Toowoomba a step closer to drinking treated sewage (or is it) ...

ABC's PM (annotated):

Toowoomba a step closer to drinking treated sewerage (sic)

28 January 2010

SHANE MCLEOD: The Queensland city of Toowoomba found itself catapulted onto the national stage in 2006 when local residents fought and won a battle over the introduction of recycled treated sewage into their water supply.

And today, a pipeline was opened that connects the regional centre to Brisbane's water supply.

That will help the city guard its water security. But, it means that purified wastewater will be pumped into the system in times of severe drought.

Regardless, opponents are adamant they haven't lost the battle, as Annie Guest reports from Brisbane.

ANNIE GUEST: For some years debate in the Darling Downs town of Toowoomba was dominated by recycled water, with advertisements like this one from a political candidate called Rob Berry.

EXCERPT FROM ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN:

ROB BERRY (voiceover): Don't risk infection from drinking water sourced from the sewer. Don't risk your family's health unnecessarily, it's too important.

[4350water: this ad was not from the 2006 Referendum but by one of candidates at a later council election. ABC mistake/sensationalist reporting.]

ANNIE GUEST: Sixty-two per cent of Toowoomba residents voted against the introduction of recycled treated sewerage in 2006. Today, their city has been connected to a pipeline that could deliver such water.

[4350water: or perhaps it will never deliver such water - it's too early to speculate.]

ANNA BLIGH: The water grid has not only provided security for the people of southeast Queensland but it has meant we now have that little bit extra to help out a great city like Toowoomba.

ANNIE GUEST: The Premier Anna Bligh officially launched the pipeline connecting Toowoomba to Brisbane's water supply. It's part of a $9 billion water grid designed to shore up supply for south east Queensland.

Toowoomba has been nervous about running out of water; it's dam levels are at only 8 per cent capacity.

ANNA BLIGH: This city was looking at a very grim outlook without this water pipeline. It's a $187 million commitment between the State Government and the Toowoomba City Council and it's delivering long-term water security way into the future for the people of Toowoomba.

[4350water: Anna Bligh seems to forget that it's now the Toowoomba Regional Council.]

ANNIE GUEST: And that security includes a State Government commitment to pump purified recycled effluent into the system when south east Queensland's combined dam levels fall below 40 per cent.

[4350water: That 'commitment' is about as solid as air - Anna Bligh will change her mind on this if it will get votes - if she's still around at the point the dams hit 40%. Remember how much Labor has flipflopped on the issue already.]

ROSEMARY MORLEY: We are firmly opposed to water from a recycle plant.

ANNIE GUEST: Toowoomba resident Rosemary Morley founded the group, Citizens Against Drinking Sewerage, leading the no campaign in the 2006 vote.

And despite the Queensland Government's position, Rosemary Morley is adamant Toowoomba will never have recycled treated sewerage.

ROSEMARY MORLEY: We have enough of a committee and a fighting machine up here to reject that again and we would.

ANNIE GUEST: So you don't accept that in times of desperate water shortages you've lost this battle against recycled water?

ROSEMARY MORLEY: No, I think we've won this battle.

ANNIE GUEST: But the Government went to the last state election having spelled out its promise to introduce the recycled treated water if the combined dam levels fall below 40 per cent.

So can you just spell out for us why you think it would retreat from that if the situation arose?

ROSEMARY MORLEY: Because the public would, the backlash out here would see them unseated in government.

ANNIE GUEST: There are experts on either side of the debate; those who argue there are high safety standards in the treatment plants, and others who say it can never be safe enough.

But political leaders seem to be running out of other palatable water supply options in southeast Queensland.

A dam north of the Sunshine Coast was recently spectacularly rejected by the Federal Government and the alternative for more desalination plants is causing angst elsewhere in the electorate.

Meanwhile, for Toowoomba's local leaders, today's pipeline launch couldn't come soon enough.

The Mayor is Peter Taylor.

PETER TAYLOR: And it does secure our water future, not just for today, short-term, long-term for the growth that's coming with the mining and growth in other industries in our region, but it secures our future for up to 50 years for a water supply for the biggest inland city in Queensland. The second largest inland city in Australia is Toowoomba.

ANNIE GUEST: Another potential political headache is the cost of water. A deal has been struck to limit Toowoomba residents' water costs in the near future, but prices are expected to rise after that.

SHANE MCLEOD: Annie Guest reporting.

See - ABC PM - Toowoomba a step closer to drinking treated sewerage.