Yesterday's #NWC-mediaRelease">statement by National Water Commission CEO, Ken Matthews, that water desalination has a major role to play in Australia's water future, raises more questions about the priorities of our peak water body. In issuing his media release, Mr Matthews appears to be endorsing a process which has yet to be proven environmentally-benign under Australian conditions, whilst his Commission fails to address two of the most pressing threats to Australia's water security, namely the devious and constitutionally dodgy hyper-allocation and de-facto privatisation of Murray-Darling water.
Despite concerns raised by Fair Water Use two months ago, the NWC has yet to state a clear policy for putting an end to this endemic abuse of the nation's water resources, inconsistent with its major responsibility under the terms of the National Water Plan, for "driving progress towards the sustainable management and use of Australia's water resources".
Rather than advocating the reining-in of water speculators and the decommissioning of the Sydney Harbour-scale water storages constructed by ecologically-negligent agribusinesses, Mr Matthews appears to be proposing that we ignore or yield to these insatiably thirsty elephants-in-the-room and attempt to desalinate our way out of the water crisis through the widespread implementation of a technology known to have the potential to create its very own array of problems.
Fair Water Use urges the Federal Water Minister to heed the increasingly loud calls for declaration of a State of Emergency, which would enable her to equip the NWC with the administrative teeth it desperately requires if it is to drive efficient and reasonable water-use, rather than support the production of "new" water by a process whose impacts on Australia's unique and sensitive coastal ecosystems remain largely unknown.
Contact: Ian Douglas: 0416 022178
Authorised by: Ginny Brown, Media Coordinator, media [AT] fairwateruse com au, +61 (0)414 914248
Fair Water Use (Australia), www.fairwateruse.com.au
+61 (0)8 8398 0812, PO Box 384, Balhannah, South Australia 5242
#NWC-mediaRelease" id="NWC-mediaRelease">Appendix: Desalination and Australia's long-term water security
National Water Commission Media Release of 30 October 2008
The CEO of the National Water Commission, Ken Matthews, today released a report showing that desalination technologies will play an increasingly important role in securing Australia's water supplies.
'Emerging trends in desalination will inform decisions on the merits of desalination technologies and the part they can play in our suite of water supply options.'
Mr Matthews said, 'The Commission believes that all water supply options should be on the table. The public needs to be clear about the potential of desalination, especially in providing more secure water supplies. At the same time, the costs and risks need also to be made clear. This publication does just that.
'Australian governments have to date committed to investing over $7.5 billion in desalination plants to supplement bulk drinking water supplies and further investments are being considered.
'This Waterlines report indicates that desalination technology is becoming an increasingly competitive water treatment option. It also shows there are good prospects to further reduce environmental impacts and improve energy efficiencies. The Commission encourages research and development in these areas.'
Mr Matthews also welcomed the Australian Government's $20 million investment to establish a National Centre of Excellence in Water Desalination in Perth, which will develop and commercialise new water technologies.'
'It is important to understand that desalination technology is used for much wider purposes than just removing salt from sea water. Other water treatment applications include recycling wastewater for urban irrigation schemes, treatment of bulk drinking supplies, industrial re-use of water and in-land treatment of brackish waters.'
Emerging trends in desalination is a technical publication commissioned by the National Water Commission from the UNESCO Centre for Membrane Technology. The report reviews the latest research and emerging trends in desalination, including energy minimisation and environmental protection, the economics of desalination, and the merits of various desalination technologies.
The release of this Waterlines publication contributes to Australia's blueprint for water reform, the National Water Initiative, by providing information to improve the health, safety and reliability of Australia's urban water supplies.
Read: Emerging trends in desalination: A review
Media contact: Lynne Griffiths 02 6102 6023/ 0412 786 945, www.fairwateruse.com.au
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