[Greens-Media] Media Relase: The cross-highlands water plan is a pipe-dream say the Greens

[Greens Victoria Media]

Media Release: for immediate use
Friday September 1, 2006
Contact: Louis Delacretaz on (mob) 0407 300 188

The cross-highlands water plan is a pipe-dream say the Greens

The Victorian Government's plan to pipe water from the Murray Goulburn 
system to Ballarat is a totally flawed idea say the Greens.

"To shift water from one very stressed system, across a mountain range 
and into another stressed system is no solution at all," said Louis 
Delacretaz, the Greens Water spokesperson. "The answer to Ballarat's 
water shortages lies within its current catchment area - and in the 
district itself - through better water management and and reuse."

"Instead of wasting $30million on a pipe from a dry river, we can end up 
with a better result by spending  $10million on water conservation 
measures, "  said Louis Delacretaz.  "90 per cent of our water comes 
from rivers, so we need healthy catchments and  rivers to ensure 
adequate water supplies in the future."

"The government's pipe is a just a dream," said Louis Delacretaz. 
"There's no way Lake Eppalock can be a 'one source fix all' solution for 
town water shortages in Bendigo and Ballarat."

"Taking water that is, by and large, used for agriculture from the 
Goulburn system that is already suffering shortages does not make 
sense," said Louis Delacretaz.  "Lake Eppalock is currently at five per 
cent capacity and it hasn't been anywhere near full for the best part of 
a decade. The state government's pipe plan might look good on paper, but 
in practice will help very little."

"There is just not enough in Goulburn system to go around," said Louis 
Delacretaz. "This year, irrigators depending on this system will get 
only seven per cent of their quota. The scarce Goulburn system water 
used for dairy and horticulture has a very high value water indeed."

"For Bendigo and Ballarat town supplies, the answer lies in maximizing 
the quality and yield of local catchments, cutting deep into current 
water use inefficiencies and getting serious about re-use," said  Louis 
Delacretaz.  "Water recycling is possible throughout Victoria but is not 
always used in the best way.  For example, the Kyneton treatment plant 
now discharges drinking quality water onto sheep grazing paddocks."

For more information and comment please contact
Contact: Louis Delacretaz on (mob) 0407 300 188
or
Dave Lane on (mob) 0419 156 213
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