Water, Water, Water! The Truth Behind The Spin. May 2007 RETURN
We have commented vigorously on the effects of the drought on personal property assets and the lack of government investment in providing a water supply large enough for our ongoing population growth. With little rain in the March quarter the situation has worsened to the level that it will have the highest effect on our lifestyles in the immediate future, yet the latest State Budget release still has no definite proposal and only $136m designated for such projects.
Some simple observations are of varying interest yet we list them for your consideration:
Victoria’s Total Usage
Irrigation 77%
Urban Use - Melbourne 10%
Urban Use - Regional 9%
Rural - Domestic & Stock 4%
Melbourne’s Total Usage
Residential - indoors 59%
Residential - outdoors 11%
Non Residential - Industry,
Councils, Sports etc 30%
Unaccounted - Leaks, theft etc 10%
We have had many droughts before yet our water storages have previously been a sufficient back up at the times when rain fall hasn’t matched our usage. It is not the current drought that is causing the restrictions. It is the failure to have any increase in our storage capacity to meet the increased water demand from over 30 years of increases in population and industry;
From the protesting furore of the proposed Franklin Dam in Tasmania our successive governments have been totally gun shy when mentioning the “D” word;
Metropolitan Melbourne is now operating under Stage 3A restrictions and reality is starting to bite. Our residents are small users overall yet carry the burden of restriction & penalties. We are being made to feel like criminals while we watch our gardens and properties perish;
Massive spin campaigns costing millions of dollars over every form of the media try to convince us the drought is our fault, yet this money could be used to help fund the solution of increasing our supply;
Just on 10 years ago we were 92% full & it was illegal in most cases to retain rain water run offs, now rebates are on offer to own water tanks;
Only 18% of domestic use or a measly 1.8% of Victoria’s total is outdoors yet this amounts to 100% of our restrictions;
Government has suggested targets for water savings by Industry of 1%, yet will enforce & penalise residents to 17.5%;
The government is refusing to detail the top 1500 industry users in the state;
Industry in general have virtually no restrictions or penalties outside the minor % they would use on their gardens and vehicle maintenance. Mr Thwaites states they are only being encouraged to become more efficient;
Most community outdoor sports relying on turf have had their current seasons slashed or cancelled totally. The majority of Sporting grounds are too hard or unsafe due to lack of watering. What will be the social consequences when nearly one million 10-35 year olds across the state are no longer entertained by social sport;
Farmers are radically increasing their dams capacities by digging them our further while they are bone dry and large machinery can be used. This is planning for any future rains being better utilised for future droughts. Why wouldn’t the Governments consider this process for the Lakes Hume, Eildon & Eppalock etc. More future water without new dams, mmm!
Up to 80% of irrigation water is lost via evaporation, leakage & theft from open channels. This means we have to supply over 4 times the states total needs to give the irrigators their vital water supply. This must be a case for investment in major pipelines or the like.;
A country snapshot. Water usage per capita varies from state to state -
Vic 81kl NSW 84kl
WA 180kl NT 153kl
SA 94kl Tas 143kl
QLD 124kl ACT 95kl
Usage share of Australia’s Total -
Vic 27% NSW 32%
WA 8% NT 0.8%
SA 7% Tas 2%
QLD 23% ACT 0.3%
Purpose of usage -
Agriculture 65%
Water supply 11%
Households 11%
Manufacturing 3%
Mining 2%
Electricity & Gas 1%
An apolitical bold plan, lots of dollars and a harmonious, long term view is needed.
We have commented vigorously on the effects of the drought on personal property assets and the lack of government investment in providing a water supply large enough for our ongoing population growth. With little rain in the March quarter the situation has worsened to the level that it will have the highest effect on our lifestyles in the immediate future, yet the latest State Budget release still has no definite proposal and only $136m designated for such projects.
Some simple observations are of varying interest yet we list them for your consideration:
Victoria’s Total Usage
Irrigation 77%
Urban Use - Melbourne 10%
Urban Use - Regional 9%
Rural - Domestic & Stock 4%
Melbourne’s Total Usage
Residential - indoors 59%
Residential - outdoors 11%
Non Residential - Industry,
Councils, Sports etc 30%
Unaccounted - Leaks, theft etc 10%
We have had many droughts before yet our water storages have previously been a sufficient back up at the times when rain fall hasn’t matched our usage. It is not the current drought that is causing the restrictions. It is the failure to have any increase in our storage capacity to meet the increased water demand from over 30 years of increases in population and industry;
From the protesting furore of the proposed Franklin Dam in Tasmania our successive governments have been totally gun shy when mentioning the “D” word;
Metropolitan Melbourne is now operating under Stage 3A restrictions and reality is starting to bite. Our residents are small users overall yet carry the burden of restriction & penalties. We are being made to feel like criminals while we watch our gardens and properties perish;
Massive spin campaigns costing millions of dollars over every form of the media try to convince us the drought is our fault, yet this money could be used to help fund the solution of increasing our supply;
Just on 10 years ago we were 92% full & it was illegal in most cases to retain rain water run offs, now rebates are on offer to own water tanks;
Only 18% of domestic use or a measly 1.8% of Victoria’s total is outdoors yet this amounts to 100% of our restrictions;
Government has suggested targets for water savings by Industry of 1%, yet will enforce & penalise residents to 17.5%;
The government is refusing to detail the top 1500 industry users in the state;
Industry in general have virtually no restrictions or penalties outside the minor % they would use on their gardens and vehicle maintenance. Mr Thwaites states they are only being encouraged to become more efficient;
Most community outdoor sports relying on turf have had their current seasons slashed or cancelled totally. The majority of Sporting grounds are too hard or unsafe due to lack of watering. What will be the social consequences when nearly one million 10-35 year olds across the state are no longer entertained by social sport;
Farmers are radically increasing their dams capacities by digging them our further while they are bone dry and large machinery can be used. This is planning for any future rains being better utilised for future droughts. Why wouldn’t the Governments consider this process for the Lakes Hume, Eildon & Eppalock etc. More future water without new dams, mmm!
Up to 80% of irrigation water is lost via evaporation, leakage & theft from open channels. This means we have to supply over 4 times the states total needs to give the irrigators their vital water supply. This must be a case for investment in major pipelines or the like.;
A country snapshot. Water usage per capita varies from state to state -
Vic 81kl NSW 84kl
WA 180kl NT 153kl
SA 94kl Tas 143kl
QLD 124kl ACT 95kl
Usage share of Australia’s Total -
Vic 27% NSW 32%
WA 8% NT 0.8%
SA 7% Tas 2%
QLD 23% ACT 0.3%
Purpose of usage -
Agriculture 65%
Water supply 11%
Households 11%
Manufacturing 3%
Mining 2%
Electricity & Gas 1%
An apolitical bold plan, lots of dollars and a harmonious, long term view is needed.