Queensland Premier Peter Beattie shocked residents of Brisbane and the Gold Coast when he announced that - from next year - the water that will flow from theitr taps will be recycled water.
Beattie had advanced plans to put this issue to a referendum covering the eighteen councils that will be involved - and costing ten million dollars. This is now cancelled because Beattie says that on the subject of using recycled water " there is no choice " !
This is probably a situation that most of Australia will untimately face. When the drought breaks - and untimately it will - we will be faced with the reality that our ever expanding population is relying on a static source of water. The outflow from even full dams with be more than the inflow from rain sources
Rejection of recycled water is mostly mind over matter. The idea of that which we flush down the toilet reappearing from our kitchen tap is repulsive - and yet this same recycled water is in purer form that the existing water coming from our dams.
It is worth remembering the warning issued to those who install their own home rainwater tanks. Use it for gardening, filling the washing machine and washing the car - but don't drink it !
The same pollutants which contaminate falling rain go equally into home rainwater tanks - and our dams. The filtering process that will clean and purify recycled water will ensure a much better produce than we are getting now.
New South Wales faces a dilemma. The government is facing a state election on March 24 and the last thing the Premier would want would be a debate on recycled water at this stage - so all our eggs are in the desalination basket. Once the election is over it will be a whole new ball game. !
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