States get serious about water

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Advice needed: NSW Premier Morris lemma would announce on 8 May the establishment of a panel of independent experts to advise the government on Sydney’s water planning. National Water commissioner Peter Cullen would head the panel.

Toowoomba’s $75m water recycling plant: In Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, Mayor Di Thorley and her supporters are attempting to push through plans to build a $75 million water recycling plant, producing water suitable for drinking. It would be the first potable water recycling scheme in Australia, according to The Australian Financial Review (8/5/2006, p. 5). If Cr Thorley can win majority support from Toowoomba residents in a referendum, due by September, the federal government has pledged $22 million towards the plant.

Many water schemes in Qld, SA and WA: The Queensland government is on track with its Western Corridor recycled water scheme. When finished in 2009, the scheme would provide 110 million litres of recycled water a day for industry to the west of Brisbane via a 200-kilometre pipeline. South Australia and Western Australia also have multimillion-dollar upgrades for waste water treatment plants, as well as new plants, on their drawing boards.

NSW six major water recycling projects: The western Sydney plant follows six other major water recycling projects either completed or under development in NSW. These include the proposed Camellia industrial recycling scheme (which would produce 6 billion litres of water a year), and the Rouse Hill residential recycling scheme, which chums out 4.1 billion litres of recycled water per year for use in laundries, gardens and toilets.

The Australian Financial Review, 8/5/2006, p. 5

Source: Erisk Net 

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