The Murray & Securing our water supply

[Ho Really]

This is probably cheaper and more practical than having individual householders purchase expensive rainwater tanks...

Until they jack up the price, which is possible. Wetlands and recycled water are a great idea and should be implemented where feasibly possible. I personally think rainwater tanks are a better long term investment for home use. The infrastructure is yours. Anyone who has space should get one or two.

Cheers

[omada]

Sounds like a bloody brilliant idea! Between this and the Glenelg-Adelaide pipeline, SA is taking important steps toward Wayno's goal of a secure water supply.

Surely Salisbury Council could grab some funding off Rudd for an important infrastructure project like this... oh hold on Rudd wants people to buy plasmas..

[Wayno]

[quote="omada"]Between this and the Glenelg-Adelaide pipeline, SA is taking important steps toward Wayno's goal of a secure water supply.[quote]
i would not say it's my goal, more of a shared one - right?

[rhino]

I just found this in Adelaide Now:

$200m to harvest stormwater
March 23, 2009 02:00pm

THE Federal Government will spend $200 million to develop stormwater harvesting and water reuse projects.
Water Minister Penny Wong announced the initiative a short time ago at the Solandra wetland at Modbury.
The spending is part of the Government's $12.9 billion Murray-Darling rescue package and was included through negotitiations with independent South Australian senator Nick Xenophon.
MORE TO COME


Good to see the Feds finally do something with this.

[SRW]

Here's a link to a more complete article by ABC News:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009 ... 523795.htm

Basically, the Commonwealth is putting up $200m to contribute up to half the cost (I believe) of state, local and private sector projects in stormwater harvesting. So, hopefully, we should see around about a $400m investment in the next few years. Moreover, the projects must be carbon neutral. Good news.

[Wayno]

A rally by the SA Water Action Coalition (WAC) has been organised for Oct 10 on the steps of parliament at noon. They are aiming high with their goals - the vast majority of which i agree with.

Info online here (http://civictrust.net.au/page19.htm):

A Statewide rally - Our Water Our Rights. Keynote speakers from all major areas concerned with water issues. All supporter groups are urged to be involved. Organise your demonstration into Parliament House by walking, bus, bike, train, tram, car convoy - arrive at 12 noon with your banners, placards, flags and energy to give both governments the message that water can't be privatised - it's a human right and belongs to all of us. For more info, please google Water Action Coalition.

Spread the word to anyone you believe may be interested. Here's a couple of flyers:

WAC_Our_Water_Our_Rights_Rally_A5_Flyer_4Sept09.pdf

(12.7 KiB) Downloaded 142 times

WAC_Our_Water_Our_Rights_Rally_A4_Flyer_4Sept09.pdf

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And here's the WAC's charter:

MISSION
The mission of WAC is to ensure a sustainable water future for South Australia. A future that ensures an equitable use of all water resources that does not compromise the health of interdependent ecosystems for future generations.
To achieve these outcomes WAC will forcefully lobby and organise events to publicly advocate for water in all its forms to remain the common property of Australia and its ecosystems. WAC will vigorously pursue legislation by all Parliaments that will:

• ? Secure all water in its rivers, streams and groundwater as the common property of Australia, to be managed as a common good and not traded as a profitable commodity.
  ? Deliver viable supply and reuse systems to all communities, city and country, without harm to interdependent ecosystems and the community.
  ? Ensure that water is managed efficiently and effectively for community use today and conserved for future generations.
  ? Respect Aboriginal knowledge of water conservation and healthy water systems, its importance to Australia's oldest culture and to modern water management.

AIMS
The aims of WAC are to publicly support sustainable actions that will:

• ? Restore environmental flows to the River Murray and Lower Lakes.
  ? Adopt policies that reduce demand for water, reduce waste and promote conservation that recognises the finite nature of our water resources.
  ? Guard against exploitation of the ancient waters of the Great Artesian Basin and other natural water resources.
  ? Stop and reverse privatisation of surface and groundwater.
  ? Ensure South Australia receives a fair share of the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) water resources which respects the needs of South Australia and interdependent ecosystems.
  ? Maximise water supplies through stormwater harvesting in our cities as an immediate priority.
  ? Develop innovative ways of recycling wastewater; stop all discharges that will damage South Australia's environmental heritage and fragile ecosystems.
  ? Make pollution of water bodies a criminal offence.
  ? Prevent the construction of damaging desalination plants, especially in Gulf St. Vincent and Spencer Gulf.
  ? Require governments to ensure that industry and agriculture does not over-exploit water resources at the expense of interdependent ecosystems.
  ? Avoid large engineering solutions and maintain a bias towards minimising impact.
  ? Change public policies to ensure that Parliaments and Governments treat communities as equal partners in development while ensuring the sustainability of water solutions and the integrity of ecosystems both now and into the future.

We demand the fundamental human right to clean, affordable water. This must be enshrined in legislation. We need laws that do not sanction weirs, pipelines, diversion and desalination. We need Parliaments to enact laws that commit Governments to conservation, protection and water equality for all Australians.