Gold Coast - guinea pigs for treated water ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Guinea pigs for treated water

4 August 2007

Gold Coast residents could be drinking the highest concentration of recycled water in the world if some city councillors get their way.

The council has asked an advisory committee to investigate whether up to 130 megalitres (130 million litres) a day of treated wastewater could be pumped into the rapidly falling Hinze Dam.

The state plans to add the same quantity of recyded water to the Wivenhoe Dam by December next year. A quarter of southeast Queensland’s water supply could then consist of recycled water.

Because Wivenhoe has seven times the capacity of Hinze Gold Coast residents could be drinking much higher concentrations — up to 50 per cent. Deputy Premier Anna Bligh’s office, which has the final say in the matter, initially refused to comment on whether it wouLd rule out adding recycled water to the Hinze Dam.

However, late last night Ms Bligh’s spokesman said the office did not support the option. Despite that, several influential Gold Coast City councillors are pushing the idea. The council has engaged consulting firm SKM (Sinclair Knight Mertz) to help the Water-futures Advisory Committee with its investigation. The Gold Coast and Hinterland Environment Council and Mayor Ron Clarke said they were opposed to adding recycled water to the Hinze Dam.

“Were doing our best to make people aware of it down here. Its a very important issue,” said Gecko spokeswoman Lois Levi.

“The State Government is taking over water assets and we may not have a say anyway but It’s of great concern to us.’ Ms Levy said.

The state has acknowledged a 100ML a day potential shortfall in southeast Queensland’s water supply in 2009, which it has offset by removing Gold Coast demand. Despite dozens of coastal showers, Hinze Dam has lost a third of its capacity this year and could be empty by 2009 without heavy rainfall or injections of recycled water.

There is an alternativv, topping up the Hinze Dam with extra water from its desalination plant at Tugun. Ms Bligh said the state was “constantly investigating options that could add more volume into the water grid”.

“There have been various options put forward relating to possible upscaling of the desalination plant, however, Cabinet has not yet considered the matter. Ms Bligh said.