Senate grills 'global warming' Garnaut on self-serving Melbourne hail storm claims ...

Excerpt from the Australian:

Hail fears put Ross Garnaut out in cold

31 May 2008

Kevin Rudd entrusts Ross Garnaut with Australia's long-term response to global warming, but the economics professor is in a tangle over how climate change will hit his own back yard.

In a bid to build a sustainable second house behind his home in inner-Melbourne Princes Hill, Professor Garnaut has told the City of Yarra Council that global warming will lead to more hailstorms in Melbourne - a claim, it now emerges, at odds with those of leading climate change scientists.

In a letter to the council, the economist uses his expertise to argue that heritage traditions, including a slate roof, should not apply to the property when defending what objectors say is an ugly, curving steel roof set to dominate the streetscape at the rear of the property.

He points out the greater resilience of a steel roof over slate given the increasing hailstorm threat. He says he has consulted the insurance industry in the course of his climate change work to back up his argument.

But the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's fourth assessment report, Climate Change 2007 - Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability - says in chapter 11: "Decreases in hail frequency are simulated for Melbourne and Mt Gambier."

It does not back up Professor Garnaut's letter, which says: "Severe and more frequent hailstorms will be a feature of this change."

Professor Garnaut was quizzed about the letter at a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Thursday night.
...

See - The Australian - Hail fears put Ross Garnaut out in cold.

Climate change is increasingly used to justify anything a so-called 'climate change expert' wants to do - including putting a steel roof on a house.

How this economics professor could now be asked to prepare a report on Australia's climate change response is beyond belief ...

K Rudd Ministers in double standard over car choice ...

'Do as I say not as I do' as Ministers drive gas guzzlers with free fuel cards ...

Image - news.com.au.

Excerpt from the Australian:

Kevin Rudd might empathise with working families over fuel prices, and express concern over climate change, but some of his colleagues have double standards when it comes to their choice of taxpayer-funded vehicles.

Through a little-known perk, federal departments often provide ministers and parliamentary secretaries with a private-plated car and fuel card for their use in Canberra, separate to any electorate or private vehicles they might have at home.

See - The Australian - Gas-guzzlers among Rudd ministers' cars of choice.

What is coal seam gas ...

Excerpt from Icon Energy website

Coal Seam Methane or Coal Seam Gas

Coal Seam Gas “CSG” is a natural gas formed as a by-product during the coal formation process where organic matter was turned into coal millions of years ago.

CGG is one of the cleanest of fossil fuels and has an excellent future particularly now as we move towards placing a price on carbon. In addition to its low greenhouse gas impact, the sector may also even have some answers for another environmental problem – water shortages. Water is a by-product of CSG production and much work is being done on remediating CSG by-water to make it fit for a variety of purposes.

CSG production in Queensland has developed more rapidly than most analysts expected and already provides more than 70% of the state’s gas supplies.

In less than a decade, coal seam methane has become the dominant source of gas production in Queensland.

Unlike conventional natural gas reservoirs, where gas is trapped in the pores or void spaces or a rock such as sandstone or limestone, methane trapped in coal is adsorbed onto the coal surface (cleats and joints) or microspores and held in place by reservoir and water pressure. Hence the coal is the source and the reservoir for the methane.

CSG is an odorless gas that is used just like any other form of conventional gas to power water heaters, stoves, space heaters in both domestic and business settings and as a direct source of power for industry and as a fuel for electricity generation.

Large quantities of methane, carbon dioxide and water are generated during the coal formation process over geological time. Most of the gas and water migrates away, but some methane is retained within the coal seam. Most of this is absorbed onto the coal surface, the remainder exists as free methane in the natural fracture (cleat) system of the seams or is dissolved within the seam water. Water within the seam traps methane within the coal and has to be drawn off before the methane is extracted. As the amount of water in the seam decreases, methane production increases.

Undeveloped coal seams are generally filled with water. Methane is released when pressure on the seam is reduced, usually by removing water.

CSG production almost always involves the production of water, and most of Australia’s CSG developments are in dry regions where water is badly needed. But salts and other constituents contaminate water from coal seams, making it unsuitable for many uses.

Now, rather than simply leaving their by-water to evaporate in storage ponds, several companies are trialing reverse osmosis plants to make the water fit for a variety of uses.



Wells completed in coal deposits go through three distinct production phases.

The first phase includes the production of trace amounts of gas and in-situ water. During this initial stage, the production rates of both products are essentially constant. Generally, the water production rate is the highest rate that the well will see. Periodically, it is necessary to pump by mechanical means the water out of the wellbore as a way to produce in-situ water and gas. The methane production rate is initially characterized by a low rate, however, the methane does increase at a relatively constant rate. The first phase may last only a short time in comparison to the overall life of the well. Many first phase productions last from two (2) to six (6) months.

The wells must be de-watered so as to reduce the hydrostatic pressure on the coal face. This reduced hydrostatic pressure will allow the methane to diffuse from the coal face.

The second phase is characterized by rapid water production decline and simultaneously, the increased methane production. The water withdrawal continues for a period of time, in some wells for several months, while absorbed methane is desorbing from the microspores of the coal face and begins to flow into the fracture system that is ultimately connected to the wellbore. The desorbed methane production will begin increasing during this time.

The third phase is defined by maximum rate of the gas production and a markedly reduced water rate. Nevertheless, water must still be pumped throughout the life of the well.

The well must be periodically de-watered so as the methane gas can continue to flow and the gas is sent via a pipeline for commercial production.

The future of gas-fired power generation on the east coast will affect CSG’s prospects. Queensland power demand is expected to grow strongly over the next decade, by 3.6% per annum in the medium case and up to 6.2% in the high case according to NEMMCO (National Electricity Market Marketing Company). Emissions trading (planned from 2010) will encourage use of gas for new generation, but in competition with renewable and cleaner coal.

CSG is rapidly becoming a rapid growth sector for the investment community. International interest is increasing as pioneers companies such as Icon Energy Limited apply their skills to CSG production.

See - Icon Energy - Coal seam gas.

SEQ water grid - sewage water tank has almost 200 leaks ...

Image - Brisbane Times.

Excerpt from Brisbane Times:

Tank puts hole in water grid

30 May 2008

Almost 200 leaks have been discovered in a new $2 million water tank that is part of South East Queensland's $9 billion water grid network.

The damaged tank is supposed to play an key role in pumping recycled water into the region's drinking water supplies.

It has been out of action for weeks and will not be repaired until late June.

Now one Queensland water grid company, the Eastern Pipeline Alliance, is taking legal action against the manufacturers of the five-megalitre water tank near Ipswich.

The leaking tank has been built at the Goodna Pump Station in Lower Cross Street, Goodna and holds treated wastewater from the Goodna Wastewater Treatment Plant before pumping it to an advanced treatment facility at Bundamba.

The network is part of the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project (WCRWP) which is responsible for pumping 66 megalitres of recycled water to Wivenhoe Dam by this summer.

However, the success of plans to cut water consumption in South-East Queensland has already cut the supply of recycled water to 41 megalitres per day.

A spokesman for the WCRWP declined to confirm how much the faulty tank had cost, or how much had been spent on repairs, however it is understood the leaks were discovered when the tank was filled for testing.
...

"The tank is being bypassed while it is out of service. Water from the Goodna Wastewater Treatment Plant is being pumped directly to the Bundamba plant."

He said the damaged tank was used to "regulate the peaks and troughs of waste water" rather than pumping waste water directly to Bundamba.
...

A source close to the work site said the tank had been built by a Victorian firm, who won the tender for the project.

The source described it as a "total system failure" that had 198 leaks.

See - Brisbane Times - Tank puts hole in water grid.

Origin Energy rejects BG offer ...

See - Sydney Morning Herald - Origin rejects BG offer.

CSG - Santos historic $7.7b Qld gas project ...

Excerpt from Brisbane Times:

Historic $7.7b Qld gas project

29 May 2008

Gladstone will become one of the world's largest liquified natural gas export centres by 2014 after resources giant Santos today announced it had signed a partner to a $7.7 billion world-first project to convert coal seam gas to liquified natural gas (LNG).

Coal seam gas will be piped via a 450 kilometre pipeline from gas fields near Roma and Injune to Gladstone, where it will be chilled and liquified for export on Curtis Island in Gladstone Harbour.
...

Mr Knox said the Australian Bureau of Research Economics (ABARE) had recently advised the company east Australia had potential reserves of 250 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas.

"To get a project such as this - we are talking about 3 million tonnes - we need about four or five trillion cubic feet and I just said there is about 250 tcf," Mr Knox said.

"So, this has the potential to be a giant business.

"Ultimately, this could be a business of almost unimaginable scale."
...

See - Brisbane Times - Historic $7.7b Qld gas project.

Also see - Santos presentation.

State government seriously considers coal seam gas water for Toowoomba ...

Excerpt from WIN News:

Deputy Premier Visit

29 May 2008

The Deputy Premier has made an embarrassing slip-up on his visit to the region today, incorrectly pegging Toowoomba's dam levels at sixteen per cent.

The State Government now seriously considering Coal seam gas water as an alternative to the Wivenhoe solution.

See - CSG water opportunity.

Toowoomba City Councillors - former councillors - where are they now ...

Feather-duster tales ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Council poll losers: Where are they now?

9 May 2008

Most of the ousted Toowoomba city councillors have re-established their lives, but Sue Englart says she's still waiting for her "direction".

"I now know how John Howard felt - although he got a huge pension. There was no payout for us," she said.

Ms Englart says: I'm embarrassed and I don't want people to feel sorry for me, but I want a job."

Since being ousted from the March 15 election that put former country shire mayors and deputies in 9 out of the 10 seats around the extended councillors' table, the feisty red-head has been left with her five-hour a week job at the Elders sale yards.

She has reluctantly joined the unemployment lines at Centrelink.

"That's humbling, but by the same token it makes you understand how a lot of people live," she said.

After being among the hardest-working councillors, Ms Englart struggles to explain how she feels.

"I'm not happy about it. I'm very ... it's a diminishing feeling."

"The really sad part in a way is - and it's not really sad - but I'm exactly the same person I was eight weeks ago when I was a councillor."

"I have the same intelligence, I have the same sense of humour, I have the same outlook on life and I have the same ideals and philosophies."

"This happened to me eleven years ago when I was made redundant when the company was taken over and, as an unknown, I stood for council," she said.

"It's like standing at the edge of a precipice."

"I'm waiting for that bolt out of the blue," Ms Englart said.

Meanwhile, Ms Englart has a new hairstyle, working for charity and keeping fit by walking around parts of Prince Henry Drive and is lowering her "PB".

Michelle Schneider, who was 11th in the poll, is helping her father Reg Laurie at the family business Tews Transport.

"There was a staff change at the depot at Christmas and Dad has been on his own for three months - and now I'm there helping - it was meant to be."

"I'm in a good place."

Her performance persona Ruby Slipperz is having a break from the entertainment and media industry and instead working on an album that she was always going to finish.

"That part of my life is on hold and now I can go to kindy groups," Mrs Schneider said.

Michele Alroe is tidying up on the many administrative duties left in the air at her husband Damian's legal practice and helping finalise arrangements for the Friends of St Vincent's Charity Golf Day.

She's coping with the frustration of a foot in plaster and looking forward to life after plaster with a new career or running another small business.

Keith Beer is back making burgers and fried and doing those little jobs he never got around to at his McDonald's outlets.

"I'm spending more time at the shop and a few more weekends away with the grandchildren at the unit up the north coast," he said.

"It's a more relaxed lifestyle."

Graham Barron is driving the courtesy bus for Whippell's Autos.

"I deliver people home and pick them up when their cars are being serviced."

"It's amazing the amount of people who recognise me and I'm enjoying mixing and helping people."

"I walk down the street and can hold my head high."

"I do it Monday to Friday and I'm enjoying it," Mr Barron said.

Failed mayoral candidate Snow Manners says his world is good.

"I took a holiday and took the children off to the Red Centre and climbed Ayres (sic) Rock and up the Oodnadatta Track."

"I'm back fiddling around with my land dealings, my bush block and trading stocks and shares."

"Generally I'm having a relaxed and happy time," he said.

When asked if he misses council, Mr Manners bluntly said "like a toothache."

4350water blog - recent search terms ...

1. coal seam water toowoomba

2. lake wivenhoe dam to lake cressbrook pipeline

3. link energy brisbane

4. townsville recycled water

5. toowoomba regional council election date

6. coal seam gas pressure

7. toowoomba water recycling

8. the future of toowoomba

9. blogspot toowoonba

10. pipeline to toowoomba 2009

11. "wetalla water treatment plant"

12. "coal seam gas process"

13. cost to build recycled water plant

14. 4350 water blog

15. flies in toowoomba

16. queensland government water/ minister

17. how long has toowoomba been on water restrictions

18. surat basin

19. (qgc) desalination berwyndale water

20. recycled water in brisbane dams. what will this mean for water security

21. toowoomba second range crossing

22. water treatment toowoomba

23. "stuart copeland" redistribution

24. australian rain corporation

25. coal seam gas producers

26. "mike williams country clothing"

27. coal seam gas carbon

28. jobs available in wondoan north toowoomba

29. stakeholders toowoomba referendum

30. (toowoomba city) (capital) (csg water)

QGC signs agreement to supply CSG water to Miles ...

Excerpt from QGC March 2008 Quarterly Report:

Miles Water Supply

During the March quarter, QGC entered into two long-term water supply agreements:

Miles water supply: On 22 January 2008, QGC and Murilla Shire Council agreed a 20-year arrangement to supply more than half a billion litres of potable water each year to the town of Miles in southern Queensland.

Under the agreement, QGC will provide up to 1.5 million litres of purified water each day to the town utilising proven reverse osmosis technology. An 8 kilometre pipeline will be constructed linking QGC’s plant at Condamine Power Station to the Miles water supply network.

First water supplies are expected to be delivered to Miles in early 2009, pending final ratification of the agreement by the new Dalby Regional Council.

See - Miles water supply.

Don't tell the people from the AWA - they think CSG water causes cancer and will tell you just to try to make you believe recycled water is a better alternative.

It's part of the do anything say anything approach which pervades the recycled water industry ...

QGC signs agreement to supply CSG water to Cameby Downs coal mine ...

Excerpt from QGC March 2008 Quarterly Report:

Cameby Downs coal mine

During the March quarter, QGC entered into two long-term water supply agreements:

Cameby Downs water supply: In March 2008, QGC and Syntech Resources agreed a 20-year arrangement to supply the proposed open cut export coal mine at Cameby Downs with 2 million litres a day of untreated coal seam gas water.

As part of the arrangement, Syntech Resources has agreed to build the water pipeline. The Cameby Downs Project is located about 15 km east of Miles in the Surat Basin and is scheduled to commence operations in 2010.

See - Miles water supply.

'Jeeves' - K Rudd's travelling butler ...

See - Sydney Morning Herald - By Jove, Rudd's got a Jeeves?

QGC plans gas pipeline from Qld to Hunter Valley ...

See - Sydney Morning Herald - $850m gas-fired power plan for Hunter.

QGC - positive talks on piping CSG water to towns ...

Excerpt from QGC March 2008 Quarterly Report:

POSITIVE TALKS ON BENEFICIAL USE OF WATER

A key objective of QGC is to provide large volumes of water from its coal seams for the beneficial use of drought-affected towns and communities most in need of water.

Proposals including a pipeline from QGC’s acreage to Toowoomba were raised after talks between Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and QGC Managing Director Richard Cottee.

Ms Bligh has asked for investigations and planning by the State Government to be fast-tracked to ensure the water will not be wasted. QGC, which will produce increasing volumes of water heading into full LNG production, has offered to continue to assist in the investigations process.

See - Positive talks on beneficial use of water.

CSG water - Hidden wellspring ...

Excerpt from The Australian:

Hidden wellspring

15 May 2008

Coal seam gas used to be a deadly and explosive hazard for coalminers.

But more recently it has become a valuable resource that is being tapped by Australia's booming east coast gas suppliers.

Mining coal below 300m-400m is an expensive exercise, but the gas trapped by water in deeper seams is mainly methane, which produces about half the greenhouse gas emissions as coal.

As the technology to extract and use this gas has improved and the world has become more carbon-conscious, coal seam gas has become economically viable as an energy source. The gas is turned into liquefied natural gas and used locally.

The bid by British-based BG group (formerly British Gas) for Queensland's Origin Energy drew attention to the large and lucrative reserves of coal seam gas and its export potential. Extracting the gas also yields a useful by-product: water.

To extract the gas, miners first have to extract the usually brackish water that was once regarded as a waste product and was typically left to evaporate in huge ponds.

But the long drought in southeast Queensland, at the southern end of the gas-rich Surat Basin, has led to miners and local communities reassessing the value of this water.

Queensland Gas Company's managing director Richard Cottee says that plans to export millions of tonnes of LNG mean there will be vast quantities of water that can be used "for the benefit of the nation in some shape or form, whether it is for the supply of water to Toowoomba or (for use in) coalmines, or whatever".

Within a decade, Queensland Gas will be producing 100 megalitres, or 100 million litres, of water a day at its gas field near Condamine in southeast Queensland.

There are already plans for Queensland Gas to supply water to the nearby township of Miles. Cottee points out that the gas field is only 200km from Toowoomba, one of the cities worst affected by the Australian drought. There is even talk of coal seam water being used in Brisbane. The Queensland capital is on level-six water restrictions, which limits residents to 140 litres a day. Its dams are down to 37.42 per cent and have not been full since January 2000.

The estimated cost of a pipeline from the gas field to Toowoomba is $300 million. Toowoomba's dam is at 11.5 per cent capacity.
...

Toowoomba needs water sooner than Queensland Gas will be able to produce it. Besides, there are problems with supplying coal seam water.

One hurdle is that so far there is no regulatory framework for treating coal seam water for urban use. But Queensland Premier Anna Bligh is open-minded. "We certainly will not reject water from any reliable source," she says. "If this water can be treated effectively and transported efficiently, I would like to get this as drinking water to regional towns and Toowoomba."

Bligh has promised to fast-track the necessary regulatory framework to enable towns to use coal seam water.

"These towns have done it tough," she says. "They've suffered severe drought, population decline. If we get the water out there, particularly as a by-product of another industry, then we can breathe life back into the bush in southeast Queensland."

It could also turn out to be a reliable source of water for irrigation, cattle feedlots and industrial uses, including power stations.

CSIRO Petroleum Resources' Luke Connell says the volume and quality of water yielded by the production of coal seam methane vary from one site to another.

"Some areas can produce a lot of water and other areas may not produce much water at all," he says. "It really depends on the local groundwater quality, whether that water is immediately suitable for further use. It could be potable (drinking quality) water, but often (in) Australian fields it can be quite saline."

Large-scale production of coal seam gas took off only during the past decade, he says. "They were focused initially on trying to understand how much gas they could produce. Water has become more important as the industry has grown and they have seen how much water is being produced.'

Paul Zealand, general manager of exploration and production for the largest coal seam gas producer, Origin Energy, says the company produces 5000ML of water a year. That is estimated to increase to 25,000ML by 2015.

Origin has been using a treatment facility for the water since late last year. "We are committed to finding a beneficial use for that water," Zealand says. "At the moment, it's a beneficial use to put it back into the natural environment. What we ultimately want to do is find a more beneficial use and get a return for it if we can. What we don't want to do is over-hype what we are doing. It may well help certain parts of rural Queensland, but it's not that big."

Former deputy prime minister John Anderson, who is chairman of NSW-based minnow Eastern Star Gas, plays down the drought-breaking potential of coal seam gas production. It may be sufficient to help supply some towns or augment some supplies, but volumes that can make a big difference are unlikely, Anderson says.

"It will not be without its use, but it will not be that significant," he says. "The amount of water likely to be produced and the location mean (it may be of some use) from time to time. There's no doubt we could use it, but no one should be thinking it's the sort of quantity that's going to support drought relief."

Arrow Energy has been producing 10ML to 12ML of water a day at its operation west of Toowoomba. Environmental manager Ralph Gunness says for the past 18 months Arrow has been supplying 4ML a day to local cattle feedlots. The water is slightly brackish, containing 4000 to 6000 parts per million of salt. Sea water is about 35,000ppm, cattle can tolerate water up to 8000 ppm, water for plants generally needs to be less than 1000ppm and the acceptable level for human consumption is 500ppm.

The next step for Arrow is to pipe the water 20km to Dalby, where it will be desalinated for the town's 11,500 population. But piping water is not cheap. Gunness says Arrow is spending $4 million on the pipe and associated pumping costs.

"We are giving the water to the council free, which will allow them to have economies of scale, to desalinate the water and put it to good use," he says. It is part of a $19 million project, which includes funding from the commonwealth, state and local governments.

"We just signed off a $1.5 million expenditure on a mini RO (reverse osmosis) plant," Gunness says. "We are doing a demonstration irrigation trial, to demonstrate to the local farmers that this water is OK."

The water can also be used for washing coal and Arrow is exploring the possibility of using it for saltwater fish farming.

Another challenge is that the water is heavy: one cubic metre weighs one tonne and pumping it through a pipeline uses up a great deal of energy.

The volume of water produced by a coal seam gas project is highest at the beginning of the project but quickly tails off. Most projects have a useful life of less than 40 years.

Desalination is expensive and, again, uses up lots of energy; besides, the waste water it produces contains a high concentration of salts and needs to be disposed of safely.

There also are fears the water in the coal seams can be linked to other ground sources, so its extraction may be depleting a larger water source.

Cottee, an unabashed enthusiast for using what until recently was problem waste water, says the coal bed where Queensland Gas will be extracting water and gas is not linked to any other groundwater system.

"We are simply saying, look at this water, it is a scarce resource and a fantastic opportunity for Queensland," he says.

Coal's other treasures on tap

Methane gas has been forming as part of the process of peat becoming coal for millions of years.

Coal has natural microscopic fractures, called cleats, that enable it to hold large volumes of gas. It is held in place by pressure and by billions of litres of water locked up in coal seams.

The water and gas are not separate to the coal: all three are bound together. When a well is drilled into a coal seam, gas does not usually rise to the surface. But when water is pumped from the well, the pressure is reduced and the gas flows.

Water production is typically greatest in the early phases of mining and, as water production decreases, gas flow increases.

The quality of the water varies between gas fields. It depends on the depth of the coal seam, the relationship of the seam to aquifers or groundwater, the permeability and porosity of the coal seam, and the efficiency of the well extraction process.

The gas can be liquefied to form liquid natural gas.

Most of Australia's coal seam gas comes from the Bowen and Surat basins. There is more water associated with coal seam gas in the Surat Basin than in the Bowen Basin.

A gas power station emits less than half the carbon dioxide of a coal-fired power station, and also generates less CO2 where it is mined than conventional natural gas.

The Queensland Government has mandated 18 per cent of the state's energy to come from gas by 2020, up from 13 per cent.

According to the Queensland Department of Mines, last financial year 9419ML (megalitres or million litres) of water was produced from coal seam gas fields. Brisbane used a total of 119,000 ML in that period. Coal seam water is expected to increase to 14,300ML by 2010.

See - The Australian - Hidden wellspring.

The sun sets on Rudd's climate change credibility

See - The Australian - The sun sets on Rudd's climate change credibility.

Coal seam gas water - a scarce resource and a fantastic opportunity for Qld ...

Soon ...

Meanwhile - word on the street is that Origin Energy and the other CSG players are all researching ways to deal with the salt waste.

But if you ask some people who frequent AWA meetings and try to whip up enthusiasm for recycled water, they'll tell you coal seam gas water causes cancer.

Seems they never learn ...

Qld electoral boundary redistribution ...

See - Toowoomba North and Toowoomba South boundary adjustments - ECQ - proposed electoral divisions.

(Hint - use 'bridge street toowoomba' to see the proposed Toowoomba North and 'alderley street toowoomba' to see the proposed Toowoomba South. Click on the existing division to see the changes.)

Also see - Courier Mail - MPs in sweat over boundaries.

Former Qld Labor Minister Nuttall's troubles deepen ...

See - Courier Mail - Gordon Nuttall may face fresh charges.

Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Peter Taylor's comments on recycled water ...

“With the sensible application of technology, and thoughtful pre-planning, there are plenty of ways that treated water from sewerage treatment works can be used to reduce reliance on dam water supplies, such as watering sports fields, golf courses, gardens, and back through toilets, as well as supplying bulk water for certain industry and mining applications, without any risk of it contaminating our drinking water” said Cr. Taylor.

(5 March 2008)

See - Jondaryan Shire Council press release - Proposed Western Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant.

California - Toilet to tap redux ...

The treatment of the community the first time around sounds ominously like the experience in Toowoomba ...

Excerpt from Daily News:

Toilet-to-tap redux

18 May 2008

Toilet-to-tap is back. And with the future water supplies for Los Angeles so uncertain, it deserves a fresh - if wary - look.

About seven years after public pressure killed a controversial plan to use recycled sewer water in the San Fernando Valley, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is proposing to revive the idea as part of a $2 billion multifaceted water use and conservation plan.

This time, however, officials say the technology is better, and that the recycled water won't just be used in the Valley.

Let's hope that's true, because water use is shaping up to be one of the biggest challenges facing California as growth puts new demands on a dwindling supply. As such, it's important for the city to take decisive steps to conserve and reuse water wherever possible.

But this time around, city officials must do a better job of answering the old - and valid - concerns about safety and quality than they did when toilet-to-tap first made its debut.

Back then, the city made only nominal attempts to notify residents of the plan. And when the public was finally clued in, officials were circumspect with the details.

Even then-Valley Councilman Joel Wachs couldn't get a straight answer about who would use the water, how it would be distributed and how the Department of Water and Power would deal with possible contamination. Those were legitimate concerns then, and remain so today.
...

See - LA Daily News - Toilet-to-tap redux.

Also see - Wall Street Journal - Sewer to Spigot.

K Rudd's $500,000 + Bali long weekend bill ...

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Rudd's Bali blowout slammed

22 May 2008

Kevin Rudd and his team cost taxpayers almost $500,000 in business-class airfares, lavish hotels and bizarre expenses at the UN climate summit in Bali.

Millionaire Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was only in Bali for two nights in December but his tab included $39,051 in hospitality costs, $5255 in ground transport, $1081 in accommodation and $1125 for an accompanying doctor.

The Opposition said most working families would be disgusted by Mr Rudd's extravagance.

The signing of the Kyoto Protocol ahead of the summit was Mr Rudd's first major symbolic act but the full cost for the five ministers, 12 ministerial staff and 35 bureaucrats will not be known until Environment Minister Peter Garrett provides his total bill and the Defence Department reveals how much it cost to operate a jet for Mr Rudd.

The price tag to date of almost $500,000 was revealed in a question on notice by Liberal frontbencher Nick Minchin, whose staff said they were "shocked" by the cost.

"Why did the Prime Minister need five ministers, 12 ministerial staff and 35 bureaucrats to go to Bali?" a spokesman said yesterday.

"If Senator Wong did all the negotiating, why did the others go?

"Why was Mr Garrett there when he has has no responsibility for Kyoto? Why did the Treasurer have to go? Why did the Trade Minister go?

Ordinary Australian families who would have saved to go on a $1000 package holiday to Bali would be disgusted (and) especially when they see that Mr Rudd spent $39,000 just on hospitality."

But the biggest spender was the Climate Change Department – 18 climate change bureaucrats were sent to the conference for up to 17 days and ran up a bill of $73,325 in travel, $69,644 in accommodation and $61,934 in other expenses.

Trade Minister Simon Crean lodged an expense of $10.01 for laundry and taxpayers also paid $458.14 to hire a car for his wife, Carole. Mrs Crean also received $131.66 under the spouse hospitality program.

Two unnamed ministerial staff for Treasurer Wayne Swan were in Bali for four days and spent almost $10,000 in travel, $2640 in accommodation and almost $1000 in "other expenses".
...

See - Courier Mail - Rudd's Bali blowout slammed.

See - K Rudd in Bali.

See - K Rudd's party in Bali for 75.

See - K Rudd takes his Cabinet on Bali surfing safari.

K Rudd's department says that last minute travel costs more ...

A Fresh Look at Water - Desalination ...

Excerpt from Business Week:

A Fresh Look at Water

Israel's IDE Technologies is taking its desalination expertise worldwide. With droughts and global warming, someone's always going to want a drink

25 April 2008

No radio or TV news broadcast during the winter months in Israel would be complete without a mention of the water level in the Sea of Galilee. The lake that played such a prominent role in Biblical times today provides about 40% of Israel's fresh water supply. Annual winter rains are crucial for replenishing the inland lake and ensuring its ability to quench the thirst of Israel's 7 million inhabitants, but after four straight years of drought, dwindling water resources have forced the Jewish state increasingly to turn to desalination as a long-term solution.

Israel's dire straits, along with shortages in dozens of other countries, have proven a blessing for IDE Technologies, a 40-year-old private company based in Kadima that is fast becoming a global leader in an industry forecasted to grow at double-digit rates for the foreseeable future.

IDE's fortunes started changing dramatically three years ago with the opening of the world's largest desalination plant at Ashkelon, along the country's southern Mediterranean coast. IDE teamed up with France's Veolia Water (VE) to build and operate the plant, which produces 100 million cubic meters of fresh water annually at the lowest cost ever achieved for high-volume desalination. "The project put us on the map just at a time when dozens of countries began to look for ways to tackle their own water problems," says Avshalom Felber, chief executive officer and president of IDE Technologies.

Focusing Growth Abroad

Further up the coast at Hadera, the company is building a second plant of similar size that will begin production late next year. The two plants will supply about 10% of Israel's water needs, with the percentage expected to rise sharply in the future. At an emergency meeting on the water crisis on Apr. 13, the government announced the country will need 700 million cu. m. of desalinated water within five years. "Desalination is the only way to deal with the crisis, and we must move ahead as quickly as possible," says National Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer.

Israel now aims to build five additional plants along its coast to augment the two facilities already operating and one under construction. IDE will no doubt bid on all the local projects. But the company is also focusing its efforts on parlaying its expertise abroad, where growth is expected to be even faster.

Global Water Intelligence, a British-based industry publication, estimates the global desalination market will grow by 12% annually through 2015—and then accelerate. Predictions are for growth of 20% or more in the hottest markets, including China, India, Australia, and the U.S., where water scarcity has become a critical issue. Total investment in new plants over the next seven years could top $56 billion.

Off Limits

"There are so many opportunities nowadays that we can literally pick and chose which projects to bid on," says IDE CEO Felber. That was hardly the case just a few years back, when most of the major desalination projects were in the Arab Gulf states, a market that was off limits to the Israeli company.

IDE competes against more than a dozen companies including global giants Veolia, Suez, General Electric (GE), and Siemens (SI)—all major players in the water industry, not just desalination. Despite the stiff challenges, the Israeli company has made inroads outside of Israel. Last June, IDE landed a $100 million contract to build China's biggest desalination plant, which will supply drinking water to the city of Tianjin, 200 kilometers northeast of Beijing.

"The Chinese view the project as a demonstration plant, and it will undoubtedly lead to other contracts for us," says Felber.
...

See - A Fresh Look at Water.

Toowoomba Regional Council - new name, same Mickey Mouse operation ...

Report in today's Chronicle about a gaggle of Councillors and staff heading to sister city Paju in South Korea for the first overseas jaunt of the Toowoomba Regional Council.

Only problem was no-one seems to have told Cr Glasheen that she needed a visa to visit South Korea.

Why is it that Mayor Taylor, his wife, Cr Taylor, CEO Spencer, Community Services Director Pidgeon and Carnival Ambassador Saunders all had time to arrange their visas but Cr Glasheen did not.

Is she on the outer already or just slow on the uptake on the finer points of international travel ...

CSG production concerns - Qld government to investigate ...

Excerpt from WIN News:

Coalseam Answers

20 May 2008

The State Government is pledging to investigate public concern surrounding Coal Seam Gas production.

Local farmers airing their grievances in recent weeks over the impact that coal seam gas production will have on their livelihoods.

Many worried the salt by-product of the process will destroy prime agricultural land.

However coal seam gas remains the State Government's climate friendly energy of choice for the future.

See - WIN News - Coal seam answers.

Is the salt waste really a problem for the farmers?

Can enviromental issues be addressed?

If you have a view - send it to 4350water blog - 4350water@live.com ...

Former Labor Minister gets 9 year jail term ...

See - Labor MP gets max 13 years 11 months but likely to serve only 9 years.

Qld Opposition questions recycled water testing regime ...

Excerpt from Hansard:

Hon. Horan - NPA: This bill says that the testing and monitoring of this water will come under the purview of Queensland Health. One of the things I would like the minister to do in his summing-up is outline to us in detail to what extent the testing will change. We are looking at water that is coming from a very significantly different base. When we are looking at recycled water, we are looking at recycled sewage, recycled industrial waste water or other recycled effluent.

In the case of the normal water supplies that have been tested for generations, that was once rainwater which has gone through the various paddocks and hills of the area where there are animals, mammals, leaves and so forth and then into the dams. That water has been tested, but I am certain that in this circumstance there will need to be additional tests on this water which comes from a radically different base to keep the public of Queensland satisfied. For example, there will be issues to do with pharmaceuticals, hormones, various heavy metals, various poisons and so forth.

Will it be important that these are tested for, because we are looking at water coming from a vastly different base?

I look forward to the minister giving us some detail on the framework of the organisations that are doing the treatment and the different stages of the waste water—where it is used in the power stations or it goes through the further stream before it is placed into Wivenhoe Dam.
...

The greatest responsibility in this bill is to outline very clearly the scientific regime of testing the recycled water.

Also, will those results be published? Will the public be told the approximate percentage of that recycled water in the Wivenhoe Dam?

See - Hansard - 15 May 2008 - Page 1739.

Canberra to build recycled water demonstration plant ...

Likelihood of Federal politicians drinking recycled water seems very remote ...

See - ABC News - ACT Government confirms $300m water security plan.

The great water debate: dam v desal ...

See - Sunshine Coast Daily - The great water debate: dam v desal.

Qld Labor Ministers reject Anna Bligh's retirement advances ...

See - Courier Mail - Queensland Labor MPs reject retirement suggestions.

Flannery promotes reckless global warming fix ...

Pump sulphur into the atmosphere even though:

"The consequences of doing that are unknown."

See - Sydney Morning Herald - Radical climate action would change sky's colour: Flannery.

Qld Opposition asks - what percentage of recycled water will go into Wivenhoe Dam ...

Excerpt from Hansard:

Hon. Horan - NPA: Will the public be told the approximate percentage of that recycled water in the Wivenhoe Dam?

See - Hansard - 15 May 2008 - Page 1739.

Qld Opposition SEQ water policy ...

See - Climate Proof - SEQ Water Policy.

Queensland and the Agent Orange connection ...

A disturbing report in the Sydney Morning Herald:

See - Agent Orange Town.

40 odd years ago the Australian government marked Agent Orange files:

- "Considered sensitive because report recommends use of 2,4-D with other agents in aerial spraying trials in Innisfail."

- "too disturbing to ever be released".

Last week, the Bligh government voted down legislative amendments that would require the government to publicly disclose any health problems that may occur with using recycled water for potable use.

See - Qld Labor government votes against public disclosure of recycled water problems.

So, if problems do develop, will the Bligh or any successor government just mark the file "too disturbing to ever be released" ...

SEQ and other water project bills blow out to $6.3 billion plus ...

See - Sunday Mail - Water projects' $2.4b blowout.

SEQ recycled water - Meatworks takes Wivenhoe water from near proposed recycled water inflow pipe ...

See - Hansard - 15 May 2008 - Page 1732.

Qld Opposition discusses use of Moonie to Brisbane pipeline for temporary Toowoomba water solution ...

Excerpt from Hansard:

Hon. Hobbs - NPA: Toowoomba also has other options because of the enormous coal seam gas supply in that region. Queensland Gas Co. will have 100 megalitres of water per day available from its gas fields alone. The Toowoomba water supply requirement is somewhere in the vicinity of 12 to 14 megalitres a day. Many times the required amount of water is sitting out there not very far away. There is also an oil pipeline from Moonie that is about to be decommissioned. It goes past Toowoomba’s doorstep and into Brisbane and it is being decommissioned. Water could be run through it. We had a briefing from Santos before lunch.
...

The Moonie pipeline is about to be decommissioned. It is a 10-inch pipeline and it has been renewed for about 70 kilometres from Moonie towards the east. At present they run about 2.4 megalitres a day through it when it is worked under high pressure. It is an old pipeline. Maybe we would not have as much pressure going through it, but we could certainly get water to Toowoomba, for instance, via that line.

That is only temporary. It will not be a solution. Around 18,000 people a day would receive this water. I am calling on the government to put together a working party to talk to Santos. Santos is decommissioning the line and is happy to talk about any arrangement that can be reached. Down the track, a consortium could put a liner in that pipe if there are issues of it needing to be repaired. In fact, more water could probably go through a poly type liner than the existing steel pipe. There are definitely options. Down the track, the obvious course would be to provide water via towns such as Miles, Chinchilla and Dalby into Toowoomba. Then there could be a pipeline down to Brisbane from there. It is downhill with a 2,000 feet fall. The water would easily go down such a pipeline.

See - Hansard - 15 May 2008 - Page 1735-6.

QGC prepared to build coal seam gas water pipeline to Toowoomba ...

Excerpt from Hansard:

Hon. Hobbs - NPA:

I have been talking with Queensland Gas Co. It is prepared to build the pipeline to go from its gas fields to run the water to Toowoomba or wherever people want it. It is prepared to build the pipeline. It wants to recover its costs, but it is prepared to do that. It would do it much more economically than if the government did it. That is certainly an option. There are many other options that are available that need to be considered when looking at how we deal with this.

See - Hansard - 15 May 2008 - Page 1736.

Qld government - No recycled water in Wivenhoe until safety standards met ...

Excerpt from Hansard:

Hon. Hayward - ALP: - Recycled water produced by the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project will not be added to drinking water supplies until the Department of Natural Resources and Water and Queensland Health are satisfied that it meets strict water quality and public health standards.

See - Hansard - 15 May 2008 - Page 1729.

But Anna Bligh says the recycled water will pour in to the dam in 5 months time ...

Surat Basin may soon take coal seam gas lead ...

See - ABC News - Surat Basin may soon take coal seam gas lead: Wilson.

Qld Labor government votes against public disclosure of recycled water problems ...

Votes down State Opposition proposal to require public disclosure of problems which may occur with recycled water:

‘14A Report about supply of drinking water

‘(1) This section applies if the regulator becomes aware, or reasonably believes, that the quality of drinking water supplied by an entity is not safe for human consumption or is not consistent with the water quality criteria for drinking water.

‘(2) The regulator must, as soon as practicable, publish a report about the drinking water, including details of any inconsistency with the water quality criteria for drinking water, in a newspaper circulating generally in the State.’.

See - Hansard - 15 May 2008 - Page 1752.

Looks like the Bligh government plans to sweep any problems under the carpet ...

Qld Labor government votes against baseline monitoring for recycled water ...

Labor members voted down the following amendment proposed by the State Opposition:

This amendment states that the regulator, who is in fact the CEO, must—

... establish a baseline monitoring program to monitor quantifiable changes in the environment and human health that may be associated with the use of recycled water.

See - Hansard - 15 May 2008 - Page 1750.

The Bligh Labor government wants no legislative obligation to conduct baseline monitoring of recycled water, preferring to leave it to the whim of Qld Health ...

SEQ recycled water - power stations will use 84% of recycled water generated ...

See - Hansard - 15 May 2008 - Page 1727.

Qld government's farcical Tugun desalination project inquiry starts ...

See - Courier Mail - Tugun desalination project inquiry starts.

Global warming to create Kellogg's Killer Corn Flakes ...

See - Brisbane Times - Will 'killer cornflakes' be on our tables?

Federal government funding for Toowoomba's coal seam gas water solution ...

The Federal government is offering funding.

Excerpt from Environment-Expert.com:

AUS$1bn plan to help secure cities’ water supplies

14 May 2008
...

The Australian Government will provide $1 billion over six years to help secure water supplies for working families and businesses through desalination, recycling and stormwater harvesting.
...

The $1 billion National Urban Water and Desalination Plan was a key element of Labor’s election policy on water.

Cities and towns of 50,000 people or more will be eligible for funding under the plan to establish new sources of water supply through the use of desalination, recycling and stormwater harvesting.

The private sector, water utilities and state, territory and local governments will be able to apply for funds, which will be provided through grants and tax offsets.

See - AUS$1bn plan to help secure cities’ water supplies.

Something the Toowoomba Regional Council should consider ...

AWA attempts to convince Gold Coast to drink recycled water ...

See - Water Experts Geared Up To Meet the Community - 21 May 2008.

Perhaps they could tell attendees the percentage of recycled water to be poured into Wivenhoe Dam ...

Ipswich meatworks rejects using recycled water ...

"We can't use recycled water in our processes. We are a food business."

Excerpt from The Queensland Times:

Meatworks pushes for water cost guarantees

14 May 2008

Ipswich's biggest commercial water user, Swift Australia meatworks at Dinmore, wants the State Government and Ipswich City Council to do more to keep water costs down and guarantee supply.

Swift director John Berry said yesterday the company had spent hundreds of millions of dollars on water efficiency measures.

"What we've done over three years with in-house water efficiency programs, we've saved 600 megalitres-plus," Mr Berry said.

"That equates to 400 swimming pools plus. It has the status of world's best practice."

Mr Berry said the meatworks had reduced water consumption from six megalitres a day to 4.5 megalitres.

"We've seen water prices escalate dramatically over the past 12 months," he said.

"We've seen a massive increase in water costs to this business.

"We inject directly into the Ipswich economy $1.95 million a week through wages and purchasing.

"I think both the State Government and Ipswich City Council should be strongly supporting (Swifts) through direct financial incentives, lower cost charges and security of water provision.

"We can't use recycled water in our processes. We are a food business."

The meatworks has a workforce of 2300 full-time employees.
...

See - Qld Times - "We can't use recycled water in our processes. We are a food business."

Do they know what will be poured into Wivenhoe Dam ...

Federal government budget promotes recycled water for non-potable use ...

Excerpt from Environment-Expert.com:

AUS$1bn plan to help secure cities’ water supplies

Source: Australian Government

14 May 2008

The Australian Government will provide $1 billion over six years to help secure water supplies for working families and businesses through desalination, recycling and stormwater harvesting.

"The effects of climate change mean most of Australia’s cities and towns have less water, and we can no longer rely on rainfall to supply all our drinking water," Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, said.

"National leadership is required to respond to this crucial challenge, and the Rudd Government is providing that leadership by supporting Australian cities as they seek to diversify their water supplies.” Water for the Future, the Rudd Government’s $12.9 billion long-term water plan, identifies securing water supplies as a key priority."

The $1 billion National Urban Water and Desalination Plan was a key element of Labor’s election policy on water. Cities and towns of 50,000 people or more will be eligible for funding under the plan to establish new sources of water supply through the use of desalination, recycling and stormwater harvesting. The private sector, water utilities and state, territory and local governments will be able to apply for funds, which will be provided through grants and tax offsets.

Access to funds will be conditional on state and territory governments achieving agreed water reforms through the Council of Australian Governments. The first projects to be approved for funding from the plan are the Glenelg to Adelaide Parklands water recycling project in South Australia ($30.2 million) and the Barwon Shell recycling project in Geelong, Victoria ($20 million).

“These projects will free up four billion litres of drinking water by using recycled water for parklands and industry,” Senator Wong said.

The Australian Government will also provide funding for Adelaide’s desalination plant, subject to a suitable proposal from the South Australian Government.

The Plan also provides funding of $20 million over five years for a Centre of Excellence in Desalination in Perth and a further $20 million over five years for a Centre of Excellence in Water Recycling in Brisbane.
...

See - AUS$1bn plan to help secure cities’ water supplies.

Qld government googles QWC head Nosworthy ...

4350water blog visitor:

ISP: Queensland Treasury
City: Brisbane
Time of Visit: May 14 2008 11:25:59 am
Search Engine: google.com.au
Search Words: queensland water commission hiding from press conference
Visit Entry Page: http://4350water.blogspot.com/

Still laughing ...

Miss Earth 2008 - solutions to global warming ...

Readers will recall the 2007 Miss Earth Pageant:

See - Climate Change gets sexy - Miss Earth Australia 2007.

The 2008 Pageant is underway with judging of Miss Philippines - Earth 2008.

The Q&A session was a time for the entrants to show their knowledge of environmental matters.

One such example:

Qu: Please cite one practical and simple way on how you can help the global warming ... prevent global warming.

Ans: A simple and practical step to prevent global warming is like stop burning falling leaves or leaves that are in the soil because if you burn them the air that, the air that these burnt leaves produces will go up and destroy our ozone layer. That will be all thank you.

Forget Kyoto conferences etc. Just get the Pageant transcript and all our problems are solved ...

Roma coal seam gas water desal plant opens ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Roma desal plant opens

13 May 2008

A $20 million reverse osmosis plant will be opened north of Roma today, desalinating nine million litres of water a day from the coal seam gas industry.

Origin says the water being produced is now supplementing flows in a local creek, and could be used for horticulture, forestry, industrial use or supplementing town water supplies.

Origin's chief operating officer, Karen Moses, says the reverse osmosis plant at Spring Gully is turning what was seen as waste water destined for an evaporation pond into a new water resource.

Origin says it has invested $500 million over the past year developing Australia's largest supply of coal seam gas at Spring Gully.

See - ABC News - Roma desal plant opens.

Council caught pumping sewage into wetland ...

See - Brisbane Times - Council caught pumping sewage into wetland.

Qld Gas Corp - Drama at the Gasfields 2008 ...

Watch the video - Drama at the Gasfields 2008.

Victorian Water Minister - there are unresolved health risks with recycled water ...

See - The Age - Labor ignored warning over desal plant costs.

World's most expensive bottled water ...

See - World's most expensive bottled water.

Cr Williams selling Mike Williams Country Clothing ...

See - Mike Williams Country Clothing.

Australian State Government's insane water grid experiment ...

Some interesting observations on the Toowoomba Water Debate:

Excerpt from Republic Broadcasting:

Australian State Government's Insane Water Grid Experiment

A corporate government conglomerate in the so-called ‘Smart State’ of Queensland, Australia, plans subject some three million citizens to a dangerous experiment that will inject so-called purified sewage directly into a dam supplying household water.

Against the wishes of residents and ignoring the most basic law of hygiene to separate human bodily waste from food and water, the government will conduct the experiment in league with multinational water corporations including Veolia Water and Haliburton subsidiary Kellog Brown Root (KBR).
...

Two years ago the Queensland Government decided to hold a referendum to test public opinion on setting up a waste water recycling plant for the city of Toowoomba and region (pop. 60,000). Bureaucrats spent an estimated $1 million to call in celebrities, run television campaigns, let people taste ‘recycled’ water samples and so on in order to convince them of the ‘wisdom’ of their plan.

The Federal Government meanwhile, promised to pour $23 million into the recycling scheme if the residents voted in favor. But the campaign flopped dismally, with 61 per cent of people saying ‘no’.

Funny how common sense can sometimes overrule the dazzling ‘solutions’ of corporate-sponsored science.

The campaign run by the bureaucrats and their corporate backers made some shocking errors that demonstrated the shoddy science on which the whole notion of recycling sewage is based.

Early on a ‘Pure H2O’ campaign was launched, claiming the UNESCO-backed reverse osmosis technology allowed ‘only water molecules to pass through the treatment machinery’. The local Toowoomba City Council published information supporting this erroneous notion.

However, the information was later changed to show ‘small organic molecules’ passing through barrier membranes. Opponents maintained that small amounts of anything contained in the source sewage water could pass through the system. Proponents retreated to the position that you would have to drink unrealistically huge amounts of the water for any significant accumulation of chemicals of concern to occur in the body – the same argument they use for fluoridation.

Was it any wonder that local food industries in the region politely requested alternative supplies of water if the referendum said yes? No doubt the food manufacturers are well aware that Middle Eastern cultures would not countenance the idea of human waste going anywhere near the water supply.

And then there was the problem of proteins call prions, that are associated with BSE (mad cow disease) that can be passed into sewage from humans. The knowledge of this caused the Australian Red Cross to ban blood donors from the UK. The recycling opponents pointed out no data were available to estimate the amount of prion material in sewage wastewater as they simply did not test for it.

“While the risk of prion transmission by potable water re-use may be considered small, the fatal nature of this illness and limitations on current knowledge means that concerns cannot be entirely dismissed,’’ they said.

Fears were further raised when it found the ‘benchmark’ National Waste Water Study for Australia had only one page on microbiological studies which recycling opponents said was ‘dismally void of any medical or scientific data’.

After the folk of Toowoomba and district rejected recycled sewage in their water, hand-wringing among the bureaucrats, ‘scientific experts’ and others started in earnest.
...

See - Australian State Government's Insane Water Grid Experiment.

In all fairness to the defunct Pure H2O group, the Toowoomba City Council launched their 'nothing gets through the membranes' campaign based on dodgy Singapore NEWater brochures (they didn't take any notice of the NEWwater video which showed the opposite) before the unfortunately named Pure H2O had its still-birth launch at the Mothers Memorial ...

QWC head Nosworthy's new swimming pool ...

See - Sunday Mail - Water chief defends new pool.

Rudd's global warming adviser Ross Garnaut predicts constant hail storms for Melbourne ...

And he's getting ready for it, arguing to a Melbourne Council that he should put a non-conforming metal roof on his new house rather than slate.

His argument - the hail storms are coming and don't you know who I am.

See - The Australian - Garnaut heavies council over roof.

QWC v. BCC - Water wars overflow ...

See - Courier Mail - Water wars overflow.

Former Deputy Mayor Ramia on the loose ...

Poor old Smoking Joe Ramia.

Either he thinks he still has the Water Portfolio (which was stripped from him following his poor showing at the 2008 Toowoomba Regional Council election) or he thinks that finding a water solution for Toowoomba and the surrounding region is something that falls within the Events portfolio.

How else can one explain his mutterings on radio this week when he told anyone who would listen that coal seam gas water can't be used for a town's water supply?

Wait.

That sounds somewhat similar to a certain senior Council staffer's position on coal seam gas water.

Who's been in Joe's ear telling him to get out and mislead the community?

And why is the Toowoomba Regional Council allowing Cr Ramia to do this?

Isn't it time they put him on a short leash ...

4350water blog - recent search terms ...

1. some debating tips if you are on the negative side and the topic is recycled water

2. (queensland gas company) (coal seam gas)

3. coal to liquid gas uses too much water

4. how much is the government spending on recycled water

5. 3 minute showers in australia

6. 4350 water blog

7. fish farms with recycled water

8. toowoomba city council roll

9. matusik on toowoomba 2008

10. blue mountain heights sewage toowoomba

11. toowoomba recycled drinking water

12. "water supply (safety and reliability) bill"

13. millmerran recycled water

14. recycled water in toowoomba

15. queensland water toowoomba pipeline

16. sydney recycle water safety

17. toowoomba regional council's treasurer 2008

18. Toowoomba regional council arrow energy

19. rickyOz

20. queensland water toowoomba pipeline.

QWC head Nosworthy hides behind pillar at press conference, building swimming pool ...

Apparently too busy to attend press conferences, she's taken to hiding behind pillars to hear what's going on.

And tonight the revelation that the person who wants us to conserve water is building a swimming pool.

Amazing ...

Global warming to decimate Koalas ...

See - Sydney Morning Herald - Koalas' future: hot, hungry.

QWC is "dictatorial, bureaucratic and lazy" ...

See - Courier Mail - Water Commission 'lazy dictators': Newman.

Qld opposition against recycled water in dams ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Opposition against recycled water in dams

7 May 2008

The Queensland Opposition leader says the State Government is wrong to put recycled water into south-east Queensland's dams.

Premier Anna Bligh has taken Federal Water Minister Penny Wong on a tour of the region's water grid, including a new pipe which has been laid across the Brisbane River.

Ms Bligh says recycled supplies will start going into Wivenhoe Dam in October, but Lawrence Springborg says treated water should only be used for industry and irrigation.

"Every single bit of water should be recycled and go back into non-potable use, whether it be in agriculture, power stations and industry," he said.

"Freshwater supplies should be going into potable use, that's drinking water purposes.

"I wish Anna Bligh and Penny Wong all the very best in flying around - so far they're looking at a pipe with no water in it."

See - ABC News - Opposition against recycled water in dams.

Toowoomba Regional Council refuses to release CEO pay details ...

See - Courier Mail - Public servants paid up to $380,000.

Water wars - QWC threatens to fine Brisbane City Council ...

See - Courier Mail - Brisbane City Council threatened with $125,000 water fines.

TXT2PIC.com

Will Toowoomba Regional Council be hoodwinked over coal seam gas water ...

A senior staffer at the Toowoomba Regional Council is laughing into his corn flakes this morning because he probably thinks he's hoodwinked yet another gaggle of Councillors into thinking that coal seam gas water is poisonous and can't be treated to potable standard.

It's part of a 'do anything say anything' mission to build his life's work - a stand alone recycled water plant in Toowoomba with the offtake poured into Cooby Dam for human consumption. (Funny how the estimated cost just keeps on going up and up and up!)

Towns to the west of Toowoomba will use coal seam gas water for their town water supply.

Premier Anna Bligh wants to investigate using it for all communities through to Brisbane.

The State opposition wants to use the Moonie to Brisbane pipeline as an interim measure to pump coal seam gas water to Toowoomba.

But no.

Not for this senior staffer.

Piping coal seam gas water throughout the region would drought-proof it.

And he can't have that.

Then there would be no need for his recycled water plant.

It's a shame that the people of Toowoomba and the surrounding communities once again face becoming the sacrificial lambs in his grand plan.

Surely Toowoomba Regional Council's time would be better spend listening to experts who don't have a personal agenda and then getting on and drought-proofing the region.

Does the Toowoomba Regional Council really wish to face the next election as the Council which turned their back on drought-proofing the region to satisfy one person's bizarre personal mission or as the Council which adopted sensible measures to supplement the region's water supplies?

Coal seam gas water - if you don't use it, it's just going to evaporate.

And, Toowoomba Regional Council, it will evaporate on your watch ...

SEQ water grid sabotage ...

See - Brisbane Times - Hijacked excavator used to destroy excavator.

Celebrities 'do as I say, not as I do' approach to environmental causes ...

See - Daily Mail - When it comes to saving the planet do celebrities practise what they preach?

Qld Coalition plans desalination plant for Bribie Island ...

See - Courier Mail - Coalition plans desalination plant for Bribie Island.

Also see - ABC News - Bribie desal plant 'quicker, cheaper' than Traveston dam.

Toowoomba Regional Council 2008 election - details of candidates' donations ...

See - the Chronicle - Big money backs four candidates.

Santos Moonie-Brisbane pipeline - where is it ...

The State opposition has called on the State government to investigate using the soon-to-be decommissioned Moonie to Brisbane oil pipeline to transport coal seam gas water to Toowoomba.

See - Hansard - 1 May 2008.

Where does the Moonie-Brisbane pipeline run?

See page 3 of the Moonie-Brisbane pipeline information brochure for a map showing its location:

- Moonie-Brisbane pipeline map.

Qld Gas Corp - Cottee aims at dangerous energy source ...

The Australian - Cottee aims at dangerous energy source.

Federal Labor government - recycle water for non-potable use ...

Excerpt from Sydney Morning Herald:

1 May 2008

"Securing water supplies by using recycled water in place of drinking water is a key part of Water for the Future," Senator Wong said.

She made the comments while opening a water recycling plant in South Australia's Barossa Valley which she said would save 60 million litres of Murray River water.

The plant recycles waste water from wineries and pipes it to local vineyards for irrigation.

See - Sydney Morning Herald - Stop dumping sewage off coasts: Liberals.

Qld government backs coal seam gas water ...

Excerpt from Parliamentary proceedings, Hansard:

1 May 2008

Hon. AM BLIGH (South Brisbane—ALP) (Premier) (9.42 am): Queensland’s rapidly developing seam gas industry has been underpinned by our government’s innovative gas scheme and it continues to prosper. This is clearly evidenced by yesterday’s announcement from British energy giant British Gas of its unsolicited $13 billion takeover bid for Origin Energy - Australia’s second biggest energy retailer. Origin is reported to have Queensland’s largest coal seam methane reserves.

Much of the recent growth in the state’s gas industry has occurred in the Surat Basin, including new wells developed by Arrow Energy and the Queensland Gas Company. In the Surat Basin alone there are five wells in operation, three under construction and another eight in the planning stage. The Surat Basin is set to rival the Bowen Basin as the state’s economic powerhouse. Our coal seam gas industry is going full steam ahead.
...

Gas produces half the emissions of coal-fired energy generation and it is a vital way forward while emerging clean coal technologies are being developed and renewable energy sources are being implemented. By investing in coal seam gas, we are ensuring a brighter future for Surat Basin towns like Dalby, Miles and Chinchilla. These are communities that have done it tough with drought over the last decade. We are giving these communities jobs and job security.

Another offshoot of the coal seam gas process is the possibility of massive amounts of water being available that is ideally suited for power stations, agricultural and future mining purposes. If there is one thing we have learnt in the last five years it is that water is precious. It is liquid gold and we cannot waste any of it. But we need to be sure that issues such as appropriate use of the water are worked through.

Already Dalby is developing reverse osmosis treatment facilities to use coal seam gas water in its town supplies. If the coal seam water can be treated effectively and transported efficiently, there is the possibility that it could be used for irrigation, industrial and domestic purposes right across this basin.

Coal seam gas projects have already yielded about $1 billion worth of development across the state, and we have around 3,000 megawatts of gas-fired generation on the drawing board. With increasing drivers for more greenhouse friendly fuels, including a national emissions trading scheme by 2010, the long-term prospects for Queensland’s coal seam gas industry are extremely positive.

The potential benefits to this state from a liquefied natural gas industry are immense, including substantially increased export revenue and royalties. To exemplify these benefits.
...

By 2030 it is predicted that the Surat energy resources province will provide additional gross regional product of more than $10 billion per annum. It is also predicted by that year that it could be creating an extra 16,000 full-time jobs. We also anticipate that by 2030 the population in the Surat energy resources province—taking in a rectangular area from Toowoomba past Roma, south to the New South Wales border and north to almost Theodore—is predicted to reach 260,000.
...

See - Hansard - 1 May 2008 - Page 7.

Qld Government Recycled Water Bill - government defines 'recycled water' ...

Excerpt from the Bill's Explanatory Notes:

Recycled water is defined as any of the following that are intended to be reused:

- sewage or effluent sourced from a service provider’s sewerage

- greywater that is sourced from a treatment plant capable of treating 50kL or more greywater a day

- wastewater that is generated on premises from industrial, commercial or manufacturing activities, or animal husbandry activities prescribed under a regulation, other than wastewater generated from mining, petroleum or agricultural activities.

Sewage is defined in the Bill as:

sewage means household and commercial wastewater that contains, or may contain, faecal, urinary or other human waste.

See - Water Supply (Safety and Reliability Bill) 2008

Also see - Water Supply (Safety and Reliability Bill) 2008 Explanatory Notes.

The term 'purified recycled water' is not used in the draft legislation so the QWC should probably stop using their PR spin term ...

Qld Government releases draft Recycled Water Bill ...

See - Water Supply (Safety and Reliability Bill) 2008

Also see - Water Supply (Safety and Reliability Bill) 2008 Explanatory Notes.

This legislation has 'future privatisation of SEQ water assets' written all over it ...