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Eroding shells threaten species: CSIRO researcher Anthony
Richardson said on 29 November that marine food chains were under siege
because molluscs in the bottom ranks were disappearing as their shells
eroded away.

Limey shells can’t handle the acid: “Carbon dioxide [from the
atmosphere] is being absorbed by the water, which makes it more acidic
… and there’s a lot of organisms in the ocean which have calcareous
shells – made of calcium carbonate.”

The Daily Telegraph, 30/11/2005, p. 19

Source: Erisk – www.erisk.net 

Inclining tariff supported: In one of its key conclusions in the
executive summary of its final report into water and wastewater pricing
in Western Australia, the ERA said these wastewater prices should be
determined as an inclining tariff.

Part retention of charging according to capacity to pay: Such an approach would increase transparency while partly retaining the principle of charging according to capacity to pay.

How usage charges should be structured: The ERA also said that
prices for water services should be structured so that usage charges
were set at levels to reflect the estimated cost of developing new
water resources to meet water demand.

Reference: Final report of first inquiry by Economic Regulation
Authority (ERA) of Western Australia into water and wastewater pricing
in Western Australia. 30 November. Address: Level 6, Governor Stirling
Tower, 197 St Georges Terrace. Perth. WA. 6000. GPO Box 8469, Perth
Business Centre. WA. 6849. Phone: (08) 9213 1900. Fax: (08) 9213 1999.
http://www.era.wa.gov.au

Erisk Net, 4/12/2005, p

Project description: The project includes:

• intake and outlet pipelines to draw raw seawater into the plant and
return seawater concentrate to the ocean (including tunnelling under
Botany Bay National Park);

• pipelines and/ or tunnels from the plant across Botany Bay to the
Sydney Water Corporation water supply system for the distribution of
drinking water;

• pipelines from the plant to Miranda water supply system for the distribution of drinking water;

• connection of the plant to the electricity grid; and

• temporary laydown areas for construction use.

Project site: Kurnell Peninsula and other land is required for
the construction and operation of the seawater intake and concentrate
discharge structures, the desalination plant, and associated potable
water distribution. Lands comprising the bed of Botany Bay for potable
water distribution and State coastal waters to the east of Kurnell
Peninsula for seawater intake and concentrate discharge structures. The
proponent is Sydney Water Corporation. The approval authority is the
Minister for Planning.

Further information and submissions: A copy of the Environmental Assessment may also be viewed on the Department of Planning’s website http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au) or on Sydney Water Corporation’s website http://www.sydneywater.com.au). Your submission must reach the Department of Planning by Friday 3 February 2006. Submissions may be made electronically to desalination@dipnr.nsw.gov.au
or by post to: Kurnell Desalination Submissions, Major Development
Assessment, Department of Planning, GPO Box 39, SYDNEY NSW 2001.

Reference: Enquiries relating to the environmental impact assessment
or planning process may be directed to the Department of Planning on
1300 305 695. Enquiries relating to the project and its implementation
may be directed to Sydney Water on 1800 685 833.

6 hr repair job: The main burst in Eagle St, outside the new
Riparian Plaza development, about 4am, gushing water across nearby
streets. Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said council workers were
at the site by 5am but took six hours to repair the pipe and longer
still to fix the surrounding road.

120,000L lost: More than 120,000 litres flooded out of the water
main in the meantime, which Cr Newman said was “roughly half the
average consumption of a Brisbane home” over a year.

Problem was unavoidable: The 6-inch (15cm)-wide pipe, which
dated to 1908, burst because of corrosion, but Cr Newman said the
problem was unavoidable and defended the council’s maintenance plan.
“We have 6200km of pipes in this city and we replace about 6km every
year,” he said.

The Courier Mail, 29/11/2005, p. 8

$20,000 rebates available: The Program provides rebates of up to
$20,000 per pastoral station, community and town that chooses to
install solar pumps and windmills instead of diesel or petrol pumps.
With summer approaching, the time is ripe to be thinking about water
requirements for the months ahead.

High performance and reliabillity: The range of renewable energy
technologies has proven to provide the high level of performance and
reliability sought by farmers for water pumping applications. The
situation of fluctuating fuel prices and supply is another good reason
to consider purchasing a solar or wind powered water pump. Government
rebates to help meet the up-front capital costs of renewable energy
water pumping systems make them excellent alternatives to diesel and
petrol options.

Reductions in maintenance hassles: Farmers and pastoralists who
have installed renewable energy technologies have reported that common
problems associated with diesel and petrol pumps, such as ongoing
operation, maintenance and fuel costs, are reduced where renewable
energy technologies have been installed.

More Information: The Renewable Energy Water Pumping Program is
expected to continue until June 2006. More information: Sustainable
Energy Development Office, visit http://www.sedo.energy.wa.gov.au/pages/rewp.asp or phone Maureen Boyle on 9420 5673.

Farm Weekly, 24/11/2005, p. 20

Source: Erisk – www.erisk.net 

New framework without binding targets: Senator Campbell also
plans to convince Kyoto Protocol countries attending the United Nations
climate conference in Montreal to abandon plans to find “the son of
Kyoto”, and instead focus on a new framework without binding targets.

Study into Australia’s nuclear power industry: Science Minister
Brendan Nelson this week announced that he and Industry Minister Ian
Macfarlane had asked Prime Minister John Howard to establish a $1
million study into Australia’s nuclear power industry. He said given
Australia was a major uranium exporter, it needed to investigate
nuclear power to meet rising energy needs.

Nuclear power incredibly politically sensitive: Senator Campbell
said it would be difficult to expand Australia’s nuclear power industry
in light of public opposition. “I think nuclear power is incredibly
politically sensitive in the Australian electorate,” he said. But
Senator Campbell said Australia needed a 60 per cent reduction by 2050
and ratifying Kyoto would not achieve this.

The Age, 1/12/2005, p. 11

Source: Erisk – www.erisk.net