The Chaser drop in on K Rudd ...

See - The Chaser - Kevin's Facebook friends.

San Diego goes ahead with recycled water pilot project ...

Excerpt from the Union Tribune:

Sanders threatens to veto pilot project

30 October 2007

San Diego inched closer to embracing a controversial water recycling program after a City Council vote yesterday, but Mayor Jerry Sanders immediately promised to put a stop to it.

The council voted 5-2 to initiate a pilot program to purify sewage water and deliver it to residents for general use. The action came after the council was briefed on a long-awaited water reuse report.

The city already uses treated water for activities such as landscaping. Sanders, however, opposes allowing people to use the water more directly for such things as drinking and bathing. He threatened to veto the vote yesterday by the council.

The city has taken baby steps on water reuse before. A test in 2005 showed that purified water “easily” met drinking water standards.

The results have not convinced detractors, who call the proposal “toilet to tap.” Supporters call the plan, which has lingered in San Diego for more than a decade, “reservoir augmentation.”

Proponents say the plan could help to solve the city's water woes, which include expensive purchases of supplies from outside the region and increased vulnerability to droughts. Opponents say the water could be unsafe to drink and that cleansing it is too expensive.

Council President Scott Peters, along with members Toni Atkins, Donna Frye, Ben Hueso and Jim Madaffer voted in favor of the plan, while Kevin Faulconer and Tony Young opposed it. Councilman Brian Maienschein missed the meeting to aid fire victims.

Jim Barrett, the city's Water Department director, warned that such a project could cost up to $10 million, money that he does not have in his budget.

He said ratepayers would bear the expense, but Frye said the costs could be offset by grants or loans.

Sanders did not consider funding such a program when he secured a water rate increase this year. Barrett also said it would be nearly impossible to begin the project in 2008 because his department has yet to design or plan it.

The council's action calls for the mayor to launch a one-year pilot program by June and study the implications of proposals to boost the city's water supply. The council also wants a status report by January and for the mayor to begin a series of community forums on the topic that same month.

“Any progress is better than no progress,” Frye said. “I don't know that I'd call it significant, but I'd call it way better than nothing.”

The council also requested a study of the San Vicente Reservoir near Lakeside. Community leaders once urged the city to consider an estimated $210 million plan to pump recycled water into the reservoir.

The council's entire plan may be moot if Sanders' threatened veto holds. Fred Sainz, Sanders' spokesman, called the potential project “a camel's nose under the tent kind of thing” that the mayor won't accept.

“We'd just rather cut this off now, before investing one dollar of ratepayer money in something that just shouldn't be launched,” Sainz said.

The City Council can override mayoral vetoes with a simple majority vote. If that happens, Sainz said Sanders will use “the bully pulpit” to oppose human consumption of recycled water.
Frye said the voting bloc that passed yesterday's measure would stand and that it should force the mayor to hold more public forums citywide to explain the science behind recycled water.

See - San Diego and recycled water.

Ex-CH2M Hill Ian Law gets it wrong on Wetalla upgrade and Dalby ...

Interesting issues paper (Indirect Potable Reuse - Post Toowoomba - September 2006) which was tabled for review by the ACT's Expert Panel on Health.

Pity it's so wrong in relation to the Wetalla upgrade and Dalby.

An excerpt (annotated):

Like many in the water industry, I too was disappointed with the result in the 29 July referendum in Toowoomba.

We all saw blatant misinformation and emotive language scuttle the initiative [it is true that blatant misinformation from the Council helped scuttle the ill-fated project; there was emotive language from both sides] but we also saw a Mayor with the courage to promote Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) as a viable means of securing the future for Toowoomba [unfortunately the project as proposed was never viable and the outgoing Mayor has run off to Tasmania]; leadership that is not generally evident in our industry and it was very refreshing.

Yes, the vote shows that the community did not support the plan but what many forget is that the plans included a detailed five year testing and education program [the outgoing Mayor had to be dragged kicking and screaming to agree to that - also note: there is to be NO testing period for Brisbane - if Anna can actually get enough sewage to put into the system] – all of which came to nought when the then newly appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister with responsibility for water policy linked National Water Initiative funding to a referendum – and making this decision at that stage showed him to be totally unaware of the potentially emotive issues embodied in the Waterfutures Plan. [Better not letting the people have a say - just jam it down their throats instead. It is arguable that Minister Turnbull's visit to Toowoomba actually increased the NO vote.]

As an aside, the result of the ‘no’ vote is that secondary effluent from the Toowoomba Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) will continue to discharge into Gowrie Creek [ignores the Wetalla upgrade which was well underway at the time of the referendum] and be part of the water supply for downstream Dalby, for which I am sure the good folk in Dalby are grateful.
...

Mr Law must have missed the NWC funding approval for Dalby's coal seam gas water project so here's the link - NWC funding - Dalby gas water project.

It's odd that he missed the Wetalla upgrade given that CH2M Hill is one of the partners on that project.

One phrase rings true though:

"... we must now have the leaders who are prepared to enter into active partnerships with the general community and ensure that all options for future sustainable water supplies are carefully canvassed and considered."

No-one would argue that the Toowoomba City Council entered into an 'active partnership' with the community on the Water Futures project.

What people in Toowoomba remember (and will remember next March) is an outgoing Mayor who refused to discuss the issue with people in Toowoomba but happily jetted off to conferences around Australia (generally at ratepayers' expense) to talk about her plans for Toowoomba.

They remember an outgoing Deputy Mayor whose version of an active partnership with the community was to threaten to drop rocks on citizens who dared to speak out against the Water Futures project.

They remember closed door Council meetings and the difficulties in wrestling the Water Futures NWC funding application off the Council.

They remember a project which would never have worked as Council proposed and could never have been built for the amount they proposed.

They remember a Council which ensured that all options for future sustainable water supplies were NOT carefully canvassed and considered.

They remember the supposed scaremongering about the Mayor moving to Tasmania to run a pub turning out to be true.

That's what they remember.

Read the paper here - Ian Law - Toowomba, Dalby and other things.

Why is that people wishing to speak on the issue of the Toowoomba referendum get such basic issues wrong ...

Anna Bligh still defending government job for husband ...

Excerpt from News.com.au:

No mystery in husband's appointment: Bligh

30 October 2007

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has again been forced to defend the appointment of her husband to a new government office.

Greg Withers headed the future strategies unit of the Co-ordinator General's office until Ms Bligh became premier and the minister overseeing the office, six weeks ago.

He took leave to avoid a conflict of interest and was last week announced as the head of the new Office of Climate Change.

Opposition Leader Jeff Seeney today accused the government of creating the office for Mr Withers - saying it duplicated the existing Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence.

"How do we avoid the conclusion that this duplicated position was created specifically for Greg Withers because he is your husband?" Mr Seeney asked Ms Bligh in state parliament.
...

See - Anna on the defensive.

Federal election - watch Costello and Swan go head to head ...

Right now - ABC News - live debate.

Outgoing Mayor - one investment unit left ...

Still for sale - 2 bedroom unit - Margaret St Toowoomba.

Federal election - ultimate K Rudd/Garrett enviro backflip ...

The 'Kyoto political sound bite' has blown up in Labor's face.

First it's 'we don't need China and India to agree to emission targets'.

"Mr Garrett's concession on not seeking binding targets on developing countries would allow China to back away from the Sydney declaration and avoid binding targets from the UN process on climate change beginning in Bali in December."

Then hold a crisis meeting.

Followed by 'we'll adopt the government's policy'.

Amazing ...

Excerpt from the Australian:

Garrett backflips over Kyoto call

30 October 2007

Garrett reverses position on greenhouse gases

Lunch-time crisis meeting held in Cairns

Labor still wants 'binding environment targets'

Peter Garrett's political credentials were in tatters last night after Kevin Rudd forced his environment spokesman to issue a humiliating clarification of Labor's greenhouse gas policy.

The backdown came after a Labor crisis meeting, which followed a day of sustained assault by John Howard and senior ministers on Mr Garrett's approach to a new post-Kyoto climate accord.

Mr Garrett started the day by committing a Labor government to signing a new global agreement on greenhouse gas emissions targets that might not include developing nations, such as China and India.

Last night, Mr Garrett issued a statement, reversing his position.

The Opposition Leader had initially endorsed Mr Garrett's statement, drawing fire from senior government ministers, who accused Labor of destroying Australia's position on climate change and threatening jobs.

The Prime Minister said Mr Garrett's commitment, in an interview with The Australian Financial Review and on ABC radio, was against Australia's interests and would put Australian jobs at risk.

"We can't have a situation where Australian industry is bound to take steps to curb greenhouse gas emissions, but competitive countries like China are not bound," Mr Howard said. "Mr Garrett doesn't have a plan to cut emissions, he has a plan to cut Australian jobs."

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said committing to any new deal without the explicit support of developing countries was "absurd".

"You cannot be the government of Australia and go into negotiations saying 'developing countries don't have to make a contribution, we'll sign the agreement anyway' and think you are going to do something to solve this problem of greenhouse gas emissions," he said.

At a press conference in Cairns yesterday morning, where Mr Rudd and Mr Garrett unveiled a $200 million plan to protect the Great Barrier Reef, both men repeated the commitment.

Mr Rudd said countries such as Australia should be prepared to take the lead on signing new targets under a new international agreement so that big emitters in the developing world had no excuse not to adopt the same tough approach.

"We believe that leadership must come first from the developed economies, including Australia and the United States, and then countries and economies like China have nowhere to go," Mr Rudd said.

Earlier, Mr Garrett said on ABC radio that developed nations should make commitments at the Bali conference in December on climate change without waiting for developing countries to do so, and said Australia should ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

While it is Labor policy to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, Labor had also supported moves, such as the Asia-Pacific Climate pact, to draw developing nations into binding targets.

The Bali conference, and recent conferences in Germany and the US, are directed at a climate change policy beyond 2012, the end of the Kyoto agreement. At the APEC meeting in Sydney, Australia succeeded in getting both China and the US - the world's biggest greenhouse emitters, neither being bound by the Kyoto Protocol - to agree in principle to consider binding targets. China's President Hu Jintao and US President George W. Bush both agreed to the Sydney declaration on greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr Garrett's concession on not seeking binding targets on developing countries would allow China to back away from the Sydney declaration and avoid binding targets from the UN process on climate change beginning in Bali in December.

Only after Mr Howard and other Coalition ministers began to publicly question the policy, and the media began asking questions, did Mr Rudd, Mr Garrett and a team of advisers hold a crisis meeting at lunch-time in Cairns.

It was decided that Mr Garrett, who had made the initial commitment, should release a statement that "clarified" Labor's position and recognised the need to lock developing nations into targets for greenhouse gas emission cuts.

After Mr Rudd had flown to Townsville, Mr Garrett issued a statement to the media, emphasising that Labor's policy was to seek binding targets at the Bali conference for both "developed and developing" nations.

Mr Garrett's statement even italicised the "and" to make it clear he was repudiating his earlier comments.

"Appropriate developing country commitments for the post-2012 commitment period under a binding international agreement would be an essential prerequisite for Australian support for such an agreement," Mr Garrett's statement said.
...

See- Labor's environmental plans in tatters.

K Rudd and Garrett - backflip boys ...

Federal election - can Labor supporters spell ...

See - The Daily Telegraph - 'Hoawrd' haters out in force.

Also see the full photo - ABC News - unionists need to learn to spell.

NASA still perfecting recycled water ...

Excerpt from CTV.ca:

NASA to recycle urine into water during missions

21 October 2007

NASA researchers are developing a machine that will satisfy the need to reuse water on long-distance space flights by recycling urine.

"We turn urine into drinking water -- or Gatorade, depending on your tastes," joked NASA's Dr. Sherwin Gormly.

Current goals of returning to the moon and travelling beyond are hampered by the need to carry necessities, such as water, for longer flights.

Gormly said shipping just a kilogram of water in a shuttle costs about $5,000.

"We simply cannot ship a year's worth of water with somebody at a reasonable cost," he said.

The machine would reuse 95 per cent all water on board a spacecraft, meaning much less water would have to be taken along.

The distilling machine will take urine, other wastewater and even exhaled breath and purify them using chemical membrane osmosis, to produce more drinking water for the astronauts.

The machine will produce enough water to sustain six people each day.

And like other tools created for use in space, Gormly says the research could have broad implications.

With climate change and the prospect of low water supplies on earth, water conservation is becoming increasingly important.

Researchers said the machine could also reduce water use at home.

"The bottom line is right now, we're in the infancy of 100 per cent recycled water in the space business. And we are way ahead of where people are in the civilian world," said Gormly.

Marc Garneau, a former Canadian astronaut, said the beverage could take some getting used to.

"I've heard people say, and people who have had a glass of recycled urine, that there's something psychological about it. And I can understand that," he said.

The first machine could be on board the international space station by next year.

See - NASA still perfecting recycled water.

Remember the Toowoomba water debate when they gave the impression that all human waste was recycled on board spacecraft and happily consumed by astronauts?

Guess they were wrong.

Seems they weren't doing it everywhere, including in space ...

4350water blog - recent search terms ...

... always interesting!

1. 4350water blog
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86. wastewater wetalla toowoomba
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90. wetalla water reclamation facility
91. What the negatives to recycling water?”
92. who is affected by recycled water darling downs
93. youtube site:4350water.blogspot.com
94. yuck recycled water

Global warming to result in more obesity and mental illness ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Aussies face ailing health from warming planet

29 October 2007

A new report examining health risks of climate change warns Australians face a greater chance of getting sick from illnesses including dengue fever, obesity, diabetes and mental health.

The paper, compiled by 13 researchers, concludes that rapid environmental and climatic changes pose increasing risks to the health of Australians.

Deaths from heart attacks, strokes and respiratory disease caused by heatwaves could double or even triple by 2050.

It also found asthma is likely to increase in some groups, and viral infections such as avian flu and SARS will spread more readily as population density and people movement increases.
...

See - Global warming - the new killer.

Federal election - greatest moments in Australian politics ...

Federal election - try out Antony Green's election calculator ...

See - ABC News - Antony Green - seat by seat.

We'll see on the night ...

XXXX to use recycled water ...

Excerpt from Brisbane Times:

Brewery to recycle water to keep beer fresh

27 October 2007

Fourex Breweries at Milton is going to use recycled water to clean out its beer lines with the aim of saving more than one million litres of water each day.

Castlemaine Perkins Operations Manager Ian Roberts made the announcement yesterday to build a $16 million on-site water recycling plant at Fourex headquarters at Milton.

He was adamant it would not affect the taste of Fourex beer.

"Our on-site recycling plant is expected to deliver a 40 per cent reduction on current mains water usage without affecting the taste and quality of our beer," Mr Roberts said.

"The on-site recycled water won't be going into the beer but will instead be used to clean packaging lines, lubricate the conveyor chain and flush the toilets."

He said it wasn't the first step taken at the Milton beer plant to save water.

Mr Roberts, said the Fourex brewery had already reduced its water use by 64 per cent since 1990.

"That's a saving of 17,000 ML [megalitres], or enough water to quench the thirst of the population of Redcliffe for six years," he said.

"We've been playing an active role in cutting our water consumption long before the drought began to bite."

When the recycling plant is finished, it will take Fourex just 2.2 litres of water to make a litre of beer.

Currently, it takes four litres of water to produce one litre of Fourex beer, though apparently it takes CUB less water - just 2.3 litres of water - for a litre of its beer.

The water figures could end up producing a new version of the beer wars for this summer.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure Paul Lucas put the water saving into some perspective.

"The water recycling plant will be built by Castlemaine Perkins at the historic Milton Road brewery to free up to 1.1 million litres of precious drinking water for every day of beer production," he said.

"To put that in context, over a five-day beer production cycle that's the equivalent of more than two Olympic sized swimming pools or 14.6 million stubbies."

Work on the recycling plant starts in December and is planned to be finished by late 2008. The State Government will contribute $5.3 million towards the plant.

See - XXXX and recycled water.

What will happen if Anna manages to find enough sewage to recycle to put recycled water into Wivenhoe Dam?

Will Mr Roberts still be able to say that recycled water won't be going into the beer?

What will his competitors say ...

Federal election - K Rudd dodges the potable reuse bullet ...

K Rudd fails to emphatically embrace recycled water for drinking, instead talking up the benefits of desalination and stormwater harvesting.

Excerpt from the Sydney Morning Herald:

Labor promises $1b for water projects

28 October 2007

A federal Labor government would commit $1 billion towards storm water harvesting and desalination projects to help secure Australia's urban water supplies.

Announcing the policy on Sunday at the Tugun desalination plant being built on Queensland's Gold Coast, Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd declared there was an "acute" need for major action on urban water supplies.

Mr Rudd's plan would provide tax credits of 10 per cent - with a capped maximum benefit of $100 million - towards water projects.

"The need to fix urban water supplies and urban water security long-term (is) acute and needs new national leadership," he told reporters.

"This $1 billion desalination and urban water plan for Australia is designed to provide funding support for desalination plants across the country and also provide funding support for recycling and other water projects concerning the harvesting of storm water."

Mr Rudd acknowledged states had not made perfect decisions over the years when it came to urban water supplies, but said the federal government had national responsibility to be involved.

The water tax credits would be fully available from 2009 as grants to state and local governments as well as the private sector.

Mr Rudd said the $1 billion package could leverage up to $10 billion in new water projects.

He defended desalination, which had been criticised for its energy consumption.

All projects to receive funding would be required to be carbon neutral.

Mr Rudd also announced he plans to establish a centre of excellence in desalination in Perth and a centre of excellence in water recycling in Brisbane.
...

See - Rudd defends desalination.

Kyoto Protocol - why it is important ...

... in the Federal election campaign.

Excerpt from the Australian:

The big electoral hoax

24 October 2007

The hoax of election 2007 is our sanctification of the Kyoto Protocol, a legacy of John Howard's folly, Kevin Rudd's distortions and the media's bias.

The great Kyoto irrationality is driven by two events. The first is Howard's epic blunder in refusing to change his mind and ratify, as there is no good reason for Australia not to ratify. And, second, contrary to every utterance from Rudd, the benefits for Australia from ratification are symbolic and devoid of practical meaning for climate change policy.

Rudd was caught out over Kyoto during the Sunday night debate. He faltered on the basic point: what was the benefit in ratifying Kyoto? Rudd, amusingly, seemed to have forgotten. This should not surprise because the benefit in ratifying Kyoto is ratifying Kyoto. Nothing else.

This debate is decoupled from real world public policy dividend. Kyoto has a universal standing as a goodwill gesture. It has the perfect image of wanting a better, cleaner world, with its opponents clinging to an older, polluted world. The power of such images cannot be denied.

But Howard has tried to deny it. His folly is unrelieved. In future years analysts will ruminate about the depth of Howard's stubborness over Kyoto in allowing his Government to be trashed during 2007 as Rudd presents himself as leader of the future, ready to ratify Kyoto. Howard has handed Rudd the "future" position, a gift on a silver tray.

There has been a periodic discussion within the Howard Government this year about Kyoto ratification. This was to be expected. After all, Howard's policy reversal on climate change during the past 12 months has been the most sweeping on any issue during his prime ministership.

Consider its scale. Having announced in late 2006 that climate change was "the biggest economic challenge of our time", Howard decided that Australia could no longer wait for the world. He commissioned a report and embraced its position: Australia will have a national emissions trading system by 2011-12, its target agreed next year, its coverage being a whopping 75 per cent of emissions, including fuel use in transport, far beyond European Union levels. Howard then launched a diplomatic campaign to win support at the APEC meeting for aspirational global targets and has endorsed a 15 per cent clean energy target by 2020.

This positions Australia, outside the EU, as a leader in climate change policy. But the public doesn't believe this for a moment. Neither does the media. As a professional politician Howard has transformed his policies, yet he cannot embrace the moralism and symbolism of the issue. His policies are never assessed on merit for a simple reason: he refuses to ratify Kyoto. Rudd has merely to utter the word Kyoto to win again and again.

Consider Howard's position. Should he ratify a protocol that is vastly popular and whose terms, as they apply to Australia, he is determined to honour and uphold? And his answer: absolutely not.

There is no political logic to such irrationality. Whenever Howard is asked why he won't sign Kyoto, his reply is that Australia will be disadvantaged. Pardon? We are pledged to meet our target of 108 per cent of emissions from 1990s levels anyway. We cannot be disadvantaged further.

Howard is psychologically paralysed on the issue. Rudd engages in amazing gymnastics of me-tooism across the spectrum, but Howard cannot perform me-tooism over Kyoto. He has made the reversal on policy but he cannot make the reversal on symbols.

As a consequence, he cannot reap any electoral gains.

Rudd's policy is remarkably similar to Howard's: an emissions trading system (though Rudd specifies a 60per cent reduction target by 2050), a stress on clean coal and a clean energy target (probably 20 per cent by 2020). But Rudd owns the politics of climate change because he has a monopoly on the symbols. Unlike Howard, he has not been a sceptic, he depicts climate change as a moral issue and he pledges to ratify Kyoto. What difference does Rudd think signing Kyoto will make? He says it will show "we are serious and want to help forge a global solution". An elusive and vague answer.

The risk for an incoming ALP government is falling for its own Kyoto propaganda. Labor seems genuinely unaware of Australia's activist diplomacy on climate change. Rudd's claim before the APEC meeting that its success would rest on an agreement over binding targets suggests he does not understand the global debate. The developing world rejects such binding targets.

A Rudd government will try to ratify Kyoto before the UN meeting in Bali in December to consider the post-2012 system. But ratification will make no difference to Australia's influence, a reality about which Labor has shut its mind.

The Kyoto Protocol applies only to industrialised nations and specifies binding targets for the 2008-12 period. Its defect is obvious: the developing world - notably China and India, where emissions are growing fastest - is exempt from any binding obligations. When Kyoto was negotiated, Australia's environment minister Robert Hill made a strong case for a pathway to involve developing nations in the process. That was rejected. So there is no legal hook in Kyoto to get developing nations, the big future emitters, into the negotiation. This is a legal-political problem for Australia, for Howard, for Rudd and for the world.

The 1997 Kyoto Protocol was negotiated as an addition to the foundation treaty, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Australia is party to the treaty but has not ratified the protocol. Two years ago, talks began under the protocol for industrialised nations to negotiate deeper emissions reduction targets for post-2012. By definition, this does not involve developing nations. Such omission is untenable. It is why the existing Kyoto Protocol does not work and cannot succeed. From the start, this was Howard's critique of Kyoto and that critique is correct, a point now widely recognised.

Meanwhile, under the convention, there is also a non-binding dialogue under way on the decisive question of involving the developing world. There are two issues at stake: whether the dialogue can become a negotiation with developing nations and, if so, whether a negotiation can result in an agreement for the post-2012 period involving developing nations.

Such an agreement could be an amendment to the Kyoto Prococol or a new legal instrument.

This is, in short, a complex, agonising effort to overcome the fatal defects in the 1997 Kyoto system that misjudged the future growth rate of emissions from developing nations.

Australia's position is that there must be a broader negotiation for the post-2012 period. This is the position of the umbrella group of non-EU industrialised nations long chaired by Australia that includes Russia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand. Labor's claim that Australia is sidelined from debate or influence because of our non-ratification of Kyoto is nonsense.

Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull explains Australia's position: "I am absolutely committed to Australia ratifying a new arrangement post-2012 that is globally effective, either an amended Kyoto or a new agreement."

This is the bedrock point. If Rudd becomes PM, his immediate ratification of Kyoto will be a gesture full of hype but devoid of substance.

Rudd's real task will be to amend the Kyoto Protocol to make it work. That is the essential obligation on any Australian PM, Liberal or Labor. It is a huge task. Given this, Rudd should start talking the truth and terminate the hoax about the great moral issue.

See - The big electoral hoax.

Toowoomba City Council inks Wetalla offtake deal - irrigators furious ...

Excerpt from WIN News:

Acland Coal

25 October 2007

Done deal

A deal has been signed to pump waste water from the Wetalla Water treatment plant to the New Acland Coal mine.

After six years of negotiations between the Toowoomba City Council and New Hope Coal the contract will provide Acland mine with up to 3,000ML of water annually.

See - Acland Coal offtake deal.

Word on the street is that the irrigators are furious with the Council and threatening legal action and the Council is busy trying to back peddle ...

Minister Turnbull, $10 million and the Murdoch connection ...

Seems Malcolm has lined up $10 million of government money for a member of the Murdoch family and the University of Qld to try out some unproven Russian rain-making technology.

Those involved in the Toowoomba recycled water debate will recognise Dr Jurg Keller who pops up in Minister Turnbull's press release as one of UQ's academics helping with the study. Dr Keller had his 5 cents worth on the Toowoomba debate and then quickly retreated. (Thought he researched how to clean water - is there sewage in space?)

Excerpt from Sydney Morning Herald:

Turnbull's $10m for 'rainmakers' with no proof

24 October 2007

The Environment Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, is giving a $10 million boost to research promoted by a rainmaking company part-owned by Rupert Murdoch's nephew Matt Handbury, despite scientific experts hired by the Government stating the firm had provided "no convincing data" to support the technology.

Announcing the research assistance yesterday, Mr Turnbull said the project was backed by the Government's National Water Commission and it was looking at "all options" to secure future water supplies, including looking "outside the box".

The $10 million will fund the Australian Rain Corporation and academics from the University of Queensland to undertake a trial of so-called "rainfall enhancement technology", a highly controversial idea which involves sending negative ions generated by high-voltage electricity into the atmosphere to form clouds and rain. The trial would be overseen by experts appointed by the Water Commission, Mr Turnbull said.

In August, a critical report prepared for the commission by two leading scientists, the former head of the CSIRO Office of Space Science, Ken McCracken, and the Emeritus Professor of Physics from the University of New England, Neville Fletcher, was given to the Government. It was highly sceptical about the technology and recommended that a trial only go ahead after more scientific work on the proposal and if it could be done "at no great expense". On that basis, it said, a trial could be "worthwhile".

The expert report found "the proponents of the technology have provided no convincing experimental data or theoretical modelling to support the proposed mode of operation of technology". It also found that an evaluation by the Queensland academics for the company, while giving some support for the technology, lacked statistical controls and led to no firm conclusions.

But the report did give an opening for Mr Turnbull to grant a small amount of funding to explore the technology because of the severity of the water shortage. "Any approach that is not demonstrably ridiculous should be subject to careful experiment and statistical scrutiny," it said, "provided this can be done at no great expense."

Last night a spokesman for Mr Turnbull said the reviewers had concluded that "a carefully designed trial of the technique would be worthwhile".

However, the scientific report by Mr McCracken and Professor Fletcher suggested a process of several steps before the trial went ahead. With yesterday's announcement, Mr Turnbull has agreed to fund a full scientific trial that will get under way in south-east Queensland between December and May next year.

Mr Turnbull's spokesman said that doing all stages simultaneously "will enable the technology to be rolled out at least six months sooner if it is proved successful. This six months could prove critical in the context of the drought."

The water commissioner, Peter Cullen, expressed some surprise that the full $10 million in funding had been announced.

"I thought there was going to be a first step of getting a more serious evaluation of the actual technology," Mr Cullen said. "I am a bit surprised."

He noted the earlier Queensland demonstration of the rainmaking technology was inconclusive. "There was enough in it to be intrigued. But it was pretty hard to pick whether it made a difference or not."

Mr Handbury was unavailable for comment but he has been a passionate promoter of the technology, which has never been subjected to scientific "peer review" scrutiny outside Russia.

Mr Handbury established the Australian Rain Corporation with a Swiss partner in April this year. The company presented the results of its first Queensland demonstration to the Water Commission on August 14.

But much of the material and the presentation was in Russian and had to be translated, adding further difficulties for the assessing scientists, according to the commission report.

See - $10 million for unproven rain-making technology.

Also see - Minister Turnbull's press release - $10 million funding announcement.

You can see the 'very detailed' website for Australian Rain Corporation here - Australian Rain Corp website.

SEQ tourists - keep it to 4 mins ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Tourists asked to 'keep it quick' in shower

26 October 2007

Tourists coming to south-east Queensland will be asked to do their bit to save water in the drought-hit region.

Queensland Water Commission chairwoman Elizabeth Nosworthy said a new proposal would require accommodation providers in the state's south-east to install signs in bathrooms.

The signs would ask tourists to limit their showers to four minutes and not to leave the tap running while brushing their teeth or shaving.

To date there have been no uniform measures to encourage tourists to save water and information campaigns and signage has been provided by individual councils.

The new proposal was put forward after the commission received feedback from the tourism industry and the public.
...

See - Tourists to keep it to 4 mins.

Sensible suggestions but does anyone really think that Anna and all her mates are keeping it down to 4 mins each day ...

Washington Post does a number on K Rudd ...

Excerpt from Washington Post:

Aussie MP Kevin Rudd Waxes Disgusting

24 October 2007

Labor Candidate Grilled Over YouTube Ear Wax Meal

[photo] - caption - Kevin Rudd: Australian for nasty habit

Australia's Kevin Rudd, a Labor candidate for prime minister, has joined a long list of politicians to be YouTubed in what might be most stomach-turning display since America's fearless leader-to-be picked a running mate.

It's not racist, sexist or perverted, but according to some down under it "could do more damage to Kevin Rudd's election chances than any policy blitz."

Less than two weeks into his country's parliamentary elections, Rudd went viral Tuesday with a 24-second video during which he appears to pick and consume his own ear wax.

Now, I know what you're thinking -- Australia is a different country, and just because ear wax isn't on the menu at Outback Steakhouse, doesn't mean it's not eaten Down Under. After all, we shouldn't impose our American "tastes" on a different culture. How many times did we all have to watch Yahoo Serious before realizing that he was totally awesome?

Then again, I think earwax-eating is one of those activities that is gross across cultures.

The video in question was taken from a session of parliament roughly six years ago, when Rudd was a junior member. The blond-haired MP appears to pay little attention to the speaker, intent on scooping something from his left ear with his finger, which he then puts in his mouth. Let's go to the footage:

Some may argue that this was six years ago, and only happened once. But whether Rudd is a habitual ear wax user or merely a recreational one should be irrelevant. The question is whether a man with so little savvy for the cameras surrounding him is fit to hold his nation's highest office. And that is a question Australians will have to answer for themselves.

See - Aussie MP Kevin Rudd Waxes Disgusting.

Interesting comments by readers - seems Rudd's union buddies haven't been stacking this comments section (yet!).

Watch the video here - K Rudd supports recycling.

Council calls on residents to ditch bottled water ...

Excerpt from the Sydney Morning Herald:

Council calls on residents to ditch bottled water

3 October 2007

You can lead a resident to tap water, but you can't make them drink. That won't stop Manly Council from trying.

"Do people have to be sucking on water bottles all the time? They are like babies' bottles. It's almost like a fashion appendage now," said the Manly mayor, Peter Macdonald, who is calling on all councils to urge residents to ditch bottles in favour of tap water.

"It's a wonder there hasn't been a strong campaign against it in the past. There is usually a tap within reach and the cost of creating a bottle of water uses about 16 times its volume in water," he said.

Manly Council will put forward a motion opposing bottled water at the Local Government Association's October annual conference in Coffs Harbour.

"Anecdotally, we are hearing from our waste people that there's an increasing number of the 600-millilitre bottles, which people carry round, especially those with the sports top on them," Mr Macdonald said.

Coca-Cola Amatil, producer of Mount Franklin water, hit back.

"NSW councils are the only local governments in Australia [outside the Northern Territory] which have chosen not to participate in the National Packaging Covenant - an agreement signed by all Australian governments, Federal, state and local, as well as 470 businesses, which is working towards a national solution to achieving 65 per cent recycling rates, and other environmental outcomes, by 2010," said Coca-Cola Amatil's spokeswoman, Sally Loane.

But a spokesman for the Local Government Association said industry should take more responsibility for the waste they created.

"It costs the companies money to join the covenant but it's a fairly token amount. Some [funding] is made available in grants to councils to improve kerbside recycling but it's nowhere near what councils already pay for the service."

The NSW Government should follow South Australia's lead and introduce a cash-back system for used bottles, the spokesman said.

See - Call to ditch bottled water.

Federal election - K Rudd - his own man ...

... courtesy of The Chaser.

Canberra will NOT drink recycled water ...

... a new dam will be built.

Excerpt from ABC News:

New Cotter dam to help 'secure supply'

23 October 2007

The ACT Government has announced a range of measures to secure Canberra's water supply but has warned it will come at a cost to ratepayers.

Around $145 million will be spent expanding Cotter Dam by nearly 20 times its current size, to 78 gigalitres.

$70 million worth of new infrastructure will also be built to increase the amount of water transferred from the Murrumbidgee River to Googong Dam, while $38 million will go towards the possibility of purchasing water from Tantangara Dam.

A $6 million demonstration water purification plant will be built but the water will not be added to Canberra's drinking supplies.

The announcements are in response to ACTEW's recommendations for bolstering the water supply.

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope says ACTEW will begin work on the new dam immediately and it is hoped it will be completed in 2011.

"They'll be calling tenders for design of the new dam within a fortnight," he said.

Mr Stanhope says detailed analyses has been conducted by ACTEW over the last six years.

He says climate change means the ACT must act now to increase water security to cope with extended droughts.

"I believe it's appropriate in the light of our current experience that we should enhance our water security through enhanced capacity," he said.

"This will increase our capacity be exactly a third.

"It will take our dam storage from 205 gigalitres up to just under 300, a 35 per cent increase in capacity."

Mr Stanhope has warned the projects will mean an increase in water prices for consumers.

He says it is estimated that by the time the dam is completed, residents will be paying around $70 more for water per year.

But he says the Government will look at ways to shield low income earners from the impact.

Water use

The Greens say the Government's water plan will do nothing to reduce water use.

Greens MLA Deb Foskey says she was hoping for incentives to reduce consumption, like a rainwater tank rebate or encouraging more use of household grey water.

"I think there's a lot more that could be done to reduce demand for water," she said.

"But I acknowledge that the steps the Government is planning to make in securing supply, do seem to be fairly sensible ones."

Opposition leader Bill Stefaniak says he is pleased the Government is being more cautious on water recycling.

"I would've been concerned today if he said let's dive in at the deep end as it were in terms of a full water recycling," he said.

See - Canberra will not drink recycled water.


When they say it's done everywhere exactly where are they referring to ...

Recycled water myth #81 ...

They recycle all toilet waste in space for human consumption.

That's what we were told during the Toowoomba water debate ...



A further example, talking about recycling liquids.



Remember we're not talking about solids, industrial waste, hospital waste and every other chemical and pharmaceutical which gets dumped down the toilet ...

Toowoomba Water Futures - recycling everything from bricks to puppies ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Whatever fits will be flushed

23 October 2007

Everything from "bricks to puppies" passes through the Toowoomba sewerage system.

This council staffer's quip sent a gasp through the council chamber at City Hall.

While it was conceded the bricks and puppies were toys, the council staffer was anxious about the plastics, especially the sticky labels on apples, clogging up the filters at Wetalla Water Reclamation Facility.

"What sort of plastics?" was Sue Englart's query.

"Don't ask," Michele Alroe warned.

Too late. The matter-of-fact reply, sanitary products and baby nappies, drew grimaces.

So what else comes through the 20.1 megalitres of sewage which passes through Toowoomba each day?

False teeth, rosary beads, jewellery, credit cards and ducks, rubber of course, are often entrapped in the first stage of screening to catch the chunky gross solids.

"Whatever fits down the toilet is going to turn up at Wetalla," director of engineering Kevin Flanagan said.

Cr Englart said: "People need to be educated."

"Ninety-nine per cent of people don't use the sanitary disposal or nappy disposal," Mr Flanagan said.

The deep and meaningful discussion evolved from disappointment that an extra $430,000 was needed to outload dried biosolids.

Also more work was needed by the Alliance partnership to make the Solar Hall biosolids dry more efficiently during winter.

The environmentally friendly project is a $34.7 million investment.

See - What goes down and might come back around.

Interesting.

California has problems with the apple stickers getting through their RO membranes. Those RO membranes that are 'supposed' to stop everything. No, that was the inaccurate Singapore NEWater brochure.

And Mr Flanagan hasn't even mentioned all the pharmaceuticals and other chemicals flushed down the toilet.

Remember "Whatever fits down the toilet is going to turn up at Wetalla".

Perhaps the Council only has themselves to blame.

Councillor Alroe did tell Toowoomba residents to put a brick in the bowl (see - Council Alroe - prankster at heart) ...

Adelaide considers recycled stormwater ...

Excerpt from The Advertiser:

Stormwater for drinking

22 October 2007

Adelaide residents will be drinking recycled stormwater as traditional water supplies continue to dwindle, says the National Water Commission.

South Australia's representative on the commission Dr John Radcliffe says treated stormwater will form part of SA Water's metropolitan supply in the future to ensure long-term water security in the city.

Dr Radcliffe said governments had traditionally treated stormwater as a "hazard" and as waste which could not be used.

He said stormwater should instead be seen as a resource.

"People naturally feel a little concerned about drinking water that doesn't fall off the hillsides, but some of these hillsides aren't that pristine," he said.

"All water is recycled water, that's the hydrological cycle."

Stormwater is already collected, stored and used for irrigation purposes in parks across Adelaide.

A world-first trial to treat stormwater naturally in underground aquifers to a standard suitable for human consumption is now under way at Parafield.

Dr Radcliffe said the trial was one reason why South Australia was more advanced in stormwater reuse than elsewhere in Australia. "One has to look at all water resources that are around and there is no perfect resource for a particular circumstance," he said.

"One of the benefits is that (treated stormwater) has a lot less salinity than is found in Adelaide tap water."

Treated stormwater will be added to the mains water pipes and dispersed among households.

The water will supplement existing sources but figures on what portion of existing supply could be supplemented are yet to be researched.

Draft guidelines on the use of recycled water for drinking have been developed by the National Water Commission.

They are expected to be endorsed by state water ministers, including SA Water Security minister Karlene Maywald, when they meet to discuss the guidelines early next year.

See - Stormwater for drinking.

Federal election - K Rudd supports recycling ...

... of anything!

Federal election - Coalition to announce Range bypass funding ...

Image - Brisbane Times.






Excerpt from Courier Mail:

Toowoomba bypass promise

22 October 2007

The Coalition will today promise to deliver the long-awaited second crossing of the Toowoomba Range, with a $700 million federal funding commitment.

Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile is expected to announce funding for the project while campaigning on the Darling Downs this morning.

On the drawing board for 15 years, the planned road would bypass Toowoomba, taking trucks away from busy urban streets.

It would also allow motorists travelling between the Darling Downs and Brisbane to avoid the existing steep and winding range crossing – a section of road with an accident rate four times that of the rest of the Warrego Highway.

It is understood the proposed 42km bypass would take traffic off the Warrego Highway at Helidon Spa in the east, linking up with the Gore Highway near Westbrook Creek on the western side of Toowoomba.

It would include two 735m tunnels at the top of the range, each carrying one-way traffic, with a 200m long viaduct on the eastern approach to the tunnels.
...

[It] is understood the Government is not at this stage planning to make the new Toowoomba range crossing a toll road or to seek any private funding for it, although it could require a contribution from the State Government.
...

See - Coalition to fund Range bypass.

Federal election - Whack a Poll ...

Take a hit at Howard and Rudd.

See - SMH - Whack a Poll.

Outgoing Mayor gets closer to departing ...

At least one of her investment units is sold.

See - LJ Hooker Toowoomba - apartment sold.

Federal election debate - play Rudd's Debate Bingo ...

See - Play Rudd's Debate Bingo.

Brisbane City Council's costly environmental campaign goes off the rails ...

Last Monday, 4350water blog referred to a story in the Courier Mail on the Brisbane City Council's decision to waste money by asking US pop star Justin Timberlake to front a $670,000 marketing blitz to promote its climate change campaign.

See - Brisbane City Council - flushing $s down the drain.

The campaign was to also use an 'I love Bne' slogan in green with a heart symbol, quite similar to New York's trademarked 'I love NY' slogan.

Seems New York officials were not amused.

4350water blog can confirm that New York representatives have been scouring the internet looking for references to 'i love bne green heart'.

Excerpt from Sunday Mail:

Brisbane's broken hearted

21 October 2007

A marketing campaign for a $119 million Brisbane climate-change initiative is in freefall, with New York officials threatening legal action against the Brisbane City Council for ripping off its world famous "I heart NY" trademark.

The centre of Brisbane's campaign was a green heart logo that was to be plastered on city council buses and trucks and printed on giveaway T-shirts and caps.

But when shown the proposed "I heart BNE" logo by The Sunday Mail, officials from New York's Empire State Development Corporation yesterday used the city's famous catchphrase – "fugeddaboutit".

They have asked their lawyers to investigate whether the copyright of their trademark logo had been violated.

"In this case we very strongly believe it is, but we obviously need to have legal representation give us the right counsel," said Thomas Ranese, the chief marketing officer for New York's Empire State Development Corporation.

"If I had to speak to Brisbane directly, I would say: 'I would certainly encourage you to express your love and pride for Brisbane but in a way that doesn't dilute New York's ability to drive tourism for New York State'."

Last night, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said civic cabinet had not signed off on the idea and he denied that the council planned to launch the campaign at the CitySmart Neighbourhood Fair at Rocks Riverside Park, Seventeen Mile Rocks, next Sunday.

But The Sunday Mail has viewed a detailed month-by-month video presentation of the campaign, and sources say the Lord Mayor's office has already ordered 115 green-heart logo T-shirts.

An internal council memo says the campaign, if approved, would cost $670,000. Cr Newman said he believed the campaign pitch, prepared by global marketing group Universal McCann, had cost about $10,000.

The Lord Mayor said he had raised issues of copyright and trademark when he first saw the campaign.

"I said at the time this is a great concept but a lot of work needs to be done, a lot of hurdles need to be jumped through," he told The Sunday Mail.

But he admitted there was no alternative plan in the works.

"We need a campaign and if there is an issue and we can't do what is proposed, we will have to do something else."

New York's logo, drawn in 1977 by graphic designer Milton Glaser, was trademarked in the 1980s and is said to help attract up to 140 million visitors each year.

New York State lawyers have filed more than 3000 objections to what they have alleged are trademark infringements of the logo.

Mr Ranese said if American lawyers found a defendable copyright breach, the next step would be a cease-and-desist letter sent to Brisbane City Council.
...

See - Brisbane's broken-hearted.

So change the slogan so it is sufficiently different so as not to attract the ire of New York's copyright lawyers.

'Love you Brisbane' perhaps.

Although Channel 7 may have something to say about it.

And why pay Universal McCann $10,000 when they allegedly proposed a campaign that would put Brisbane City Council in breach of copyright ...

Federal election - K Rudd candidate for Maranoa resigns - 'you're No 1 on my hit list' ...

Excerpt from Sunday Telegraph:

Labor forces union 'thug' to quit

21 October 2007

Labor campaign headquarters forced the candidate for the Queensland seat of Maranoa, Shane Guley, to quit after allegations he acted as a union thug, assaulting one of his managers and routinely intimidating co-workers.
...

Mr Guley is a former AMWU delegate who held a number of union positions and worked for Queensland Rail at the Rockhampton Railway Workshops. It's now been revealed that, in 2001, he was sacked after years of persistent violent behaviour that included:

- Assaulting a manager in a pub in front of several work colleagues;

- Making a threatening phone call to the same manager, saying: "I will f****** get rid of you, you're No 1 on my hit list ..."

- Threatening to call in his political connections in the Queensland Labor government to get rid of people on his "hit list";

- Threatening and intimidating a work colleague who had made allegations against him of bullying and harassment;

- Intimidating investigators brought in to investigate employee complaints against him, and;

- Allegedly making vexatious and vindictive allegations against other employees in response to their legitimate complaints.

Following two Queensland Rail investigations confirming Mr Guley's repeated bullying and threatening behaviour, he made an unfair dismissal claim to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. The QIRC upheld his claim on a due process technicality but found he had engaged in repeated bullying and intimidation of co-workers.
...

See - Rudd's stellar candidates.

Sounds like a cross between some of the people in the Beattie/Bligh Cabinet and some of the people in the Toowoomba City Council ...

Did K Rudd 'offer' Beattie carrot to resign ...

Was it - mate, resign, take the heat of us in Qld and I'll make it worth your while?

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Peter Beattie for plum consular role if Rudd wins

20 October 2007

Should Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd win the upcoming election, former Queensland premier Peter Beattie looks set to take up a consular appointment overseas.

A number of Howard Government consular appointments are certain to be overturned in the wake of an ALP win in the federal election.

Peter Beattie and former Labor leader Kim Beazley will almost certainly be offered plum overseas posts as rewards for their service to the ALP, a former diplomat tells me.
...

Beazley or Beattie may end up replacing Olsen as Consul-General in New York. Those with consular connections also speculate that Beattie or Harris may replace former defence minister chief-of-staff Innes Willox as Consul-General in Los Angeles.
...

See - Carrot dangled for Beattie.


Remember - a vote for Rudd may be a vote for a cushy overseas posting for Beattie ...

Anna proves she has a sense of humour ...

You thought it was by appointing her husband to lead the Office of Climate Change.

No, its her statement that she's been SO successful with the SEQ water grid that she wants to export her expertise around the world.

How many countries are looking for projects which produce the world's most expensive water?

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Premier's water skills for sale

20 October 2007

Premier Anna Bligh is so chuffed with her handling of the water crisis she plans to sell the Government's vast intellectual property on the issue to the world.

As southeast Queenslanders continue to endure the most draconian water restrictions in Australia, Ms Bligh has revealed her "know-how" on water management is going global with Smart Water, a liquefied spin-off of the Smart State brand.

Ms Bligh said the venture would create "a major new export industry" and become the focus of overseas trade missions usually reserved to promote multibillion-dollar industries such as mining.

"Queensland is a world leader in water management," she said.

But the plan, which combines government and business expertise with the research power of universities, comes despite constant criticism that poor infrastructure planning has resulted in a race to finish the $9 billion water grid before dams run dry.

Opposition Leader Jeff Seeney said he was highly amused at the Smart Water concept.

"They won't even get enough money to buy a bottle of water for their experience," he said.

"There is no greater indicator of failure of this Government in terms of delivering infrastructure and they are going to bundle the expertise that was responsible for that and sell it on the world market."

The Government has been regularly found wanting on water, including ignoring a 2001 blueprint for shielding southeast Queensland from the current water crisis.

Home water rebates are suffering massive backlogs, councils have been sparring over restrictions and towns near Gympie's Traveston Crossing Dam proposal were found to have been not consulted properly.

The Western Corridor Recycling Project west of Brisbane, where only 130ML of waste water will be pumped each day, was supposed to pump 230ML a day.

Costs also have blown out.

But Ms Bligh said the water grid had captured both national and international attention.

"The figures are amazing: a record $9 billion of expenditure, more than 3000 workers working on our water grid and a staggering three million hours of employment on this project," she said.
...

See - Anna has a sense of humour.

Amazing is right - amazingly overbudget that is ...

Qld Labor - Anna gives Greg a new job ...

Poor Greg.

He's unemployed.

He had to quit the Premier's Dept when Anna became Queen.

Anything less and it might have looked like a conflict of interest.

Also, whatever would they talk about at night?

What to do with Greg?

It's a single-income family now.

Anna's a bright girl.

Give him another senior job in the government.

What's sexy right now?

Climate change!

Make up a new department and get him to head it up.

What do you call it?

Hmm - an office for climate change.

We'll call it - the 'Office of Climate Change'.

Brilliant!

Problem solved - still a two-income family.

What's next?


Excerpt from the Courier Mail (annotated):

Bligh's husband gets top post

19 October 2007

The husband of Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, Greg Withers, has been appointed to head a new government office that she created.

When she became premier last month, Ms Bligh redesigned the environment portfolio, and nominated Andrew McNamara as Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation.

She said it was important to strengthen the government's capacity to lead Queensland's response to climate change.

[aka - Andrew, find a job for Greg.]

Mr McNamara said the new Office of Climate Change would be created within the state's Environmental Protection Agency.

"The office will lead the development of new climate change policy and programs, based on the best available science and information," he said.

Mr Withers, a senior Queensland public servant with more than 15 years' experience, quit his role in the Department of Premier and Cabinet when Ms Bligh became premier, to avoid any conflict of interest.

He has been on leave and looking for a new job since.

Mr Withers was the principal author of ClimateSmart 2050: Queensland's Climate Change Strategy 2007, a government paper released earlier this year.

Mr McNamara said Mr Withers was an ideal person for the role.

[He's smart, available and the boss's husband - what better qualifications are there?]

"He is widely regarded as a strategic thinker, and that's the sort of person we need in this new role," he said.

It is understood the new job is not a promotion for Mr Withers, with a government statement saying he would be "transferred at his current seniority level".

Opposition Leader Jeff Seeney said the move was outrageous.

"This is just another example of jobs for mates," Mr Seeney said.

"It appears in this case the only reason he's got the job is he is the husband of the premier."

See - Anna gets another job for Greg - stays a two-income family.


The more things change, the more they stay the same ...

Kevin07 - the website - with the 4350water blog magic touch ...

In the interests of political neutrality ...

Click here to see the new improved Kevin07 website - Kev07 modified.

A vision of the future ...

Orange County - recycled water can't be used for drinking ...

Excerpt from the Orange County Register:

Council hears environmental impact of $74 million recycled water plan

17 October 2007

The City Council Tuesday approved an environmental plan detailing an overhaul of the city's water delivery system to make way for a new treatment plant as part of an ambitious $74 million recycled water plan, despite concern from some residents about the cost and impact of the work.

The plan calls for the rehabilitation of two city wells, the construction of four storage reservoirs, two booster pump stations and seven pressure regulating stations and the installation of 190,000 feet of pipe. The new components would deliver recycled water from a proposed advanced treatment plant at J.B. Latham in Dana Point.

While officials say the recycled water plan would help reduce the city's reliance on imported water, several planning commissioners and residents have questioned the cost of the system, as well as the construction impact of some of its components.

The current environmental report addresses the overall project, with the design of its most controversial aspects, the reservoirs, expected to be brought back before the council prior to construction, staff said. The environmental report is expected to help the city go after state and federal grants for the recycled water plan, staff said.

The most heated debate centers around a proposed reservoir targeted for a ridge in the city's open space lands south of Cerro Rebal, which nearby residents describe as unstable and prone to landslides. Environmental experts hired by the city have found no safety concerns in the area.

Other residents urged the city to take part in South Coast Water District efforts to construct a desalinization plant, although city officials said the recycled water would be a cheaper option that could deliver more water.

While it couldn't be used for drinking water, recycled water could be used for landscaping purposes, officials said.

"We have a nice green city," Councilman Tom Hribar said. "Recycled water would allow us to keep it green."
...

See - OC says recycled water can't be used for drinking.

Outgoing Deputy Mayor can't see the wood for the trees ...

You have to feel sorry for the outgoing Deputy Mayor Joe Ramia.

Or you would if you hadn't heard THAT tape.

He's so fixated with Toowoomba drawing additional water supplies from Brisbane that he can't bring himself to look at any other water options.

Excerpt from ABC News:

Toowoomba councillor fears huge water costs

18 October 2007

Toowoomba's water could be the most expensive in Australia when its brought online with the south-east Queensland grid from 2012.

The drought stricken southern Queensland city last year voted against recycling its own water at a referendum, but the State Government committed to connecting Toowoomba to the south east grid - which will include recycled water.

Councillor Joe Ramia says the city is worried there will not be enough water available from the grid, and will increase water bills at least threefold on what residents are currently paying.

"You say ... $250 for the half year, if it goes up three times it might go up to $750 for the same period, which I might say is very expensive water, most probably would be the dearest water in Australia," he said.

See - Ramia has a last whinge.

Of course, no justification for an alleged tripling in water costs. Remember the outgoing Mayor (now in Tassie)? She said water costs would go to $1000 p.a.

Is this the sort of narrow-minded thinking the Toowoomba Regional Council needs in a Councillor ...

Anna releases Traveston Dam EIS ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Traveston dam impact report released for comment

18 October 2007

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has released the environmental impact statement (EIS) into the controversial Traveston Crossing dam.

The public will have six weeks to comment on the 1,600-page document before it is forwarded to the Federal Environmental Minister for his final approval.

See - Traveston EIS released.

Federal election - see why PM Howard is afraid of the worm ...

See - Liberal Party website.

Federal election - nothing from K Rudd for the Toowoomba bypass ...

... and Macfarlane is angry about the ETU smear campaign - 'Make Macfarlane Marginal'.

Excerpt from WIN News:

RUDD AGENDA

Second range crossing not on Rudd's radar

17 October 2007

Federal Labor have today made their pitch at winning over voters in the crucial battleground of South East Queensland, unveiling a two and a half billion dollar roads package. The Toowoomba range crossing however, is not on a Rudd government's radar.

See - Rudd ignores Groom.

DAY THREE ELECTION

Macfarlane lashes out

17 October 2007

Local member Ian Macfarlane has lashed out at a smear campaign by the Electrical Trades Union labelled Make Macfarlane Marginal. Union members vowing to make the member pay for job losses in Groom.

See - Macfarlane anger at ETU.

Ocean power breakthrough close ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Researchers close to ocean power breakthrough

17 October 2007

Commercial wave-powered water desalination and electricity generation is one step closer to reality, according to Australian developers.

Trials of a technology called CETO have yielded promising results, says Dr Michael Ottaviano of Carnegie Corporation, which is developing the system in the southern hemisphere.

The tests, carried out in Fremantle, Western Australia, verify predictions of how much electricity and water the technology could produce under various wave conditions.

"We've found a perfect correlation between the results our models predicted and what we've actually measured in the ocean, which is a major technical milestone," Dr Ottaviano said.

The CETO technology, first conceived by Perth-based inventor Alan Burns in 1975, consists of submerged buoys connected to seawater pumps fixed to the seabed.

As each buoy moves back and forward with the swell, it generates energy to pump seawater onto land at high enough pressures to drive a reverse osmosis desalination plant as well as hydroelectricity turbines.

The company has just spent two years developing a computer model of the buoy and pump system, which calculates how much power and water it can deliver back on shore according to different wave conditions.

The computational fluid dynamics model uses the same software used to design racing cars and boats for the America's Cup.

"We can also now go to any number of sites, measure the wave conditions there, plug those conditions into our models and then tailor a design of the unit to each specific site that we go to," Dr Ottaviano said.

He says tailoring the units to particular sites would involve changing the buoyancy of the buoy and the design of the pump.

Kelp forest design

Dr Ottaviano says one of the challenges of wave farms is designing them to survive the massive force of storms.

While most wave farms float on the surface of the water and try to resist storms, he says CETO is fully submerged, avoiding the highest force of storms, which is at the surface of the ocean.

It is also designed to be flexible and to go with the flow of the sea.

"The way it moves in the water mimics a kelp forest," he said.

Demonstration plants

Dr Ottaviano says he has just been negotiating with state governments about possible sites in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales for commercial scale demonstration wave farms.

These will be 50 megawatt power stations, producing 15-50 gigalitres of desalinated water per year. About 300 buoy and pump units will be used for each farm.

Energy from the farms is expected to cost $80 per megawatt hour, around the cost of wind energy.

And the cost of water will be comparable to other desalination plants at around $1.50-2 per kilolitre.

The company wants to start building the first plant in 2009 and wants to manufacture the components in Australia, using skills from the automotive industry.

Challenges ahead

Before a demonstration plant can be built the company needs to increase the size of the buoy and pump units.

The prototypes currently work in eight metres of water but will eventually operate in 25 metres, and sit two metres beneath the ocean's surface.

"There are some mechanical and engineering challenges to work through here," Dr Ottaviano said.

The company will also have to test that the units can operate over an extended period of time.


They will run them at faster than normal speed over around one year to simulate a 20-year period of operation.

An independent view

Professor David Harries of the Research Institute for Sustainable Energy at Murdoch University, which evaluates new technologies, views the CETO technology favourably.

Although he has not seen the results of the latest trial, he thinks CETO is among the best wave energy-capturing technologies in the world.

He says one advantage over other designs is that there are no electrical wires and generators underwater.

"As soon as I saw it I thought it was very smart and sensible technology by minimising what actually goes in the water," Professor Harries said.

"That simplifies it, makes it cheaper and stops the corrosion."

Another advantage of CETO is that it is less susceptible to storm damage because it is tied to the sea floor.

Professor Harries says units can be added in a modular fashion to increase the size of the wave farm as required.

The balance of water and electricity produced can also be altered as required.

"In some areas, the water is going to be more valuable than the electricity so that's a huge advantage," he said.

Environmental effects?

One concern about the desalination plants is the production of hypersaline water - water with high levels of salt - which is returned to the sea.

Dr Ottaviano says the preferred site for energy production will be naturally turbulent and therefore more easily disperse the hypersaline water.

He says the wave farms should not be built in sensitive marine areas because construction would disrupt the sea floor.

See - Researchers close to ocean power breakthrough.

Also see Stuart Khan's thoughts - Wave Energy to Power Desalination?

Great concept and hopefully it will go ahead but bolting it onto a commercial desalination plant is some time away ...

4350water blog - most bizarre search term ...

The 4350water blog gets visitors from all over the globe - some are fleeting visits - others stay quite a while.

This one falls into the bizarre category - someone from Turkey who spent a few minutes looking for anything 'erotik' on the blog.

Here's the result - 4350water blog - erotik.

Guess they were disappointed ...

Seems it ended up on Topix's Offbeat Wire for today as well.

See - Topix Offbeat Wire.

Federal election - Macfarlane and Meibusch score 0/5 on the Big Switch ...

See - The Big Switch - Rank your politician.

Perhaps it's time to role out those environmental credentials for the voters.

The Big Switch, the nation’s largest community climate change movement, has ranked seven political parties on nine criteria, including greenhouse pollution reduction targets, renewable energy, smarter energy and land use, Kyoto ratification and nuclear policies. Rating the parties out of 5, The Big Switch scores are:

- The Greens: 4.8
- The Democrats: 4.4 [will there be any left after this election?]
- Australian Labor Party: 1.8 [So much for having Garrett on the ticket]
- The Nationals: 0.8
- The Liberal Party: 0.8
- Family First: 0.5

See - The Big Switch.

Frankly, not wanting to ratify the Kyoto Protocol should get at least 2 points. Ratifying Kyoto will achieve nothing - it is symbolic at best ...

Federal election - Why K Rudd has lost round one ...

John Howard, the wily old fox is back.

With one deft move, he has Krudd on the defensive.

Howard has decided one debate is sufficient and it will be on Sunday night.

Excerpt from the Sydney Morning Herald:

16 October 2007

"I will be at the Great Hall of Parliament House at 7.30 on Sunday night," Mr Howard said today while visiting a joinery factory in the marginal seat of Eden-Monaro.

"That's our offer, I'll be there and I'll be ready to debate," Mr Howard said.

"I'm sure there will be at least 200 strong supporters of the Coalition there to comprise our half.

"If he doesn't turn up, I'll still talk for an hour and a half."

See - Howard takes control.

Rudd is in a corner.

Go to the debate and he accepts that there will only be one debate and Howard's debate rules.

(KRudd has a fascination with the worm - "And why punish the worm?" Mr Rudd said. "Everyone in Australia likes the worm. Let's be friends of the worm.")

Boycott the debate and he'll spend Sunday night watching Howard get a free 90 minute commercial on TV.

Can't really win either way.

Howard's plan could backfire if he looks too arrogant in only permitting one debate.

But that's a risk he's probably prepared to take in taking control of the election campaign.

If you were KRudd, what would you do ...

Qld the Smart State produces world's most expensive water ...

... and there won't be enough recycled water for drinking.

Anna Bligh and the QWC have discovered just how much of a white elephant a poorly planned recycled water plant can become.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail (annotated):

Recycled water costs most

16 October 2007

The Western Corridor recycled water pipeline will be pumping the most expensive water in Australia when it starts full operations at the end of next year.

And the cost per litre is expected to increase as more businesses introduce water savings plans, further reducing the amount of water available for recycling.

The pipeline was initially expected to deliver 230 million litres of water a day at a cost of $1.7 billion.

Now it is expected to deliver an initial 130 million litres a day for $2.4 billion.

The sharp drop in expected output reflects the success of domestic water savings in southeast Queensland under progressively tougher water restrictions.

Although the Queensland Water Commission says it does not expect further declines in inflows into the Western Corridor recycled scheme, at least one large industrial user is understood to be considering recycling its own water rather than releasing it back into the system.

[Anyone concerned about what other industrial users may be serving up for Anna to recycle?]

A Water Commission spokesman said the cost of Western Corridor recycled water should be assessed on a whole-of-life basis rather than simply on initial output levels, which should be expected to pick up once the drought breaks and restrictions are eased.

However, without additional sources of waste water, there will barely be enough water to supply SEQ's power stations, let alone provide extra potable water for 2 million residents.

[So much for forcing SEQ residents to drink recycled water - there won't be any to drink.]

National water officials are not aware of more expensive water anywhere in the world.

[But aren't these projects sold on the basis that they are more cost effective than other alternatives?]

The Queensland Water Commission has been searching without success for viable waste-water sources for the past six months - yet has turned a blind eye to one of the most obvious.

Tens of millions of litres of grey water diverted into gardens and yards each day could be sent down the drain for recycling.

[So will Anna Bligh now prohibit grey water use by SEQ residents?]

Opposition infrastructure spokeswoman Fiona Simpson said it was a "no-brainer" that waste water would be scarce under tight water restrictions, yet the Government did not plan for it.

"The upfront planning on these projects has been so shoddy," she said, adding that the initial pipeline output projections were "a fantasy" in a drought situation.

"The Government was fooling residents when it masked a pipeline cost blowout with the announcement it would have a capacity of 300 million litres a day.

"The so-called increase in capacity means nothing when you don't have increased water," Ms Simpson said.

SEQ dams are on track to fall below 20 per cent of capacity next month without further heavy rain.

See - Anna's out of luck on recycled water.

While the use of recycled water for the power stations is worthwhile, Anna Bligh and her predecessor have needlessly caused concern to SEQ residents by indicating they would be forced to drink recycled water.

With hardly enough recycled water for the power stations, that seems less and less likely.

But SEQ residents still need water.

Is there a general feeling down George Street that Brisbane should have its own desalination plant ...

London - global warming means UHT milk for all ...

You might think it's some bizarre scheme to control flatulence in cows.

But it's actually an attempt to reduce commercial refrigeration.

Excerpt from News.com.au:

Save the world: buy UHT milk

15 October 2007

Britons may be banned from drinking "traditional milk" in favour of the long-life variety in order to save the environment, according to a government strategy.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in London has recommended the use of long-life UHT milk to limit commercial refrigeration, The Times has reported.

The newspaper said officials have developed a long term goal to reduce the amount of carbon emissions caused by refrigerated milk. They aim to have long-life milk make up 90 per cent of the market by 2020.

It has been reported that 93 per cent of milk sold in Britain was the “traditional” fresh type.

According to The Times, a strategy paper has already been sent to dairy industry officials suggesting the changes.

“Retail and domestic refrigeration is an area with the potential for significant impact reduction,” the paper reportedly said.

“The milk chain should enhance the development, marketing and placement of UHT milk products.”

The move could see less refrigeration by outlets, but consumers will still have to cool the milk in fridges once the carton has been opened.

See - Climate change to result in fresh milk ban.

So, in 13 years, they hope to cut 93% fresh milk consumption to just 10%.

Do you think they've considered the energy use in the UHT process ...