Globalisation of Victoria's water supplies will be funded by the users, Victoria's citizens.

Suez Environnement estimates the Victorian desal plant will generate more than $2 billion in revenue over the next 30 years. With ADF Suez’ existing record of environmental destruction in the Amazon, their submission should be dismissed.

The Age - Desal firm logged the Amazon

GDF Suez's majority is owned by Energia Sustentavel. Energia Sustentavel is building a 3,300 megawatt hydroelectric dam in Brazil. The project is part of the government's Accelerated Growth Program and has had its share of false starts since receiving its environmental building permits earlier this year. Local farmers have been blocking access to the road leading to the construction site since early Monday morning (27th July), impeding workers from entering the project

This globalisation of our water supplies will be funded by the users, Victoria's citizens.

Our capitalistic "growth is good" mentality needs to be given a reality check!

With no discussion of limiting growth, it will mean that our pockets will continue to be raided to pay for one of life's essentials - water. More coastline sites will need to be acquired and developed, greenhouse gas emissions will soar and marine ecosystems could be irreversibly damaged.

It is us, the customers, who will be paying for the demands of our growing and thirsty population.

The massive Thomson dam was finished in 1983 and was supposed to "drought proof" Melbourne. Our population has already exceeded the level its dams were intended to cater for and is still being increased, despite our environmental and our natural resource limitations.

Household water bills are expected to more than double over the next five years, and along with ETS, utilities will continue to rise as our natural resources become more expensive to produce.

1.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases will be emitted each year once it starts boosting Melbourne's water supply. Limiting greenhouse gases is just given lip-service!

The plant will take in 480 billion litres of seawater and pump back 280 billion litres of saline concentration each year. The effect of this pollution on the marine environment and biodiversity is unknown.

The cost of the plant and the ultimate clean-up will be passed onto consumers, and the benefits of continual population growth will be reaped by our State government. More people means that more taxes and charges can be elicited, and businesses and developers will continue to thrive!

With common sense, conservation, mandatory water tanks and more recycling, we could survive on our present water harvesting schemes but not if we continually push our numbers past natural limits.
However, logic is lacking in our present leaders!

Visit Watershed Victoria's website.