Former SA Water chief scientist - 'water from sewage not safe enough' ...

Excerpt from Adelaide Now:

Water from sewage not safe enough

29 January 2007

The Adelaide scientist who developed Australia's drinking water guidelines says he would not drink recycled sewage and would not back its use.

As residents of drought-stricken southeast Queensland were told yesterday they would have no choice but to accept recycled water for drinking, Professor Don Bursill said there were too many risks attached to the practice for it to be introduced here.

The former SA Water chief scientist, who in 2004 oversaw a review of national drinking water guidelines and who was last week recognised in the Australia Day honours for his contribution to water quality research, says the technology that would make recycled sewage suitable for drinking already exists, but he is not confident we have the back-up systems to ensure it stays safe.

"You can turn anything wet into drinking water if you have enough money," he said yesterday. "To really ensure it is safe would cost a tremendous amount. This is one bloke who isn't going to drink it."

See - Adelaide now - Researcher won't be drinking it.

Guess he's not going to make Beattie's QWC advisory panel ...