Bargain Pete's Dodgy Shower Timers ...

Time your shower timer against the Courier Mail's stop watch - here.

Feedback so far shows not one of Pete's dodgy Chinese-made timers gives an accurate 4 minute reading.

But given that nothing else the Qld Labor government seems to do is on time (or within budget), are the timers just a reflection of Beattie and his gang ...

When an extra $630 million buys you 2 months and a bit more water ...

Beattie throws taxpayers' money around like there is no tomorrow.

For him, perhaps that is right.

Excerpt from ABC News (annotated):

Qld Govt fast-tracks water pipeline

29 May 2007

The Queensland Government will spend an extra $630 million to fast-track a vital piece of water infrastructure in the state's south-east.

The Western Corridor Recycled Water Project involves building a pipeline from six waste water treatment plants in Brisbane and Ipswich to three water treatment plants, where the water will be treated and sent to users.

The project was due to be finished by December next year, delivering 210 megalitres a day via a pipeline.

But with the drought dragging on, the Government has been negotiating with the construction company about finishing it faster.

Now, 182 megalitres of water a day will be delivered by October next year [60 days sooner], increasing to 232 megalitres a day two months later.

Deputy Premier Anna Bligh denies it is a panic move.

"If we don't get rain next summer, the time lines are very tight for the pipeline to get to the dam before we start seeing the dam drop below 5 per cent," she said.

"To bring this project back to October in the first stage is a very important part of securing water supply."

Premier Peter Beattie says despite the cost, it is a sensible decision.

"It is sooner and it is bigger and yes, it costs more," he said.

See - Beattie - it's not my money.

Murray-Darling water plan just another mirage ...

Read a Sydney Morning Herald opinion piece on PM Howard's Murray-Darling plans - here.

Stanthorpe dam likely to proceed ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Work likely to start next year on new Stanthorpe dam

29 May 2007

Construction of a new dam at Stanthorpe is expected to start next year.

Mayor Glen Rogers says Stanthorpe has outgrown the existing Storm King water storage, and the situation has been exacerbated by the drought.

Councillor Rogers says levels have fallen to just over 20 per cent, but he hopes the shire can avoid having to cart water from Warwick.

Council is awaiting the terms of reference for an environmental impact statement for the second dam planned for Emu Swamp.

"The modelling that's been done to give us the availability or allocation annually will need to be about 8,000 megs for the urban component and it if also includes some irrigation water, as has been suggested, and the investigations are currently looking at that, then it will be 18,000 megalitres," Cr Rogers said.

See - ABC News - Stanthorpe dam likely to proceed.

Canberra recycled water survey ...

ACTEW Community Consultation - May 2007

The ACT Government and ACTEW are interested in your views and attitudes about the water supply in Canberra as well as your opinion on the new water supply strategies that are being considered.

Please note that this survey forms an important input into the future direction that ACTEW and the ACT Government will consider to address the water supply situation in the ACT.

Take the survey here - Recycled water survey.

How Toowoomba City Council's errors are helping to sink the recycled water industry ...

A lot of the distrust of government and corporations over their attempts to introduce recycled water into Toowoomba (and elsewhere) began with this simple set of circumstances:

When Toowoomba City Council decided to introduce its recycled water scheme for Toowoomba, its adviser CH2M Hill copied brochures from Singapore's NEWater facility which showed that nothing but 'pure water' passed through the membranes.

These brochures were inaccurate.

Anyone who has visited the NEWater facility can tell you that the video that is shown on the tour shows small amounts of chemicals passing through the membranes.

It is not clear why the NEWater promotional material is so misleading - perhaps the brochures were widely distributed to Singaporean residents at the time of its media campaign with the video only shown on your visit to the NEWater facility.

Whatever the motivation, that lack of diligence on the part of Mayor Thorley, Deputy Mayor Ramia and Engineering Head Flanagan (and other employees and advisers) caused problems for their campaign.

They were adamant that nothing passed through the membranes except 'pure water'.

It was only once the NWC funding application was wrestled off the Council via a FOI request that those close to the debate saw the truth revealed - the Toowoomba City Council/NEWater promotional material was misleading.

No wonder the Council resisted so long to its disclosure.

Armed with this information, opponents of Mayor Thorley's scheme could let the truth be known - Toowoomba residents were being misled by the Council.

Fast forward almost 2 years and it remains an issue ...

Excerpt from the Australian:

Twist in recycled sewage

29 May 2007

Small concentrations of antibiotics have the ability to pass through conventional wastewater treatment plants, according to a new study that will reignite the debate over the use of recycled sewage.

An article this month in the international journal Water Research found small concentrations of antibiotics passed through advanced wastewater treatment using microfiltration and reverse osmosis.

The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, the Co-operative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment and the National Measurement Institute assessed the removal of 28 human and veterinary antibiotics.

With the Beattie Government hoping to pump recycled sewage into Wivenhoe Dam before Brisbane's main water supply runs dry - in late 2008 or early 2009 - the Queensland Water Commission has gone to great lengths to emphasise the safety of the end product.

A panel of experts is guiding its regulatory processes, even as protest groups - angry at being denied a referendum on the use of recycled sewage - distribute leaflets warning of potential health risks.

Lead researcher Andrew Watkinson said last night the additional process in Brisbane's recycled water pipeline project, advanced oxidation, would almost certainly remove the remaining concentrations.

Mr Watkinson said the research had shown concentrations of antibioticsin many Brisbane rivers and waterways, flowing from conventional treatment plants.

Although there appeared little risk to human and animal health, further work was needed to determine whether the concentrations might contribute to bacterial resistance to the drugs.

See - What gets through the RO membranes.

Beattie Minister pleads guilty - jail time beckons ...

(Image - Courier Mail - more images here - Rose pictorial.)

Former Beattie Tourism Minister Merri Rose plead guilty to one count of demanding benefit with threats with sentencing to be finalised tomorrow.

For the moment, details of the nature of the threat have been suppressed.

Excerpt from ABC News:

Rose's blackmail threats suppressed by court

30 May 2007

Former Queensland tourism minister Merri Rose has pleaded guilty to attempting to blackmail Premier Peter Beattie, but the details of the threat will be suppressed from the public.

Rose fronted the District Court in Brisbane to plead guilty to one count of demanding benefit with threats, after demanding Mr Beattie give her a high-paying job in the public service, and making threats if he did not oblige.

The court heard that in October last year Rose made threats during a meeting with her former press secretary, David Smith, in Brisbane's Queen Street mall.

Crown Prosecutor Paul Rutledge told the court Rose told Mr Smith she "had very damaging evidence against a person ... information which would cause them to suffer and lose everything".

It is not known whether Mr Beattie was the subject of those particular threats and the judge has ruled those details and the exact nature of the threats be suppressed from the public.

Mr Beattie reported the incident to the Crime and Misconduct Commission.

The sentencing hearing is continuing.

See - ABC News - Rose pleads guilty.

Also see - Courier Mail - Rose guilty of blackmail.

Beattie's 4 minute shower timer is just like the Qld government ...

... too slow.

Updated ...

Seriously, you couldn't come up with better material if you were writing for a TV comedy show.

1 million defective timers from China = $1.7 million of taxpayers' money down the gurgler.

And Premier Beattie couldn't care less.

Maybe he thought the timers were made in South Korea.

You're better off using the 4350water blog shower timer (in the right hand column).

Guaranteed more accurate than Pete's dodgy imports ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Shower savings down the gurgler

30 May 2007

In a public relations disaster for the commission, timers purchased by the State Government for its Target 140 campaign – which aims to cut residents' water use to 140 litres a day – allow water to pour down the plughole like sand through the hourglass.

Residents have discovered many of the four-minute timers are wildly inaccurate.

The Chinese-made timers will be mailed to 1.1 million southeast Queenslanders at a cost of $1.7 million, or about $1.50 each including postage.

Tests conducted by The Courier-Mail found the four-minute timers' performance ranged from 3min 23sec to 7min 45sec.

One ran to 3min 56sec but when turned over went to 4min 26sec.

Others failed to work, as Logan Mayor Graham Able found out. Cr Able said his simply "fell apart".
...

See - Courier Mail -shower savings down the gurgler.

.. too slow.

That's the rumour anyway.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Rain but no dam relief

29 May 2007

...
Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about the accuracy of the four-minute shower timers. The timers aim to cut the average shower time from seven to four minutes. One will be mailed to each home tomorrow.

But Premier Beattie downplayed the claims and said he had heard only a handful of complaints.


As the timers won't be mailed out until tomorrow, it's not surprising that there have only been a handful of complaints. Probably from QWC workers who have been timing their (over)boiled eggs by them.

More than one million QWC household packs will be mailed to households. That's one million 4 minute timers which won't accurately show when 4 minutes is up. Most likely purchased from China just like Anna Bligh's defective SEQ grid pipes.

Most of the timers are likely to end up either in the bin or a drawer so it's unlikely we'll ever get a real feel for just how many are defective. With the SEQ pipes to be buried, the Qld government will be hoping SEQ residents similarly never get a real understanding for how defective it may be ...

Canberra - recycled water forum tonight ...

Probably plenty of questions to be asked about Windhoek.

See - ABC News - Recycled water forum tonight.

QWC - water privatisation by 2010 ...

That's the aim of Qld Labor government arm, the QWC.

Excerpt from the Gold Coast Bulletin:

The Water Commission has also recommended the Government allow full retail contestability by 2010, which means the councils, through the retail companies they have been forced to set up, would then have to compete with a private company to sell water.

See - $4b splash and grab.

Beattie and Bligh duck and dodge the question but the Qld government's view is now pretty clear ...

Gold Coast - 5 levels of bureaucrats between residents and water ...

Excerpt from the Gold Coast Bulletin:

Where Gold Coast residents now receive their water directly from Hinze Dam through the council, under the new model there will be five new levels of bureaucratic interference before the water gets from a dam or treatment plant to the tap.

See - $4b splash and grab.

Beattie cops salt water spray from Gold Coast ...

Gold Coast City Council asks Beattie to 'pony up' the compensation he is apparently offering for his takeover of water assets.

With Beattie's track record, it's not surprising that the Gold Coast are wary of his promises.

Toowoomba residents are still breathing a sigh of relief that 'Cyclone Pete' has by-passed the city for the moment.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Councils call for fair go

29 May 2007

Brisbane region residents have become political footballs as the Gold Coast threatens to axe two vital water projects while the Commonwealth considers whether to delay a Sunshine Coast pipeline.

On the southern front, furious Gold Coast councillors yesterday threatened to stop work on the Tugun desalination plant and the Hinze Dam. They accused the State Government of being untrustworthy in its promise to compensate southeast Queensland councils for last week's takeover of their water assets.

Meanwhile, a stoush has erupted between Infrastructure Minister Anna Bligh and federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Ms Bligh said the Commonwealth was reconsidering its initial approval of a 55km pipeline connecting the Mary River to the southeast Queensland water grid because of concerns about rare turtles, lungfish and cod.

She said officers in Mr Turnbull's department were considering a full-blown environmental assessment process which would delay the project by up to six months, raising the risk of southeast Queensland running dry in 2009.

Laying of the pipeline, which will deliver 12 per cent of current southeast Queensland water usage, is already about three months behind schedule. However Mr Turnbull, who was overseas at a whale conference in Canada last night, would probably be reluctant to insist on a full environmental study ahead of the looming federal election.
...

Gold Coast councillors said yesterday they were seeking legal advice on the state's takeover of the $1.2 billion Tugun desalination plant. They also demanded it sign a contract to pay for all costs associated with the $400 million raising of the Hinze Dam.

"I say to the State Government, 'Put your money where your mouth is'," water committee chairwoman Daphne McDonald said. "Our first responsibility is to the ratepayers of this city."

A public-private consortium raising the Hinze Dam will run out of money next week, however the council is refusing to provide any further funding until the Government guarantees compensation in a legally binding contract.

Cr Susie Douglas said no further council money should be spent on the project and, if Premier Peter Beattie wanted control of water infrastructure, he could raise the dam with state funds.

Mr Beattie said the council was required to complete the desalination plant. "The truth is it is set by regulation that they are required to do it by law, we expect them to do it by law," he said.

Mr Beattie said people did not want to see "stupid local politics" standing in the way of water infrastructure.

Ms Bligh also claimed political games were responsible for the potential delay of the Sunshine Coast pipeline. She told Mr Turnbull last week in a strongly worded letter that the project must stay on track.

"The 65 megalitres per day (the pipeline will deliver) is critical to maintaining water supplies in the greater Brisbane area in the event that the current record low rainfall patterns continue," she wrote.

See - Councils call for fair go.

Also see - Gold Coast Bulletin - Water war gets dirty.

Opposition Leader Jeff Seeney said the Gold Coast could have kept its assets if past and present Labor politicians had not scrapped the Wolffdene dam.

Former Labor premier Wayne Goss - whose closest adviser and campaign director at the time were current Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd and Opposition treasury spokesman Wayne Swan - won a seat in the area in 1989 after promising to scrap the Coalition's plan to dam the Albert River at Wolffdene near Beenleigh.

Midnight Oil lead singer Peter Garrett, who is now Mr Rudd's environment spokesman, even spoke with Mr Goss at a Wolffdene dam protest meeting.

Mr Goss delivered on his promise after taking government and, along with his Beattie Government Labor successors, was thereafter plagued with questions about water supply to the southeast corner.

"None of today's events would have been necessary if the drips had just built Wolffdene," said Mr Seeney.
...

See - Gold Coast Buletin - $4b splash and grab.

How much water does it take to produce ...

Reprinted from The Age - Australian households world's worst at water use.

Activists attack bottled water as environmentally unsound ...

... remember Mayor Thorley said her Water Futures project was environmentally sound and "if you didn't like it, you could buy bottled water".

See - CNN - Bottled water: No longer cool?

Explosions and stoppages - golden potable reuse example Windhoek cops another beating ...

... this time in the Canberra press.

The troubles of Windhoek were first raised in Australia through the water blogs. The issue was then highlighted in the free Toowoomba weekly newspaper with the sister daily publication The Chronicle ignoring the point.

Those involved in the Toowoomba debate always thought it very odd that the poorly designed recycled water plant in Windhoek was used as a prime example of why we should drink recycled water.

It showed how few examples of potable reuse there are in the world when experts and governments needed to rely on such a troubled example in their attempts to convince those in Australia to drink recycled water ...

Excerpt from the Canberra Times:

Trouble water recycling

27 May 2007

There have been two explosions and 19 stoppages in as many days at an African water recycling plant that Actew lists on its website as an example of how other countries are enjoying the benefits of purified water.

The 230,000 residents of Windhoek, Namibia, have been drinking recycled water since 1968, but a new plant completed in 2002 has suffered a range of problems, according to the Namibian newspaper.

The newspaper claims the problems included: producing 6000 cubic metres of purified water a day less than its intended design of 21,000 cubic metres; using substantially larger quantities of chemicals than its designers said would be needed; and being out of commission for long periods during one period there were 19 stoppages in as many days.

The Windhoek council said in court documents quoted in the Namibian there had been two explosions at the plant and there were grave concerns over safety.

The documents said, "It is evident that the plant is not designed for continuous use in a mission critical industrial application. This is so because of obvious design errors."

However, the quality of the water produced by the plant was acceptable.

Windhoek's water reclamation plant is among those listed on Actew's website.

Actew's website, which explains the process behind the corporation's water recycling plans, states that: "Purified water has been used to supplement water supplies around the world for many decades.

"These global destinations enjoy the benefits of purified water. So too can Canberra."

Head of the Infectious Diseases Unit at the Canberra Hospital Peter Collignon said the risks posed to residents if a water recycling plant failed would be huge. As a result, a water recycling plant should only be a last resort for drinking water, Professor Collignon said.

If a problem did occur at Canberra's water recycling plant, hundreds of thousands of people could be exposed.

"Why put the population at risk if there are other, reasonable alternatives?" he said.

There were other options Actew and the Government should explore before using recycled water for drinking, including greater use of dam outflows and non-potable water for irrigation.

Sydney water consultant Keith Stollard, who was involved with the outsourcing of firms to work on the Namibian plant, said there had been no health issues with that plant in recent years.

The only issue he was aware of was a brewing firm disparaging a competitor in Windhoek brewery for using recycled water.

"I've drunk recycled water with no problems at all," Mr Stollard said.

In an interim report issued last Friday, Actew's expert health panel issues found "no clear deleterious health risks have been observed" from water use overseas, according to the panel's review of available material.

The report said, "The quality of the purified water from the proposed plant is crucial to the health and safety of the community, and must not be compromised."

Extensive sampling and monitoring programs would be required to ensure the water met Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

A second interim report on environmental issues published on Friday by water consultant engaged by Actew, found a well-designed and well-operating water recycling system could provide water cleaner than that found naturally in catchments.

The report, which made only preliminary comments, also found that proposed recycling system could pose environmental risks such as contamination of animals, algal blooms and uncontrolled aquatic plant growth, groundwater contamination, and expansion of alien fish species.

Many of these issues needed further consideration, the report said.

See - Windhoek - explosions and stoppages - troubled times indeed.

The three-minute shower timer ...

Melbourne - The Accor hotel group in Australia is to offer its guests checking in to the Novotel Melbourne a complimentary three-minute shower timer to help conserve dwindling water supplies.

The last decade has been the driest on record in Victoria with river flows and reservoir levels at an all-time low. Accor says that with guests across 324 rooms taking three-minute showers, “that’s a lot of water being saved”.

The Novotel Melbourne on Collins will also be part of an Accor company wide global environmental initiative.

Turnbull retreats on water plan ...

Read about Minister Turnbull's ongoing Murray-Darling saga - here.

Victoria opts out and other States are following ...

New 4350water blog survey ...

"Why do you visit 4350water blog?"

Vote over at the right hand column of the blog ...

Beattie keeps his hands off Toowoomba's water assets ...

... for now.

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Toowoomba is on its own until about 2012.

Premier Peter Beattie yesterday summoned 19 mayors from Queensland's south-east to Brisbane, who were told the State Government would take over their councils' water assets. Up to $2 billion would be offered in compensation.

Toowoomba, though, was highlighted as an exception.

The State Government would not take control of the city's water assets, and there would be no subsequent compensation.
...

See - We're left high and dry - and happy.


It seems Toowoomba is once again excluded from SEQ - something most Toowoomba ratepayers will be happy about.

A victory of sorts as Toowoomba ratepayers live to fight another day.

Beattie's plans to strip water assets from Councils was always a difficult play. He claims to be going to offer compensation - but not cash according to the Qld Labor government's water arm, the QWC. It will be in debt forgiveness instead.

Toowoomba was always going to be difficult to deal with in those circumstances.

Toowoomba has water assets totalling just over $394 million (based on gross valuation - TCC 2005-6 Annual Report). The written down value of these assets is just over $228 million.

Toowoomba also has wastewater assets of just over $259 million (based again on gross valuation) with a written down value of just over $125 million.

Toowoomba has current borrowings of around $65 million (TCC 2005-6 Annual Report).

To acquire Toowoomba's water assets (using the written down value), Premier Beattie would have needed to write off Toowoomba's $65 million debt and pay an additional $194 million. Add in the wastewater assets and Premer Beattie would have needed to pay Toowoomba $288 million.

Toowoomba simply does not have sufficient borrowings to allow Premier Beattie to acquire its assets by a mere accounting entry in QIC's books.

So he would have needed to stump up cash. And spare cash is something that Beattie just doesn't have. Plus it would screw up his privatise-on-the-cheap plans.

Better to leave Toowoomba out for the moment. Until the so-called Wivenhoe connection is built.

If it ever is.

Between now and 2011-2012, Toowoomba will have two Council elections and there will be at least one State election - sufficient time for new people to be elected and existing water source ideas to be acted upon.

One of the main stumbling blocks with Toowoomba accessing water is Mayor Thorley. She and her fellow Yes councillors refuse to budge on any of the other water source options put before them. They now concede that Toowoomba will not run out of water (getting that admission was like getting blood out of one of the Deputy Mayor's rocks!).

But getting them to act in the interests of the Toowoomba community and adopt one of the other water source options is not so simple. They prefer to bury their heads in their seafood buffets and gourmet sandwiches than work for the community they were elected to serve.

More than ever, the 2008 Toowoomba City Council election will be fought on the issue of water and, with the possible amalgamation of Toowoomba with neighbouring shires - particularly Jondaryan, the election will be most interesting.

Even if the Wivenhoe connection is built, with Acland Coal likely to take water from the Oakey bore fields (leaving nowhere for Toowoomba's RO waste stream to go) and with Brisbane now discussing a direct potable use plan with recycled water not going into Wivenhoe, Toowoomba's chances of drinking recycled water are getting slimmer all the time ...

Premier Beattie - I want it all ...

See - Courier Mail - State seizes water assets.

The look on his face says it all - dictating to the people of Qld.

My way or the highway (which we haven't built yet either) ...

Beattie - Brisbane should be nation's capital ...

... because of its access to water.

Did he really say that?

Excerpt from Sydney Morning Herald:

"Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said if Australia was settled now, Brisbane would probably be the capital because of its closeness to Asia and access to water."

See - Beattie - let's see how far I can stretch reality.

If access to water is the main factor, Perth - with its desalination plant and sensible forethought on at least some water issues - should be the frontrunner for the nation's capital.

Brisbane, at the hands of Beattie and Bligh, would be down at the tail end of the contenders ...

Danish Space Center's view on global warming and the cosmic radiation connection ...

Excerpt from Danish National Space Center website:

Global warming and cosmic radiation

What does cosmic radiation have to do with global warming?

Read more about what researchers at the DNSC think.

The Earth’s climate is always changing.

This has been the case in the geological and historical time and even during the last 150 years, where systematic climate measurements have been made, we have seen clear climate changes.

Climate changes have both a scientific and a social perspective. The social perspective is associated with the range of climate change that can be attributed to the increasing human induced contribution. The scientific perspective is an endeavour to understand the full complex system of the various sources of climate change and their mutual interactions.

The Danish National Space Center, DNSC, comprises the country's largest collected expertise in the scientific disciplines that play a major and documented role in the understanding of climate change both in geological and historical time, namely variations in solar activity.

DNSC regards it essential that this collected expertise is being used in an attempt to understand the natural causes of climate change in order to evaluate the contribution of natural causes to global change. Taking into account the large uncertainty associated with the estimated human contribution, a good research based estimate of the range of natural climate variations is an essential information.

DNSC is basing its effort in this area on own scientific results – observational, experimental, and theoretical. The scientific results have been published internationally and indicate that the varying activity of the Sun is indeed the largest and most systematic contributor to natural climate variations.

The effect goes through solar modulation of the cosmic radiation, which affects the formation of aerosols and thereby also the formation of clouds. Even though a physical mechanism connecting cosmic rays to aerosol formation has been found experimentally, no climate model has yet made an attempt to include such an effect.

That there exists a significant contribution from solar activity variations to global temperature increase does not, however, exclude other contributions to the rising global temperature, natural as well as human. DNSC, however, is focused on establishing the best possible and scientifically based evaluation of the size of solar induced effects on climate.

See - DNSC - global warming.

Excerpt from Fox News:

New Research Adds Twist to Global Warming Debate

12 October 2006

A new study provides experimental evidence that cosmic rays may be a major factor in causing the Earth’s climate to change.

Given the stakes in the current debate over global warming, the research may very well turn out to be one of the most important climate experiments of our time – if only the media would report the story.

Ten years ago, Danish researchers Henrik Svensmark and Eigil Friis-Christensen first hypothesized that cosmic rays from space influence the Earth’s climate by effecting cloud formation in the lower atmosphere. Their hypothesis was based on a strong correlation between levels of cosmic radiation and cloud cover – that is, the greater the cosmic radiation, the greater the cloud cover. Clouds cool the Earth’s climate by reflecting about 20 percent of incoming solar radiation back into space.

The hypothesis was potentially significant because during the 20th century, the influx of cosmic rays was reduced by a doubling of the sun’s magnetic field which shields the Earth from cosmic rays. According to the hypothesis, then, less cosmic radiation would mean less cloud formation and, ultimately, warmer temperatures – precisely what was observed during the 20th century.

If correct, the Svensmark hypothesis poses a serious challenge to the current global warming alarmism that attributes the 20th century’s warmer temperatures to manmade emissions of greenhouse gases.

Just last week, Svensmark and other researchers from the Centre for Sun-Climate Research at the Danish National Space Centre published a paper in the Proceedings of the Royal Society A – the mathematical, physical sciences and engineering journal of the venerable Royal Society of London – announcing that they had experimentally verified the physical mechanism by which cosmic rays affect cloud cover.

In the experiment, cosmic radiation was passed through a large reaction chamber containing a mixture of lower atmospheric gases at realistic concentrations that was exposed to ultraviolet radiation from lamps that mimic the action of the sun’s rays. Instruments traced the chemical action of the penetrating cosmic rays in the reaction chamber.

The data collected indicate that the electrons released by the cosmic rays acted as catalysts to accelerate the formation of stable clusters of sulfuric acid and water molecules – the building blocks for clouds.

“Many climate scientists have considered the linkages from cosmic rays to clouds as unproven,” said Friis-Christensen who is the director of the Danish National Space Centre. “Some said there was no conceivable way in which cosmic rays could influence cloud cover. [This] experiment now shows they do so, and should help to put the cosmic ray connection firmly onto the agenda of international climate research,” he added.

But given the potential significance of Svensmark’s experimentally validated hypothesis, it merits more than just a place on the agenda of international climate research – it should be at the very top of that agenda.

Low-level clouds cover more than a quarter of the Earth’s surface and exert a strong cooling effect. Observational data indicate that low-cloud cover can vary as much as 2 percent in 5 years which, in turn, varies the heating at the Earth’s surface by as much as 1.2 watts per square meter during that same period.

“That figure can be compared with about 1.4 watts per square meter estimated by the [United Nations’] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the greenhouse effect of all the increase in carbon dioxide in the air since the Industrial Revolution,” says Svensmark.
That is, cloud cover changes over a 5-year period can have 85 percent of the temperature effect on the Earth that has been claimed to have been caused by nearly 200 years of manmade carbon dioxide emissions. The temperature effects of cloud cover during the 20th century could be as much as 7 times greater than the alleged temperature effect of 200 years worth of additional carbon dioxide and several times greater than that of all additional greenhouse gases combined.

So although it has been taken for granted by global warming alarmists that human activity has caused the climate to warm, Svensmark’s study strongly challenges this assumption.

Given that the cosmic ray effect described by Svensmark would be more than sufficient to account for the net estimated temperature change since the Industrial Revolution, the key question becomes: Has human activity actually warmed, cooled or had no net impact on the planet?

Between manmade greenhouse gas emissions, land use patterns and air pollution, humans may have had a net impact on global temperature. But if so, no one yet knows the net sign (that is, plus/minus) of that impact.

Not surprisingly, Svensmark’s potentially myth-shattering study has so far been largely ignored by the media.

Though published in the prestigious Proceedings of the Royal Society A, it’s only been reported – and briefly at that – in The New Scientist (Oct. 7), Space Daily (Oct. 6) and the Daily Express (U.K., Oct. 6).

The media’s lack of interest hardly reflects upon the importance of Svensmark’s experiment so much as it reflects upon the media’s and global warming lobby’s excessive investment in greenhouse gas hysteria.

See - Fox News - global warming.

Credit Suisse launches World Water Trust ...

An opportunity for a rate rebate - investing in water companies as Premier Beattie moves towards privatising SEQ's water assets:

See - World Water Trust.

Also see - World Water Trust.

Veolia Water - the rise of Big Water...

... coming soon.

Breaking News: Beattie confirms water asset grab ...

... compensation still to be determined.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

State government to take over water assets

24 May 2007

The Queensland Government will take over council water assets in the state's southeast but Premier Peter Beattie today promised compensation of up to $2 billion.

Mr Beattie today released a Queensland Water Commission (QWC) report, which sets out how the Government will take over the council water assets.

The report recommends an overhaul of the southeast's water delivery services.

"There is currently a lack of clarity and proper accountability around ownership of water assets, and confusion about the responsibilities of state versus local government," Mr Beattie told state parliament.

"Under the new streamlined structure, just three bulk water providers - state-owned statutory authorities - will operate."

Two of the bulk water providers would own dams, weirs and other sources of water.

The third company wouuld control the manufactured water supply to the Gold Coast desalination plant and the western corridor recycled water project.

A separate state-owned company would own all the region's bulk water transportation assets, including all major pipelines and reservoirs.

A grid manager would be appointed to control the sharing of water across the region.

Mr Beattie said councils would be compensated for giving up their bulk water assets.

"It is impossible to say an exact amount until the due diligence process is complete. However, we expect compensations to be in the vicinity of $1 to $2 billion," he said.

See - Beattie asset grab.

Mayor Thorley refutes claims that 87% oppose recycled water - it's only 62% ...

Mayor Thorley knows only too well that when a community is surveyed, a majority of residents will respond that they do not want to drink recycled water.

Read Mayor Thorley's press release on the SEQ voluntary poll - here.

Does anyone really think that Mayor Thorley composed this sentence herself: "The survey was totally biased and does not in any way represent a statistical valued sample."

Didn't think so ...

High noon today - Beattie to dictate water asset strip ...

Councils to be told of the great asset strip.

Toowoomba faces losses of $400 million of Toowoomba ratepayers' assets - around one-third of assets.

Assets strip to occur under guise of 'council amalgamations'.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Water show down looms

24 May 2007

A showdown looms today over Premier Beattie's plan to strip billions of dollars of water assets from councils.

Several mayors are demanding that the State Government offer their councils compensations for the billions of dollars of water assets built up by councils over more than a century.

Mr Beattie is expected to announce today the State Government will take over council water assets in south-east Queensland.

The Queensland Water Commission is due to hand over its review of institutional arrangements to Mr Beattie, also this morning.

The premier has summoned the mayors of 19 councils across south east Queensland at parliament house to discuss the report's findings, and to propose the handover of water assets.

"Obviously with any proposition there's a requirement to discuss the ultimate proposal, but maybe that is the case, maybe that's what the premier's proposing this morning," Boonah Shire Mayor John Brent told ABC Radio.

"But we don't know, and that's one of the difficulties."

Mr Beattie will hold a media conference at noon today.

See - Beattie to strip Councils bare.

Climate change - a joke in 5 years ...

... so says NZ meteorologist. Expect him to be crucified by the global warming lobby groups.

Excerpt from the Timaru Herald

Global warming debunked

19 May 2007

Climate change will be considered a joke in five years time, meteorologist Augie Auer told the annual meeting of Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers in Ashburton this week.

Man's contribution to the greenhouse gases was so small we couldn't change the climate if we tried, he maintained.

"We're all going to survive this. It's all going to be a joke in five years," he said.

A combination of misinterpreted and misguided science, media hype, and political spin had created the current hysteria and it was time to put a stop to it.

"It is time to attack the myth of global warming," he said.

Water vapour was responsible for 95 per cent of the greenhouse effect, an effect which was vital to keep the world warm, he explained.

"If we didn't have the greenhouse effect the planet would be at minus 18 deg C but because we do have the greenhouse effect it is plus 15 deg C, all the time."

The other greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen dioxide, and various others including CFCs, contributed only five per cent of the effect, carbon dioxide being by far the greatest contributor at 3.6 per cent.

However, carbon dioxide as a result of man's activities was only 3.2 per cent of that, hence only 0.12 per cent of the greenhouse gases in total. Human-related methane, nitrogen dioxide and CFCs etc made similarly minuscule contributions to the effect: 0.066, 0.047 and 0.046 per cent respectively.

"That ought to be the end of the argument, there and then," he said
.
"We couldn't do it (change the climate) even if we wanted to because water vapour dominates."

Yet the Greens continued to use phrases such as "The planet is groaning under the weight of CO2" and Government policies were about to hit industries such as farming, he warned.

"The Greens are really going to go after you because you put out 49 per cent of the countries emissions. Does anybody ask 49 per cent of what? Does anybody know how small that number is?

"It's become a witch-hunt; a Salem witch-hunt," he said.

See- Timaru Herald - Global warming debunked.

Qld Water Minister flags privatisation ...

... says he's learnt a thing or two from Singapore.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

DAMS and desalination plants could become like toll roads with the private sector allowed to turn a profit by building and operating water infrastructure.

With the State Government facing a $9 billion-plus bill to address southeast Queensland's water crisis, Water Minister Craig Wallace has insisted private sector involvement is considered.

Mr Wallace recommended a review be undertaken into the benefits of allowing private companies to build infrastructure and sell water to the public.

See - First we make them drink recycled water, then we privatise it.

Premier Beattie - getting out before the lights go out ...

Remember post-2006 election, when Premier Beattie said he would contest the next state election (due by late 2009)?

Seems that's all off.

He's telling the Bulletin this week that he's out of Qld as soon as it looks like Anna can complete the SEQ water grid - although, at the pace she's going (laying and re-laying pipes), he may be around for quite some time ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Beattie flags retirement

23 May 20078

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has given a strong indication he may leave politics after the state's major new water infrastructure is in place.

Mr Beattie told The Bulletin magazine his deputy, Anna Bligh, was now ready to head the Government, but that he was reluctant to hand over the reins until the water grid was in place.

"I think she's ready to be premier, but I'm not ready to leave," Mr Beattie said.

"I don't want to stay forever and one day she'll be premier."

"We've got challenges to deal with ... and I want to make sure they're bedded down before I go anywhere."

"You don't leave your successor in the poo. I want to make sure the water grid is at a stage where the settings are put to bed on it."

The multi-billion dollar water grid - which involves a desalination plant, recycled water pipelines and water treatment plants - is due for completion late next year.
...

See - Beattie backflips on contesting next State election.

Beattie says local government jobs won't go ...

... but this won't save Mayor Thorley.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Premier Beattie: "Everyone who wants to continue working in local government will be able to do so post the 15th of March, 2008, which is the date of the next local government elections."

See - Beattie's council amalgamation blues.

Mayor Thorley may well want to keep working in local government after 15 March 2008 but the voters of Toowoomba may have other ideas ...

Beattie and Bligh - how many more gaffes ...

Excerpt from Courier Mail editorial:

How many more gaffes?

22 May 2007

Most of us can empathise with a State Government grappling with the logistics of completing such an ambitious project as the Western Corridor Recycled Water Pipeline.

It is an unprecedented mission of herculean engineering proportions.

But readers will still roll their eyes at a State Government that has overseen the digging up, near Esk, of 800m of freshly laid pipes.

By any measure the error – apparently due to inadequate bedding materials – constitutes a wanton waste of money and, more unfortunately, time for a project already that can ill afford either. Infrastructure Minister Anna Bligh asserts, in her Government's defence, that such exhumations are "standard practice".

It is indeed credible that such isolated setbacks are part and parcel of any heavy construction, and we could forgive the Government this gaffe if it were a genuine one-off.

But delays in the construction of this and other infrastructure projects are hardly isolated; rather they are commonplace.

Before this, for example, we heard the Government admit that 1000 pipes sit on a Wollongong dock awaiting tests for Australian standards. We wonder what excuse will next be offered.

It is perhaps most disappointing that Ms Bligh and Premier Peter Beattie are happy to obfuscate the truth as to the extent of construction delays.

As only 33km of the 400km of Western Corridor pipeline have been set down, Queenslanders have lost patience with a Government that, on an almost daily basis, advances yet more excuses. Residents in the state's southeast would much prefer ministers to come clean and detail all known and anticipated difficulties with infrastructure construction, together with the release of revised, realistic completion dates.

To be honest today with the very taxpayers whose money the Government expends will allow Mr Beattie tomorrow to gain substantially more political kudos, particularly if projects are completed before schedule and under budget.

Attempts to the gild the lily might previously have attained for the Government some short-term breathing space but, clearly, voters no longer believe the litany of excuses now so often trotted out.

We do not blame the Government for the lack of rainfall. But we can censure this administration – and its predecessors – for failing to prepare adequately for this calamity.

This Government, after all, was plainly cognisant of three facts: the region is prone to drought; no new dams have been constructed in the past two decades; and 1500 people each week migrate to Queensland to strain an already creaking infrastructure.

When the drought finally breaks and the current crisis has passed, let us hope public administrators – politicians and bureaucrats alike – will have learnt not only better water management strategies but also better policy making generally. With proper planning and expenditure, infrastructure crises need never arise again.

See - Courier Mail - how many nore gaffes?

SEQ pipes made in China - Anna wishes she was there ...

The Courier Mail is running a fairly uncomplimentary digitally altered image of Deputy Premier Bligh here - Anna - tell us another one - as part of the following story:

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Tell us another one

22 May 2007

Anna Bligh is lucky the story of Pinocchio is only a fairytale.

Because if a nose really did grow longer every time its owner told a fib – the fate that blighted the little wooden puppet – the Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister could be in danger of acquiring a very prominent beak.

Ms Bligh has repeatedly embarrassed the State Government by misrepresenting the severity of the water crisis and the attempts to alleviate it.

There was more potential humiliation for the minister yesterday when it was claimed pipes destined for the Western Corridor pipeline were manufactured from inferior steel plate from a non-accredited factory in China.

The claim comes after a series of recent embarrassing setbacks for the recycled water pipeline, including a section being dug up and an admission that the pipeline will deliver less water than originally promised.

A government contractor, who did not want to be named, told The Courier-Mail that information from government supplier Orrcon that sub-standard pipes lying on a wharf in Wollongong originated in South Korea were incorrect.

He said the steel plate the pipes were made from was sourced by a non-accredited Chinese factory before the pipes were welded together in Korea. The steel was too soft and some of the pipes could not be bent as required.

Photos of the pipes taken by The Courier-Mail confirmed the steel was made in China.

See - Courier Mail - Tell us another one.

PM Howard scraps $475,000 wall - Chinchilla still gets nothing ...

PM John Howard was planning to move a wall so that seating in his private dining room at Parliament House could be increased from 16 to 20.

Cost?

$475,000.

That's almost $119,000 per extra seat.

Plus the consultants fees and the refit of the furniture.

Scrapped as soon as the cost became public.

And yet Chinchilla gets no federal funding for its coal seam gas water scheme which would drought-proof the town because it's not unique - Dalby has already received funding.

Perhaps Chinchilla should apply for funding to move a wall and then use the money for its water scheme ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

PM scraps $540,000 dining room

22 May 2007

Prime Minister John Howard has scrapped plans for a $540,000 extension to a private dining room in his Parliament House suite.Officials in Mr Howard's department had been considering knocking down a wall to create a larger dining room capable of hosting dinners for up to 20 people.

Mr Howard's wife Janette was involved in the meeting at which the plan was first discussed.

A Senate estimates committee was told today that the rough estimate for the building work alone had come in at $475,000 - enough to buy a house in most capital cities.

But late today, a spokesman for Mr Howard said the work would not go ahead.

"There was a proposal to increase the size of the area but the Government has decided not to proceed," a spokesman for Mr Howard said.

More than $65,000 has already been spent on architect and consultant fees for the extension, the committee was told today.

And the architect drawing up the plans recommended spending $200,000 on new furniture for the enlarged room - a proposal Mr Howard's office immediately rejected.

See - Howard wants more over for dinner.

If the Federal Coalition lose the upcoming Federal election, they'll only have themselves to blame ...

Caltex signs up to drink recycled water ...

In one of those rare sensible moments in Qld local and state government, the State government and Brisbane City Council have arranged for Caltex to use recycled water at its Lytton oil refinery, freeing up over 4ML per day of drinking water.

Factories 'drinking' recycled water rather than humans.

Now if only the rest of the SEQ recycled water could be used for industrial purposes - like Singapore - instead of planning to make people drink recycled water and then pump dam water to the power stations ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Brisbane council seals deal for Caltex refinery to use recycled water

21 May 2007

A $12 million funding deal will allow Brisbane's second largest water user to rely on recycled supplies from the middle of next year.

The Queensland Government has put the money behind the Brisbane City Council's upgrade of the Wynnum wastewater plant.

It means treated water can be piped to Caltex's Lytton oil refinery, freeing up more than four megalitres of drinking water every day.

Early this month, Brisbane's heaviest water user - fertiliser company Incitec, set up a temporary desalination plant to cut its reliance on fresh water.

See - Caltex to drink recycled water.

Jondaryan Shire pushes ahead with dual pipe subdivisions ...

While Toowoomba City Council sits on its hands and says it's all too hard, Jondaryan Shire Council shows leadership on recycled water usage, approving yet another subdivision in the shire to contain dual or 'purple pipe' recycled water.

See - Jondaryan Shire Council minutes - 24 April 2007 - page 88 - 188 lot subdivision - Drayton-Wellcamp Road Glenvale.

Prof. Collignon expands on why we shouldn't drink recycled water ...

Comments on Dr Stuart Khan's blog - here.

Jondaryan Shire CEO explains a few things to Premier Beattie ...

Jondaryan Shire Council Media Release:

CEO denies Jondaryan Council is ‘broke’

21 May 2007

Queensland’s longest-serving Local Government Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has responded angrily to claims his Council is unviable.

CEO of Jondaryan Shire Council, Noel Cass, says his shire is not ‘broke’.

Mr Cass was responding to a Queensland Treasury report released by Premier Beattie last week which cited Jondaryan shire as ‘very weak’.

"The last unqualified audit approval of Jondaryan’s books revealed independently audited assets of $121 million, our annual income of $13.7 million was higher than our liabilities of $9 million, we had cash/reserves of $3.9 million and our rate accounts were in credit."

"As the CEO of Jondaryan Shire Council, I offer a guarantee to the residents of the Shire, the suppliers of Council’s goods and services and to my fellow employees that this Council is financially viable and anything but ‘broke’. We will continue to manage our finances in a responsible manner until this reform agenda is concluded."

Despite its healthy balance sheet, Mr Cass said the Council has no qualms about spending rate-payers money.

"The primary role of Council is to provide services to its residents. Jondaryan Council has a very competent and well equipped work force and has one of the highest customer service satisfaction results (75%) ever recorded in Queensland."

Independent research firm Marketfacts carried out a survey in late 2005 showing the Jondaryan overall satisfaction rating was 75.6% compared to 71.5% for rural councils and 72% across all local governments in Queensland. Marketfacts conducts State-wide studies every two years.

Mr Cass said these results are not reflective of a council in a ‘very weak’ position.

"Given Mr Beattie's business acumen, amply demonstrated by his handling of the State’s health and water, I appreciate he might consider Jondaryan a “very weak” organization. However, the Treasury report is misleading, it is a snapshot in time – taken before we received 44% of our funds in grants. The reality is that Jondaryan shire is a very viable and well run organization."

"My suggestion to Mr Beattie is to desist with the deceit, inflammatory assertions and financial vilification of Councils who have served their communities well for over 100 years and instead show some leadership and maturity in taking us through the long overdue and very important process of reforming Local Government."

"Unfortunately with the possible exception of a former mayor, the seven person Commission appointed by the Beattie Government does not between them have one day of practical experience in the administration of a local authority."

"The challenge for Mr Beattie is to allay the concerns particularly of rural people that they will not be disfranchised, their levels of Council services will not be reduced and most importantly, apart for the loss of a few senior management, their local net employment levels will not reduce."

"The longer all parties politicise this process the more our workforces will be destabilized and our service levels affected."

"It's up to Mr Beattie as the Government leader responsible for Local Government to steady the ship and complete this process as quickly and thoroughly as possible."

See - Jondaryan Shire Council - CEO denies Jondaryan Council is ‘broke’.

SEQ pipeline - it's better the second time around ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail (annotated):

Hokey pokey pipeline

21 May 2007

Work on the Western Corridor recycled water pipeline was delayed for "at least" two weeks while nearly a kilometre of pipes were dug up after just being laid, an Esk Shire councillor said yesterday.

"They told us in early February it (the pipeline) would be in the ground by the end of February but it was more like the end of March before they got any (pipes) in the ground," Cr Bruce Pearce, who lives near the work site, said.
...

A spokesman for Deputy Premier Anna Bligh said yesterday that the pipes were removed as a "standard practice" [after a typical stuff up!] after tests on bedding material proved unsatisfactory.

Officials had wanted to use a cheaper crushed rock but "compaction targets could not be achieved" so sand was used.

He said 750m of pipe was removed, taking two days.

Cr Pearce said he drove by the pipeline every day and the Government wasn't telling the truth about the delay.

"It was two weeks at an absolute minimum," he said.

See - Courier Mail - Hokey pokey pipeline.


By the time the pipeline is laid and re-laid, it will be a world record if it is completed on time.

Once again the State Labor government is stretching the truth - was it 2 days or 2 weeks before the pipeline was relaid ...

The (not so) secret Brisbane toilet-to-tap plan ...

... forcing Brisbane residents to drink recycled water on a 'toilet-to-tap scheme' scale done nowhere else in the world while using dam water supplies for the power stations.

Queensland - the Smart State!

And nobody wants to own up to the idea.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Recycled water 'option' revealed

18 May 2007

Brisbane residents could end up using more recycled water than first thought under an emergency plan mooted by the Queensland Water Commission.

The move is an option if authorities are forced to shorten the proposed western corridor pipeline to Wivenhoe Dam.

Under the current proposal, the 80 km pipeline would release fully treated recycled water from the Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment Plant into the top of Wivenhoe.

However, if the pipeline cannot be completed by the deadline – currently April next year – the commission has considered a shorter pipeline releasing the recycled water into Mount Crosby Weir near Karana Downs, 60km south-east of Wivenhoe.

This means that the recycled water would not be diluted by mixing with fresh water in the Wivenhoe Dam.

The recycled water would also not be available to the Tarong Power Station which sources its water from Wivenhoe. The power station already is at 30 percent capacity because of a lack of water to drive its turbines.

Local government sources today confirmed that the shorter pipeline option had been revealed by water commission staff earlier this year.

Local Government Association executive director Greg Hallam said Water Commission staff had described the idea of a Mt Crosby diversion as “an option’’ when quizzed about it at a conference in February attended by delegates from southeast Queensland councils.

He said the conference forum was told the Mt Crosby proposal had been considered "at an engineering level".

"The question was put at a forum at the convention centre," Mr Hallam said.

Mr Hallam said the staff were asked whether the plan was an option. “They said 'Yes'," Mr Hallam said. “It was definitely talked about and they said ‘Yes'."

However, the office of Deputy Premier Anna Bligh has vehemently denied there is any plan whatsoever to divert treated recycled water to Mt Crosby Reservoir.

An official said that pipes had already been laid close to Wivenhoe as proof the government wants the pipeline to extend the full distance – 80km - through the towns of Borralon, Lowood, Coominya, and Esk to Caboonbah near the top of Lake Wivenhoe.

The Queensland Water Commission has been invited to respond to Mr Hallam's remarks.

See - Beattie to force toilet to tap scheme on Brisbane.

Also see - Water plan wasn't ours.

Global warming causes baby seals to be clubbed to death ...

... or at least so thinks US actor Leonardo DiCaprio given the images in his new documentary on the effects of global warming.

He also thinks the media should leave Al Gore alone and let him fly in private jets and live in his big house - "he's doing his best to combat global warming".

See - DiCaprio bites back over eco 'hypocrisy'.

Research to dramatically increase efficiency and reduce the environmental costs of desalinated water ...

Excerpt from nanowerk.com

Nanotechnology water desalination for Australia

19 May 2007

The delivery of energy efficient desalination in Australia received a boost with the establishment of a major new research collaboration between CSIRO and nine of Australia’s leading universities.

The research aims to dramatically increase efficiency, and reduce the financial and environmental costs of producing desalinated water. The research will help advance water desalination as an alternative water supply option for Australia.

The research addresses one of the biggest challenges currently facing Australia, the delivery of sustainable water supplies. It will focus on energy efficient and environmentally sound desalination and water recycling programs.

CSIRO, through the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship, and in partnership with nine Australian Universities, has established the Advanced Membrane Technologies for Water Treatment Research Cluster.

The Membrane Cluster brings together some of Australia’s leading scientists from a range of disciplines in a bid to place Australia at the forefront of novel membrane development.

Led by Professor Stephen Gray of Victoria University, the multi-disciplinary research team will carry out a comprehensive evaluation of existing membranes and develop new energy efficient membranes.

“Many desalination and recycling programs rely on a process called reverse osmosis, where the water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane, removing salts and any other contaminants,” Professor Gray says.

“These membranes need regular replacement and cleaning, but they also require a large amount of energy to force water through what are nano-sized pores.

“We aim to improve membrane design to increase their energy efficiency and reliability, thus reducing the financial and environmental costs of producing desalinated and recycled water.

”We also aim to improve membrane ’anti-fouling’ properties - that is, the ability of the membrane to ‘self-clean’.

When contaminants are removed from water, some of them adhere to the surface. These contaminants build up on the surface, increasing the pressure and energy required. Chemicals are used to clean the membranes, but membrane surfaces that are less sticky would reduce the pressure and energy required and the frequency of cleaning.”

The Cluster research will link with and inform related CSIRO research into membrane and nanotechnology, i.e. carbon nanotube water filtration technologies.

Mr Alan Gregory, urban water research leader at CSIRO, says: “In combination with other research projects led by CSIRO, we aim to reduce by up to 50 per cent the amount of energy required to desalinate seawater using membranes. This same technology will have benefits for the treatment and recycling of wastewater.

”This also means we could potentially provide more secure water supplies while minimising greenhouse gas emissions.”

Other partners are: the University of NSW, Monash University, the University of Melbourne, RMIT, Curtin University of Technology, the University of Queensland, Deakin University and Murdoch University.

Funding for the research was announced by the Minister for Education, Science and Training, The Hon Julie Bishop MP, under the Flagship Collaboration Fund Cluster funding. The Fund is designed to facilitate the involvement of the wider Australian research community in addressing the critical national challenges targeted by the Flagships.

As part of the $A305 million (approx US$ 250 million) over seven years provided by the Australian Government to the National Research Flagships, $A97 million was specifically allocated to further enhance collaboration between CSIRO, Australian universities and other publicly funded research agencies.

Source: CSIRO

See - Desal costs to plummet.

State governments continue to milk water assets for dividends ...

State governments have defied calls for more spending on the nation's dilapidated water infrastructure, instead stripping $1 billion from the profits of their publicly owned water bodies.

See - the Australian - States' $1bn water cash cow.

Oakey bores to put further nail in Water Futures coffin ...

With Jondaryan Shire Council negotiating with New Hope Corporation regarding the use of the bore RO waste water for the New Acland coal mine, the viability of Mayor Thorley's ill-fated Water Futures project (without $70 million plus of evaporation ponds) is further compromised.

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Construction begins on Oakey water plant

17 May 2007

Even without further rain, Peter Taylor expects some reprieve for Toowoomba's dams by the end of the year.

The Jondaryan Shire Mayor said a $6 million project to connect and treat bore water supplies in Oakey had started with water mains being laid.

Five bores with a combined allocation of 750 megalitres are being assessed while discussions are being held with New Acland Mine to take the salty wastewater for industrial use.

"The reintroduction of treated bore water into the Oakey supply will relieve some pressure on the reticulated water supply from the Toowoomba region dams," Cr Taylor said.

See - Oakey bores to supply New Acland Coal.

QWC proposes quiz to solve SEQ's water woes ...

In yet another example that the Beattie Labor government has no clue about how to solve SEQ's water source issues, the QWC has decided to mail out a quiz to 1.1 million households to entertain people while the water runs out:

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

The commission plans to mail water-saving packages to 1.1 million households in the southeast at the end of the month. The package will include a shower timer, 12-page water-saving tip booklet and a water-use quiz.

See - Time yourself completing the quiz while the water runs out.

Coming soon - the 4350water water-use quiz.

In the interim, todays' real quiz - how much will 1.1 million versions of the quiz cost taxpayers?

Premier Beattie under pressure over council amalgamations ...

... Rudd fears electoral backlash and tells Beattie to back down.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Rudd's call to dump mergers

17 May 2007

Federal Labor leader Kevin Rudd has weighed into the council amalgamation brawl, demanding that Peter Beattie review his controversial plan.

Mr Rudd issued the call after meeting the Premier yesterday amid fears that forced amalgamations might harm Labor's federal election chances.

"I have asked the Premier to review his council amalgamation proposal," Mr Rudd said in a statement last night.

"I believe it is possible to obtain significant economic efficiencies from a number of local authorities without the forced amalgamation of councils."

See - Rudd fears backlash.

Add the SEQ recycled water issue into the equation and Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has plenty to worry him in the run up to this year's Federal election ...

Brisbane's Mayor protests Beattie water asset grab ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Mayor sounds warning

17 May 2007

Household rates will go "through the roof" if the State Government short-changed councils in a reform of the region's water supplies, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman says.On Tuesday, Cr Newman pre-empted a possible move by the Government to seize control of councils' water assets by outlining his own proposed model for water administration in the southeast.

In a letter to Premier Peter Beattie, Cr Newman proposed councils would hand over control of their bulk water assets to the State Government in return for fair compensation – either cash or equity in the assets – and the right to continue to retail water.

Yesterday, Cr Newman said his plan would require serious concessions by City Hall, coupled with very significant financial transactions between councils and the State Government.

"If those assets weren't paid for in some way or we weren't given equity, it would mean there would be huge upward pressure on rates – rates would have to go up," he said.

See - Beattie privatisation grab.

The same issue applies to Toowoomba with Premier Beattie seeking to take around $300-400 million of Toowoomba's water assets (around a third of the assets Toowoomba City Council manages for the ratepayers of Toowoomba) for his asset amalgamation and future privatisation ...

SEQ pipeline - send more pipes ...

The SEQ infrastructure project collapses into farce following the delivery of faulty pipes from South Korea.

With only a small percentage of the pipeline completed, this latest embarrassment is a further example of the Qld Labor government's inability to plan and complete infrastructure projects.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Dodgy pipes threaten project

16 May 2007

A shipment of 1000 pipes for the vital Western Corridor water recycling project has been held up on a dock in Wollongong amid fears they don't meet Australian standards.

Imported from South Korea, the pipes failed an initial inspection and were not useable.

More tests are being conducted by the pipeline contractor to determine what will happen to the mountain of steel.

It is the latest in a series of setbacks for the water recycling project, which must be completed in 19 months to prevent southeast Queensland from running out of water.

Bligh shows her true form - lie, lie and then lie some more to the people of SEQ ...

Finally, the main stream press comes to the same conclusion formed by the blogs over 18 months ago - the local and state government authorities in Qld will do anything and say anything to force people to adopt their preferred water source options.

People expect politicians to lie. In fact, Premier Beattie legislated so that it is a legitimate past-time of government members in Parliament. However, the electorate is still shocked when a politician is caught out - as Deputy Premier Bligh has been caught red-faced with deceiving the people of Qld.

Any remaining credibility with the electorate is now in tatters. And with the CMC angry at her dismissive comments and breathing down her neck, how long is her place as Deputy Premier assured?

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Lies, dam lies and statistics

14 May 2007

It was a fascinating week, watching Kevin Rudd trying to seize and hold the middle economic ground without appearing to be John Howard with hair and Peter Costello without the smirk. Hallowed Labor planks are being prised from the party platform and jettisoned by the day as anything seen as an impediment to the ascension of St Kevin to the great tabernacle which is The Lodge is cast aside.

In Queensland, however, there are some Labor Party traditions which shall be forever cherished and one of these has been to "vote early and vote often", a strategy still embraced, it is said, in some party branches to ensure that one of the "mates" is endorsed.

It is an exhortation which would seem to have been heard by persons unknown within the State Government when National Party MP Rob Messenger posted an online poll seeking opinions on the construction of the divisive Traveston Crossing dam.

Messenger could reasonably have expected that those facing resumption of their properties would dominate the voting and skew it against the Beattie Government's plan.

How surprised he must have been when his modest little exercise in public opinion sampling showed that 85 per cent of the respondents to the survey thought the dam was the most marvellous project ever conceived.

He had barely had time to digest this news when Deputy Premier Anna Bligh all but tripped over the hem of her frock in her haste to leap to her feet in State Parliament and spruik the results of the Messenger poll.

"The result of that poll – which polled 537 people – is 85 per cent of the people who replied said yes, they support the Beattie Government," she cried triumphantly. At this point Messenger must have chastised himself for not following the practice of Queensland governments of the past 150 years which has been never to conduct a poll, survey or referendum unless you load the questions asked to guarantee the result you want.

As he sat and pondered this, Messenger's nostrils began to twitch. He could smell something and it wasn't the Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister's perfume. It was a rat.

There was something definitely odd about the result and how did Bligh almost seem to know in advance that his innovative little online poll which he had hoped would highlight opposition to the dam site had imploded?

Guided by his intuition, Messenger engaged technicians to find out if there was anything untoward in the responses to his poll.

It did not take them long to find the source of the rodent-like odour which was bothering him, for 175 of the votes lodged in favour of the dam site had come from three computer addresses within the State Government.

One was located in the third level of the Executive Building in George St, the same floor occupied by Bligh's Infrastructure Department. Imagine that?

Bligh has subjected her staff to the Beattie eyeball test – the one where you ask them if they have transgressed and if they say they haven't, you believe them.

The legal system is yet to embrace this test and persists with judges and juries but I'm sure it's but a matter of time before it realises its worth.

Bligh's staff pleaded innocence so apparently the computers whirred into life and voted 175 times without being guided by human hands. The minister's initial reaction when confronted by Messenger's rat was to dismiss it as an example of some unknown person's stupidity.

When the stakes began to rise, she tried the dismissive approach, saying a complaint made to the Crime and Misconduct Commission was "laughable".

She then took a swipe at the CMC for bothering to investigate the claims, saying it should be out there "fighting crime", all of which tends to overlook the most important element of the entire issue and it is this: Has the Government become so arrogant that ministerial staffers think it's acceptable to manipulate a poll and then present the falsified results to their minister to trumpet in Parliament?

If they would do this, what else would they do to advance the Government's cause?

Where do the cheating, duplicity and lying stop?

Recycled water poll - the results say it all ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Recycled water opponents' poll backs position

14 May 2007

A poll conducted in Brisbane has found more than 90 per cent of those who responded oppose drinking recycled water.

A group against the State Government's plan to pump recycled water into the Wivenhoe Dam distributed 400,000 voting forms and booklets outlining their position across Brisbane earlier this year.

More than 6,000 residents responded, voting via fax, email or post.

Campaign organiser and Toowoomba City Councillor Snow Manners says the State Government should reconsider its plan.

"People are resoundingly against purified sewage in their drinking water," he said.

The State Government scrapped a planned south-east Queensland poll on the introduction of recycled water into drinking supplies in January.

Mr Manners says the poll suggests a compulsory plebiscite would find most residents are against the idea.

"Premier Beattie obviously has the same figures in front of him as we have," he said.

"That is the reason he cancelled the proposed March 17 vote."

Toowoomba residents voted against a proposal to add recycled water to the city's water supply in a referendum last July.

"This figure is fairly consistent with the opinion that was measured in Toowoomba," Mr Manners said.

"People now realise that they've been lied to.

"They've been lied to about Singapore, lied to about London, they've been lied to about public opinion on the issue, they've been lied to about the scienific research and the safety of it."

Mr Manners says the group will now step up its campaign ahead of the Federal election.

"We're going to make sure it's not a hidden agenda in the Federal election," he said.

"Malcolm Turnbull has to make a policy about urban water supplies, as does Kevin Rudd."

The ABC has contacted Deputy Premier Anna Bligh's office for a response but is yet to receive one.

Mayor Thorley - on the road again ...

This time it's the Water Efficiency Conference in Brisbane on 17 -18 May 2007.

Mayor Thorley will speak on water efficiency programs for Toowoomba City Council.

See - Water Efficiency Conference - 17-18 May 2007.

Another dinner talk - more Thorley wisdoms ...

The event:

1st National EMS forum
EMS Association Inc.
Burke & Wills Hotel
Toowoomba
14 -17 May 2007

15 May 2007
6.00pm-9.00pm
Drinks and dinner
Guest Speaker: Di Thorley, Mayor of Toowoomba

If you can't attend, you can listen to an earlier dinner speech here - Thorley in full flight.

Dalby's alternative water supply on tap by 2008...

Excerpt from Dalby Town Council press release:

Alternative water supply on tap by 2008

11 May 2007

Plans to bolster Dalby's drinking water with treated coal seam gas (CSM)
by-water by 2008 using world-first water technology are well underway at Dalby Town Council.

At last week's meeting of the Dalby Water Supply Redevelopment Project
Steering Committee detailed designs for the project's infrastructure were
tabled as project planning continues to progress.

"Designs for the new desalination plant and 23 kilometre pipeline that
will carry CSM by-water from Arrow Energy's Tipton West gas field to
Council's Water Treatment Plant are currently being prepared," Dalby Mayor Warwick Geisel said.

"The new desalination plant will be roughly twice the size of Council's
existing plant and use a similar reverse osmosis treatment process that
has been tailored to the characteristics of CSM by-water," Cr Geisel said.

"With double the capacity, the new plant will produce four million litres
of water a day," he said.

The innovative project has gained support from all levels of government as well as private enterprise with Council collaborating with the Australian Government's National Water Commission, the Queensland government and Arrow Energy to get the venture off the ground.

Council's spokesperson for utility services - water Cr Barry O'Shea
believes the project demonstrates Council's good planning with the town
securing a long-term reliable base water supply.

"Whilst some councils are considering limiting development, this project
has meant that we are able to support new residential growth and
commercial development," Cr O'Shea said.

Other water saving initiatives associated with the project include
expansion of Council's recycled water network and implementation of water demand strategies such as Council's popular water rebates scheme.

Good enough for Dalby but not good enough for Federal funding for Chinchilla ...

Beattie's secret plan for Level 10 water restrictions ...

Do not under any circumstances tell Premier Beattie about this.

We would not want him getting any ideas!

Excerpt from Ananova.com

Dog poo no more!

A Dutch firm claims to have eliminated the problem of dog poo by creating a dog food that leaves almost no waste.

Developers Jos van der Linden and Nanette Waldorp say 90% of the food, called Energique, is absorbed into the dog's body.

They claim remaining 10% comes out the other end as a smell-free dry pellet that can be picked up by hand in a tissue.

According to research by the University of Utrecht, a dog will normally need to go three times a day, but with Energique it only needs to go once a week.

The pair are now selling Energique, which is totally meat based, as fast as they can, producing it at their pet food factory in Friesland.

Regular dog food only consists of about 15% meat, chicken leftovers, cereal crops and water.
Jos van der Linden said: "The food comes out as it came in, the problem is that a dog's bowel is not made for cereal crops.

"The whole secret behind the success of Energique is the simple approach that dogs, were they not pets, would only eat meat."

The new product is being hailed as a major boost in the fight to cut down on the problem of dog mess on city streets.

The only drawback is the price, Energique costs twice the price of regular dog food, but it has not stopped the company getting orders from as far as the US, Canada and Israel.

See - Beattie's secret Level 10 plan for humans.

Orders from US, Canada, Israel. Gee, it's done all over the world ...