“The NSW Government’s response to the Inquiry into a Sustainable Water Supply for Sydney, together with Premier Iemma’s giving the go-ahead for a desalination plant at Kurnell, highlight not only the government’s failure to deal with the water crisis thus far, but also its lack of imagination in finding solutions to the crisis” said Ian Cohen, Greens Upper House MP and Chair of the Inquiry.
“The Government is ploughing ahead with the environmentally damaging desalination plant even though it was meant to be an option of last resort – but it has not made a reasonable effort to try other options first, such as stormwater harvesting, recycling and demand management. ” Mr Cohen said.
“The Government’s response to the Inquiry does not even mention the 450 gigalitres of wastewater that is pumped into our oceans every year. Its efforts at increasing recycling have been minimal. Large scale recycling needs to be a priority, but the government has been sitting on its hands and through its negligence has forced the option of last resort.
“Rebates for rainwater tanks are still not high enough. BASIX has been dropped for commercial operators, who have increased their water usage over the last few years, at a time when residential users have been reducing their water consumption. There is still a great deal of potential for demand management, which would save money and be available much sooner than a proposed desalination plant.
“The people of Sydney have shown they are willing to reduce their water consumption. The government has betrayed them by doing little in terms of innovative and sustainable water supply projects, and now forcing an unpopular desalination plant on them. The announcement that the energy for the plant will be sourced from renewable sources is more spin. We do not need another massive energy user.” Mr Cohen said.
Further Information: Michael Hidden 9230 3305 / 0431 320 085
Ian Cohen: 0409 989 466
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