PRESSURE BUILDS TO RECYCLE WATER

The Victorian Liberal National Coalition will step up the pressure on the Brumby Government to implement water recycling and reuse targets for Melbourne with the introduction of a Private Members Bill in State Parliament.

The Nationals Upper House Leader Peter Hall has prepared the Victorian Water Substitution Target Bill which sets out a plan to reduce the use of drinking water and encourage the development of alternative water supplies including recycled water, treated storm water and rain water.

“This Bill puts water conservation and water re-use as a priority rather than the government’s solution of pillaging water from the drought-hit Goulburn Valley and the highly expensive desalination option,” Mr Hall said.

“Under the Bill that I will introduce to the Upper House, there will be overall savings of 30 per cent of Melbourne drinking water by 2020.”

Mr Hall said the Bill was supported by Coalition MPs at a meeting in Parliament today.

“It is a commonsense response to meet Melbourne’s water security needs,” Mr Hall said.

“Melbourne currently uses about 412 gigalitres of water per year and about 273 gigalitres ends up as waste water. Only about 61 gigalitres is currently recycled and re-used while the remaining 210 gigalitres is pumped out to sea.

“Instead of implementing an extensive program of water recycling and re-use for non-drinking purposes, the Brumby Government has pursued high-cost and divisive options which are not as environmentally-friendly.

“The State Government hasn’t even scratched the surface in terms of recycling water and stormwater harvesting in Melbourne.”

Mr Hall said the Private Members Bill provided for water retailers and large water consumers to be locked into specific water substitution targets along the same lines as have been legislated for a Mandatory Renewable Energy Target and a Victorian Energy Efficiency Target.

“We’re talking about a new approach to securing Melbourne’s water needs without taking more water from country Victoria and building a hugely expensive and environmentally unfriendly desalination plant,” Mr Hall said.

“The Bill will not require Melburnians to drink recycled water but more emphasis would be placed on recycling water and stormwater harvesting for non-potable use.

“It makes sense – both environmentally and economically – to fully explore all water recycling and stormwater harvesting options to augment Melbourne’s water supplies,” Mr Hall said.