[Greens-Media] River health goes down the drain

[Claire ORourke]

Media Release								 28 August 2006

River health goes down the drain

A transfer of water from the Shoalhaven River for Sydney’s sprawling metropolis will do little to quench the thirst of the big city as it grows, said Ian Cohen, NSW Greens Upper House MP.

“This is an attempt by the Iemma Government to sweep Sydney’s water crisis under the carpet and delay the inevitable for a water-guzzling city,” Mr Cohen said. 

“Hundreds of millions of dollars would be spent to drill a tunnel to shift 30 billion litres of the Shoalhaven’s flows at a cost to the local environment and industry.

“The environment of the Shoalhaven River has already seen high levels of degradation with current levels of extraction. Platypus communities are under threat, and salt inundation has seen jellyfish numbers dramatically increase. Local tourism and fishing industries also stand to suffer.

“This short-sighted Government races to adopt big infrastructure projects that promise a short-term solution rather than take a leadership role on the future of Sydney’s water supply.

“Every year, 450 gigalitres of wasted effluent flows into the ocean. Rather than spending millions to suck water out of regional communities, the Government should move to recycle this wasted resource, which would deliver water arguably cleaner than our current supply.

“It would cost a lot less to install rainwater tanks in Sydney homes, effectively moving the catchment to the coast, where rainfall is highest.”

Further Information: Claire O’Rourke 0409 810 139 or 9230 3305