[Greens-Media] MARK PARNELL MLC: $100m for desal, but where is the Fed money for stormwater?

[Parnell]

Media Release
Friday 15th August, 2008


$100m for desal, but where is the Fed money for stormwater?

	
The $100 million in Federal funds announced last night by Prime Minister
Rudd to double the size of the Port Stanvac desal plant should instead
be spent immediately on stormwater projects in Adelaide, says Greens MLC
Mark Parnell.

"$100 million to double the desal plant will not build it any quicker -
if anything it will slow it down - but $100 million spent immediately on
transformative stormwater infrastructure will make a massive, immediate
difference to Adelaide's water security," Mr Parnell said.

"The difference couldn't be starker: desalination is incredibly
expensive and energy hungry, and risky to the marine environment.
Capturing stormwater is cheaper, more sustainable and will actually help
Adelaide's beaches and sea grasses.

"More importantly, quick investment now in capturing stormwater will
potentially deliver water faster than an expansion of the desal plant.

"It's a travesty that all this beautiful water that has fallen on the
Adelaide plain over the last few weeks has mostly flown straight out to
sea to kill our sea grasses, instead of being captured and stored for
use.  

"I simply cannot understand why stormwater is being effectively ignored
by the Rann Government.  

"If there's money on the table for water security in Adelaide, then
Premier Rann should demand that it be made available for vital
stormwater investment," he said. 

 

	
For further comment contact Craig Wilkins on 0434 007 893



---------------------------------------------------------------------
"The information in this e-mail may be confidential and/or legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, access to it is unauthorised and any disclosure, copying, distribution or action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it is prohibited and may be unlawful."