramia is effectively telling its shire water customers to take a hike - go and find your own water.

Amazing!

Sewage news round up ...

As reported in today's Chronicle:

- Jondaryan Shire Mayor Peter Taylor says it is a democratic principle that all people who will be drinking water recycled from sewage have a say in the matter and a third party should be called in to run the vote.

"All people impacted by the decision should be allowed to have a say: that's the role of democracy," Cr Taylor said.

- Crows Nest Shire has indicated that it will hold its own formal count of residents who would be affected by the proposal to recycle sewage and add it to Cooby Dam. Mayor Geoff Patch said his council would hold a workshop to gauge opinion in Highfields and Blue Mountain Heights where residents are on the Toowoomba water supply.

- Rosalie Mayor Noel Strohfeld said his council was less inclined to hold a vote because of the cost and because there appeared to be little opposition to recycling sewage in the shire.

Mayor Strohfeld should talk to some of his councillors - there is a real feeling in Rosalie that the shire is being shafted with Toowoomba Mayor Thorley's plans.

- Toowoomba developer Clive Berghofer has taken to task Mayor Thorley's claim that the only solution needed to people's concern about drinking recycled sewage was for them to buy bottled water or install a rainwater tank.

Mr Berghofer told last week's Water Facts meeting the ramifications went much deeper than personal consumption, and that food producers such as Darling Downs Food Limited (formerly KR Darling Downs) would face new problems in relation to using recycled effluent in their food production processes.

Jondaryan Shire has also written to its major industries, including food producers such as Oakey Abattoirs, requesting information on how recycled water would affect their operation and their markets.

Darling Downs Foods Limited site manager Simon Taylor said the company had no comment on whether recycled water would affect its operations or markets because not enough facts are known as yet. (Seems the Toowoomba City Council is keeping businesses in the dark as well.)

- Jondaryan Shire Mayor Peter Taylor said that recycling water for human consumption was not the pressing issue, but solutions to the short-term possibility industry and the whole community might have no water within a year.

- Toowoomba City Council now has to deal with a new petition - this one over their new metered parking spaces. Seems that no-one in Toowoomba is happy with the current Council's decision making.

- And somehow Councillor Englart managed to get lost in Japan - needing to take 17 trains in one day in Tokyo - and taking 36 hours to return from Korea.

No no ... put the sewage in this dam not that one ...

Deputy Mayor Ramia seems fixated on putting recycled sewage into Cooby Dam.

In today's Chronicle, he seems dismayed at suggestions raised at a SEQ Council of Mayors meeting that recycled sewage could be pumped into Cressbrook Dam.

Says Councillor Ramia:

"I'm quite surprised by this and we certainly don't want to put recycled water into Cressbrook, which is our number one drinking water dam."

If recycled sewage is as great as the Deputy Mayor would have us believe, surely there's no difference between pumping it into Cooby Dam or into Cressbrook Dam.

Then again, what does the Deputy Mayor perhaps know that he's not telling us.

Is he not as convinced of the technology as he has led us to believe?

Does he want to pump recycled sewage into the smaller Cooby Dam so that if it doesn't work he can closed the dam off?

More explanations required from the Council ...

Mayor Thorley - what we pay her to tell us to drink recycled sewage ...

Based on the 2004/5 Toowoomba City Council Annual Report:

Base salary: $106,270.00

Plus

- Car (both Thorley and Ramia receive a car as a component of their position and they are not subject to a leaseback arrangement through a pre-tax payroll deduction scheme like some other councillors). The Mayor's car is provided for work purposes and "unrestricted private use with all operating costs (including fuel) met by Council".

- Superannuation contributions: $12,752.40

- Expenses for attendance at Council related business: $34,433.37

- Telephone and insurance: $5,615.25

Total: $159,071.02 plus the car.

This may not include all trips both within Australia and overseas relating to her promotion of the recycled sewage industry for the recycling companies (airfares, accommodation, fares and food).

Also, the expense amount would have increased substantially for 2005/6 as the Mayor has significantly increased her recycling company promotion duties.

Do you think we are getting value for money?

$159,000 (and change) plus car for someone to tell you that "if you don't like it, you can buy bottled water" ...

Gold Coast shuns water crisis - time to water driveways ...

From the Courier Mail

12 April 2006

Coast to Shun Water Crisis

While Brisbane tries desperately to save water, the Gold Coast is set to squander it.

The Gold Coast will lift water restrictions for 48 hours next month after Mayor Ron Clarke declared residents should enjoy a wet weekend for an "autumn clean".

Southeast Queensland is preparing for a total hose ban within weeks as part of tough new Level 3 water restrictions, but the Gold Coast City Council has voted to let its residents hose their homes and driveways over a two-day period.

The move, which will see northern Gold Coast residents using precious Brisbane water, is at odds with an agreement by councils in southeast Queensland to take a regional approach to water use.

See - No cohesive regional approach to blame.

Has the "de-Thorleying" commenced?

Rumour has it that Mayor Thorley will not be doing her recycled sewage roadshow at the Water Reuse and Recycling Conference in Sydney on 26-28 April 2006, instead sending Director of Engineering Services, Kevin Flanagan, in her place.

Is this the start of the subtle "de-Thorleying" of the controversial recycled sewage project as a forerunner to an internal Council blame game?

Just a thought ...

More comments on THAT lunch ...

Comments in the Australian Financial Review on MP Turnbull's CEDA lunch late last week:

Federal parliamentary secretary for water Malcolm Turnbull has distanced himself from calls for the government to promote recycled effluent as a solution to Australia's water crisis. Mr Turnbull, who addressed a CEDA lunch in Brisbane yesterday, said it was up to individual communities, such as Toowoomba, to convince people of the merits of converting waste water into drinking water.

Mayor Thorley's "you can drink it or buy bottled water" approach to community engagement and MP Turnbull's "you can drink it because there's none of YOUR money for anything else" approach to funding haven't been too successful in convincing people to date ...

Council will talk about the Carnival of Flowers ...

... but not about its recycled sewage project.

Press release on the Toowoomba City Council website convening a public meeting to discuss the floral parade for the 2006 Carnival of Flowers:

Community meeting for 2006 Carnival of Flowers Grand Central Floral Parade

Organisations and community groups are invited to a meeting on April 10 to discuss potential involvement in the 2006 Grand Central Floral Parade part of the Carnival of Flowers being held on Saturday, September 16.

see - Toowoomba City Council refuses to discuss recycled sewage.

Anyone doing a "no recycled sewage" float for the parade ....

But Mr Flanagan - what about the other conditions ...

Can you spot the difference?

A. NWC press release regarding funding approval for the Water Futures recycled sewage project:

FACT SHEET PROVIDED BY THE NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION

Water Futures Toowoomba — Water recycling project

Funding from the Australian Government is conditional on a majority of voters in Toowoomba city voting in favour of introducing recycled water into their drinking water system in a manner contemplated by the Project at a referendum to be held no later than 30 September 2006.

The Project must satisfy Queensland Government processes under the Local Government Subsidy Scheme.

All necessary Queensland Government approvals including health and safety approvals, including the development of a health regulatory regime for indirect potable water reuse are required to be developed to cover this and any future indirect potable reuse proposals in Queensland.

The health regime is required to be developed with regard to clause 92(i) of the National Water Initiative.

Appropriate Gowrie-Oakey Creek system regional plans need to be prepared or existing plans modified to take into account reasonable consideration of the impact of the project on the downstream water users on Gowrie-Oakey Creek.

A management plan for the Hampton groundwater aquifer will also be required.

AND

B. Comments by the Director of Engineering Services, Mr Flanagan, at the Council Committee meetings on 4/5 April 2006:

Briefing - Update on the Water Futures Toowoomba Project

"the Commonwealth Government has approved funding for the project subject to community acceptance via a referendum".

See - Flanagan's briefing is a bit too brief.

And this is in Council's Committee minutes.

We wouldn't want some of the Councillors to plead ignorance about these conditions later on ...

Jondaryan Shire - Toowoomba has got it wrong ...

From WIN News:

JONDARYAN - SINGLE WATER AUTHORITY
Mayor calls for single water planning and distribution

The Jondaryan Shire mayor's calling for a single water planning and distribution authority to take charge of our region's dwindling water supply.

Peter Taylor believes councils will have better luck combatting the drought if they work collectively, rather than in isolation.

See - Whole-of-region approach makes more sense.

Isolationist Mayor Di Thorley probably has a different view ...

Oakey Water Grants ...

From WIN News:

OAKEY WATER GRANTS
Water to be saved annually in Oakey.

Around ten million litres of water will be saved annually in Oakey, now that two projects have been given the green light by the Federal Government.

Saint Monica's School and Jondaryan Shire Council among seventeen hundred and fifty successful applications, announced under the first round of the Community Water Grants program.

Nearly twenty thousand dollars has been allocated to Saint Monica's School, to install computer pop-up sprinklers, and a tank to collect rainwater from the preparatory school roof. The water will be used to irrigate the play area.

See - Oakey saves water.

More on the Toowoomba water grants soon, featuring a number of Toowoomba schools and a notable omission ...

Is MP Turnbull misleading the public yet again?

From the man who said Israel was a good recycled water for potable use example.

From the Australian:

6 April 2006

Whatever he's not having

FEDERAL water tsar Malcolm Turnbull spoke at an up-market noshery in Brisbane yesterday on the virtues of a privatised water supply, but well after many of the 400 diners had started tucking into the water on the tables, they were told it was recycled Toowoomba water.

This is the stuff that was originally, well, sewage, but due to the miracle of modern science it is now perfectly drinkable, apparently.

The city is voting on whether this will be the standard stuff that comes out of their taps, but Turnbull set a personal example yesterday in the consumption of the water, pouring from the jug liberally.

When he entered politics after a stellar business and legal career he'd have been told he'd have to eat a lot of excrement, but he probably didn't realise he'd have to drink a lot as well.

Given that the recycled sewage facility (to so-called drinking standard) has not yet been built, how could Malcolm have been sipping recycled Toowoomba sewage ...

Brisbane Lord Mayor - declare state of emergency ...

Calls by the Brisbane Lord Mayor for the State government to declare a state of emergency on water.

From the Courier Mail:

State of Emergency Call

LORD Mayor Campbell Newman has told the State Government to take responsibility for the water crisis gripping southeast Queensland, and warned that things will only get worse without urgent action.

In a dramatic escalation of tensions between the state and Australia's largest municipality, Cr Newman said residents were paying the price for the failure of successive state governments to build water infrastructure in the past 20 years.

He repeated calls for the Government to declare a state of emergency on water, which would enable it to take control of water supplies and fast-track water infrastructure.

"I urge the State Government to expedite the delivery of vital water supply infrastructure and make every reasonable attempt to improve the water security and future of this region as a matter of urgency," Cr Newman said.

"When the region's combined dam capacity falls to 30 per cent, which is expected to occur in late May . . . I will formally call on the State Government to declare a water supply emergency."

The renewed push, which has the backing of the majority of councils except the Gold Coast, followed Water Minister Henry Palaszczuk's refusal to intervene in the crisis.

Mr Palaszczuk said he believed there was enough water to last the region another 2½ years, provided strict restrictions were adhered to.

But Cr Newman said by that time water reserves would be down to 10 per cent.

He said it was "unfortunate" the Government refused to acknowledge the depth of the crisis when only it had the money to "deal with the legacy of 20 years of neglect".

He also said residents had made great sacrifices to save water, but it was distressing that level-three restrictions, which include a complete ban on outdoor hosing, were only weeks away.
"Local councils throughout southeast Queensland share the concerns of local residents and businesses who think it is . . . unfair for them to experience all the pain and sacrifice," he said.

See - More pressure on Beattie government.

TCC - recycling technology needs improvement ...

Toowoomba City Council's view on recycled sewage in its draft Report in August 2004 (referred to as June 2004 by Jondaryan Shire Council):

"The potable reuse of wastewater is not considered to be viable at this time. However, improvements in technology in the future may alter this assessment."

Somehow between August 2004 and June 2005 when the NWC application was submitted Council changed their mind, thinking that making their residents drink water containing at least 25% recycled sewage (which is not done ANYWHERE else in the world) was now viable.

There's some explaining to be done ...

TCC June 2004 Report - no merit in recycling water for potable use ...

Comments in the Jondaryan Shire Council letter to the Toowoomba City Council dated 3 April 2006:

"In June 2004, Toowoomba City Council officers compiled a Report titled "Water and Wastewater Strategy Study for Toowoomba and the Surrounding Areas".

The options considered and recommended in this study included:

(a) Demand Management and Rainwater Tank Strategies

(b) Groundwater Strategies

(c) Wastewater Re-use Strategies (potable and non-potable)

(d) Greywater Re-use Strategies

and covering an area comprising Toowoomba City and varying parts of Jondaryan, Crows Nest, Rosalie, Cambooya and Gatton Shires.

This Report saw merit in all the aforementioned options, except the proposition to recycle water for potable purposes.

The Report was not adopted by Toowoomba City Council, however around August 2005 the Council produced its Water Futures Toowoomba Water Recycling Project.

This Project promoted, almost to the exclusion of all other options, the recycling of wastewater to potable standard which in turn would be incorporated into the water supply."

See - TCC sees no merit in recycling sewage for potable use.

So, even the Toowoomba City Council's own Report did NOT see merit in recycling water for potable use.

Then the Report is not adopted by Council and quietly buried while they proceed hellbent on forcing recycled sewage for drinking on an unreceptive city and surrounding shires.

How interesting ...

Jondaryan Shire letter to TCC - please explain ...

Read the letter from Jondaryan Shire to Toowoomba City Council dated 3 April 2006:

See - Jondaryan Shire letter.

The letter confirms the Toowoomba City Council's approach to keeping neighbouring shires in the dark regarding its recycled sewage plans:

"On 14 September 2005, this Council sought clarification of this quantum change in direction, and requested access to the technical and other reports which supported the change [from a multi-water source strategy to focusing only on the recycling of wastewater].

This information and documentation was also verbally requested on numerous occasions and was reiterated in writing on 3 February 2006.

On 16 February 2006, the Toowoomba City Council forwarded a copy of its submission Water Futures Toowoomba Water Recycling Project to the Australian Water Fund to Council.

While Council acknowledges a copy of this submission, to date it has not received a single technical report to substantiate your Council's Waste Water Recycling Project."

Toowoomba City Council - still keeping their water customers in the dark ....

Water Futures - Jondaryan Shire's position ...

Press release by Jondaryan Shire on the Toowoomba City Council's Water Futures project:

5 April 2006

Toowoomba Water Futures - Jondaryan Shire's Position

Jondaryan Shire Council has made the following statements on the Toowoomba Water Futures Project:

(a) (Council) confirms that on the limited information made available, it cannot endorse the proposed Water Futures Toowoomba Water Recycling Project;

(b) (Council) considers there is an urgent need to establish a Regional Water Authority to take an holistic approach to water management in this region.

A letter has been forwarded to the Hon Desley Boyle MP, Minister for Environment, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Women, requesting she give consideration to this proposal.

Copies have also been forwarded to Crows Nest Shire Council, Rosalie Shire Council, Cambooya Shire Council and Gatton Shire Council advising this matter will be listed for discussion at the next Darling Downs Regional Organisation of Councils' meeting.

See - Jondaryan Shire cannot endorse Water Futures project.

Jondaryan Shire is a water customer of the Toowoomba City Council and clearly not happy ...

Jondaryan Shire calls for regional water planning ...

Press release by Jondaryan Shire Council:

Jondaryan calls for regional water planning

Toowoomba and adjoining shires need a single water planning and distribution authority and Jondaryan Shire wants to put a 750 megalitre bore water allocation on the table as part of a regional discussion on water.

A single water corporation has been established by the State government in conjunction with councils in the south east corner to take charge of water supply in what has become the fastest growing region in Queensland.

Jondaryan Shire Mayor Peter Taylor said there had been a failure to plan for adequate water supply to meet growing demand. The Mayor said that the State Government when faced with falling water levels in the dams supplying Brisbane and the coast, decided to expand the South East Queensland Water Corporation to include all the cities and shires.

“Our area is the second fastest growing area in the State, and our water levels are lower than the major dams on the coast. This is all the more reason for all suppliers of water in and around Toowoomba to get together and plan to meet what may in a few months become an emergency.
Whatever measures we undertake now should fit into a longer term strategy of planning to meet future demand for water.”

The mayor said an obvious place to start was for all local authorities to do a stock take of their water supplies and reserves and bring this information to a central water authority that could allocate water to where it was needed across the region.

“Oakey has a 750 megalitre allocation of bore water and we are currently testing our bores ready to bring them on-line if required. We need to talk to Toowoomba and our neighbours sharing the Toowoomba water to see how our allocation would be best used if the situation becomes so bad that we have supplement the reticulated water from the dams. Joint discussions now could lay the foundation for a regional body for the future,” the mayor said.

The combined total capacity of the region’s three dams has now fallen to below 25%. Level 5 water restrictions are due when the levels fall to 20%, and without good rain, there is enough water for about 12 months.

See - Jondaryan Shire press release.

Vote for me and I'll never make you drink from the toilet ...

It is timely to revisit this article.

Can you imagine if drinking recycled sewage had been an election issue at the last Council election or an election issue at the last Federal election in MP Turnbull's "blue ribbon non-poo drinking" seat of Wentworth ...

See - Vote for me and I'll never make you drink from the toilet.

Toowoomba City Council - desperate times ...

It's the small titbits of information that give you an insight into the current thinking of the Council camp.

The surprise suggestion at a Water Facts meeting by Council's Head of Engineering Services, Kevin Flanagan, is a good example.

His suggestion was that there is no need to conduct the indepth testing of the recycled water before getting it to people's homes to drink. The 3-5 years testing was something the Council never agreed to and it isn't necessary.

Just to be clear, recycling sewage for drinking purposes at the rates proposed by the Toowoomba City Council (25% and higher) is NOT done anywhere else in the world. Nowhere!

Even the Council's own advisers, CH2M Hill, stated in their section of the NWC application that:

“Thus, 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.”

Their own advisers!

And now Mr Flanagan is ignoring this advice and saying there's no need for review, further studies or indepth testing. Let's just get it to people's homes asap.

This seems to be Council's plan for dealing with the prospect of the dams running out.

How desperate is the Council to hang onto its Water Futures project that it would backtrack on its own adviser's advice?

How far are they willing to risk people's health while hellbent on this project?

Quite some distance it seems.

What Mr Flanagan fails to realise is, once again, he is undermining the Council Yes case.

There are people in Toowoomba who might go along with Council's plan because they think there will be years of research to try to show it is safe.

Shortcut the process and you lose those votes.

Has Mr Flanagan switched sides?