record drought forces Aussies to drink purified sewage

Aussies to drink purified sewage
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Record drought forces use of recycled water in state of Queensland

Jan 30, 2007 04:30 AM
Rod McGuirk
Associated Press

CANBERRA–The Australian state of Queensland plans to introduce recycled sewage to its drinking water as a record drought threatens water supplies around the country.


Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said falling dam levels have left his government with no choice but to introduce recycled water next year in the tropical state's southeast – one of Australia's fastest growing urban areas.

"We're not getting rain; we've got no choice," Beattie, who said his government had scrapped a referendum planned for March on the issue, told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Farms and most cities are in the grip of Australia's worst drought in a century, with some areas receiving below average rainfall for a decade.

"I think in the end, because of the drought, all of Australia are going to end up drinking recycled, purified water," he added.

But the practice, which is used in Israel, Singapore, the United States and parts of Europe, does not have widespread public support in Australia. The country's other five states and two territories have rejected the use of recycled drinking water, opting for desalination plants or tapping into underground water.

Morris Iemma, premier of New South Wales, the most populous of Australia's six states, said drinking recycled water was not inevitable for Australia's major cities, including his state capital, Sydney.

South Australia Premier Mike Rann said his state, the country's driest, already used recycled water to irrigate crops but would not introduce it to the drinking water supply.

Victoria, the second most populous state, did not need to recycle drinking water, acting Water Minister Justin Madden said, noting recycled water for industry was a better option as that would free up more drinking water.

Prime Minister John Howard, a Sydney resident, congratulated Beattie and predicted recycled water would be introduced to Sydney in the near future.

"I am very strongly in favour of recycling, and Mr. Beattie is right and I agree with him completely," Howard told Southern Cross Broadcasting radio in Sydney.

Beattie said some residents would oppose drinking recycled water. The drought-hit Queensland town of Toowoomba, 140 kilometres west of Brisbane, voted against recycled water in 2006. "We've made it clear that the water that we will put in will meet all health and safety requirements and will be probably better than what we're drinking now," he said.

With files from REUTERS

[link to www.thestar.com]