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 ...