“I think it is going to be little while yet for Melbourne with all the other sources (desalination and the pipe) … but I don’t think it’s too far off in other parts. Regional Victoria is most likely to find the need before Melbourne,” he said.
Mr Bourke reminded the audience that Government policy did not include the drinking of recycled water, and said he was speaking with his “other hat” on – a reference to his involvement in shaping recycled water guidelines.
Late yesterday he sought to clarify his comments by saying the drinking of recycled water was still likely to be the last option taken in most communities, once substitution opportunities had been exhausted.
The Government repeated its stance yesterday, saying the ban on drinking recycled water applied to all Victoria.
But the comments are likely to further concern some rural communities angry over the Government’s plan to take water from the Goulburn River to Melbourne for drinking supplies.
Earlier this week, Mildura Mayor John Arnold said the drinking of recycled water would be discussed after warnings that drinking supplies along the Murray River could only be guaranteed for 12 months.
A 2006 report for the Government found that recycling sewage at Melbourne’s eastern treatment plant then piping it to nearby reservoirs would be cheaper than desalination.
A planned protest at the Brumby family farm by the Plug the Pipe group was the latest event in a long battle with the Government over the north-south pipe. The pipe will deliver a portion of the water that is hoped to be saved by major upgrades to irrigation channels in the Goulburn region, but protesters insist that water should stay in the region.
Australian National University water expert Daniel Connell gave support to the pipe yesterday.
“The productivity value and social value of maintaining a major city as opposed to, in many cases, low value irrigation, it’s not really I wouldn’t have thought a serious choice; you would always favour the city or you should,” Dr Connell said.
“People in cities have got just as many rights as people in country areas. Because the water falls in a country area doesn’t mean that it is owned by the people in that immediate area.”
Victorian irrigators were wary and environmentalists optimistic after a South Australian public servant Robert Freeman was named by federal Water Minister Penny Wong to lead the new Murray Darling Basin Authority.
He will take the chief executive post in seven weeks. The authority will limit the water that can be extracted from the river.
Northern Victorian Irrigators spokesman Dudley Bryant said the domination of SA officials was concerning.
But Australian Conservation Foundation spokeswoman Arlene Buchan said Mr Freeman’s background could make him a good appointment.