The AWA blow-ins ...
Isn't it interesting how many "experts" from outside Toowoomba are so keen for people in Toowoomba to drink recycled sewage.
Today it was the AWA organised meeting.
Do you think the meeting speakers spent any time at all talking to people in Toowoomba about other options?
Do you think the meeting speakers spent any time in Toowoomba considering whether there are other uses for recycled sewage (industry, agriculture) before asking people to accept drinking it?
Why do you think they blew into town for their sewage roadshow?
Why didn't they stop to consider the alternatives for Toowoomba before deciding to push recycled sewage onto Toowoomba residents?
Can it be because they would like to roll out recycled sewage for drinking projects throughout Australia, starting with Toowoomba?
And why is that?
Is it because they are truly concerned about the environment?
Perhaps if there was some credible NGO pushing recycled sewage for drinking, one could understand their motivation. But the Australian Water Association (AWA) is an association funded by members of the recycled water industry, in whose interest it is to expand the recycled water industry in Australia - starting in Toowoomba.
Remember that next time they try to tell you that you should drink recycled sewage ...
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 7:03 PM
2 Comments:
From ABC News
25 June 2006
Experts back Toowoomba sewage recycling plan
Top water experts and environmentalists have given their backing to a plan to turn sewage into drinking water in the south-east Queensland town of Toowoomba.
Amid the worst drought on record, Toowoomba residents are to vote in a referendum on whether to begin recycling sewage into drinking water.
Water expert Helen Stratton says the process is safe and inevitable.
"It's not poo water - it's the same water that we're drinking now we recycle the water," she said.
The Clean Up Australia chairman, Ian Kiernan, has also given his backing to the plan.
"With the right science and technology, it is 100 per cent safe to reuse sewage water as drinking water," he said.
"I'm prepared to drink it."
Mr Kiernan says Toowoomba should be a test case for other drought-ravaged cities across Australia.
But some well-known residents do not want to be pioneers.
Image concerns
Former mayor Clive Berghoffer says using recycled water will hurt Toowoomba's image.
"We had the image of a garden city here with carnival of flowers," he said.
"You go round Australia and now it's 'poowoomba' or has a dirty name and that's not good for our image."
Rosemary Morley, of the lobby group Citizens Against Drinking Sewerage, says there are alternatives to the recycling plan.
"We will have a sustainable water supply from other options if they say 'no'," she said.
"If they say 'yes' they will not have extra water until 2013."
The Federal Government will put $23 million toward the plan if the vote is positive.
The vote will be held on July 29.
end.
Funny, Mr Kiernan won't be drinking it in Sydney and you can bet that it will be a long time before he returns to Toowoomba.
Helen Stratton says it is safe and 'inevitable'. Do you think she was told about the other water source options? Do you think she was told about the missing hydrology reports?
Do you think she was told about the RO waste stream disposal problems if Acland Coal don't agree to take it (and in any event on mine closure)?
Do you think she's annoyed now she's found out the Council used her in their brochures?
More examples of offering so called 'expert' opinions without knowing (or perhaps wanting to know) all the facts.
Once again, people desperate for Toowoomba residents to drink recycled sewage.
Why?
1:39 PM, June 25, 2006
From WIN News
AWA FORUM
AWA thoughts
Members of the Australian Water Association say Toowoomba residents have the chance to act as trailblazers for the rest of country, if they vote to accept recycled water.
A panel of experts coming together at the weekend, to address residents' concerns, and explain the science of reuse.
end.
The questions Toowoomba voters will need to ask themselves are:
Do you want to be the trail blazers for Australia?
Do you want to be the experimental city for recycled sewage for Australia?
There's big money at stake for the recycled sewage industry and it's not as if these companies are willing to pay you to take part in their experiment ...
6:17 PM, June 26, 2006
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