Bid to make Toowoomba drought proof ...

... Deputy Mayor Ramia says no thanks.

From ABC News:

Bid to make Toowoomba drought proof

19 July 2006

Irrigators west of Toowoomba on the Darling Downs in Queensland have tabled a new bid to drought-proof the garden city.

The Nuwater group originally proposed piping bore water to Toowoomba in return for recycled effluent for farming, but that has been rejected by the council.

Nuwater chief executive John McVeigh says they are now proposing to sell up to 5,000 megalitres of water to the city each year and they will not ask for anything in return.

He says it would cost only $40 million to set up and would be available almost immediately.

"We're not interested in the politics or the personalities in this debate. We're simply saying that as residents of the Darling Downs community, we're more than happy in response to community requests to put this proposal forward," he said.

"The proposal exists now and it exists in the future if the community of Toowoomba wants to look at it."

Toowoomba City Council's Joe Ramia says Nuwater's proposal is unsustainable.

Councillor Ramia says he believes water drawn from a catchment needs to be used in the same catchment.

"Some government policy would need to come into this because there would have to be a change in policy in transferring water from one area to another," he said.

Source - ABC News - Bid to make Toowoomba drought proof.

See also - WIN News - Norwin irrigators won't let water lease option dry up.


Prime Minister Howard has just made a speech saying that the States need to engage in more water trading. Encouraging water trading is also a core mission of the National Water Commission.

And what does Toowoomba's Deputy Mayor say?

"Water drawn from a catchment should stay in the catchment" and "there would need to be a change in policy".

Toowoomba City Council once again casually dismisses a viable option just because they don't like it. Meanwhile, the Federal government will continue to promote water trading throughout Australia.

The approach of the Toowoomba City Council makes no sense - until you consider that they will do anything and say anything to force Toowoomba residents to drink recycled sewage.

Until 29 July that is.

You will be amazed how many other options suddenly become viable if the majority of Toowoomba voters vote No on polling day ...