SEQ recycled water - Bligh government to ignore national guidelines on hospital waste in recycled water ...

Excerpt from the Australian:

4 November 2008

Recycled sewage will comprise between 10 per cent and 25 per cent of the water supply for the 2.6 million residents of southeast Queensland.

Dr Selvey said the quantity of hospital waste that was dumped into the sewage system -- and would therefore be recycled as drinking water -- was not known.

Queensland Health was assisting research by the Urban Water Security Research Alliance -- a project run jointly by the Queensland Government, the CSIRO and two universities -- to determine the level of hospital wastewater discharge.

"These discharges are strictly regulated," Dr Selvey said.

She said the quantity of waste discharged into the sewage system by hospitals varied daily.

The nature of substances that could be discharged was a matter between each hospital and its sewerage service provider. "Generally speaking", clinical waste such as cytotox drugs, blood and human tissues could not be poured down the drain.

Australian National University microbiology head Peter Collignon said hospital wastes should not be included in recycled water.
...

National guidelines for recycled water stipulate that some hospital contaminants including radionuclides and veterinary and laboratory wastes should not be discharged into sewage that is to be recycled.

See - Quantity of hospital waste in recycled water to vary daily.

This is one of the aspects of recycled water that the QWC has been trying to keep a secret.

Listen to Prof. Greenfield on ABC Radio yesterday as he ducks this exact issue from a caller.

Qld Health's view:

"Generally speaking", clinical waste such as cytotox drugs, blood and human tissues could not be poured down the drain.

But there is NOTHING to stop this occurring.

Qld Health then tries to deflect responsibility to the Brisbane City Council:

The nature of substances that could be discharged was a matter between each hospital and its sewerage service provider.

Barrier 1 is a joke and now it's out in the open.

Qld Health says it's not their responsibility - it's up to Brisbane City Council to monitor what goes down the sewers.

$28 million of taxpayers' money spent on QWC/Anna Bligh spin has come to nothing as the more questionable aspects of the recycled water project have now come to light ...