QUEENSLAND Water Commission is urging the Government to look at spending billions of dollars on two more purified recycled water schemes despite barely using the existing one.
The State Government has spent $2.4 billion on the Western Corridor project, one of the largest recycled water schemes in the world.
But it has been labelled a white elephant after Premier Anna Bligh, in a dramatic turnaround last November, scrapped plans to add treated sewage to drinking supplies in Wivenhoe Dam.
Despite this, the Queensland Water Commission's 50-year southeast Queensland water strategy, released a little over a week ago, says the Government should investigate two other potential recycling schemes, with a view to preserving land for treatment facilities and pipeline corridors.
The possible projects identified would supply purified recycled water from wastewater treatment plants to both the North Pine Dam, at Petrie in the Moreton Bay region, and the Hinze Dam on the Gold Coast.
Following Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett's refusal earlier this month to allow the Traveston Dam construction, the Queensland Government has shifted its focus to desalination.
Plans for two extra desal plants – at Lytton, near the mouth of the Brisbane River, and Marcoola on the Sunshine Coast – have been fast-tracked to start operating between 2017 and 2022.
But the Water Commission's strategy says using recycled water has advantages over desalination, with far lower energy consumption involved.
The Commission says recycled water is also climate-resistant.
A spokeswoman for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said he would decide on the Water Commission's recommendations after public consultation ends next March.
i don't understand " But it has been labelled a white elephant after Premier Anna Bligh" what does it mean?
and
could you summarize it?
thanks for your helping
The State Government has spent $2.4 billion on the Western Corridor project, one of the largest recycled water schemes in the world.
But it has been labelled a white elephant after Premier Anna Bligh, in a dramatic turnaround last November, scrapped plans to add treated sewage to drinking supplies in Wivenhoe Dam.
Despite this, the Queensland Water Commission's 50-year southeast Queensland water strategy, released a little over a week ago, says the Government should investigate two other potential recycling schemes, with a view to preserving land for treatment facilities and pipeline corridors.
The possible projects identified would supply purified recycled water from wastewater treatment plants to both the North Pine Dam, at Petrie in the Moreton Bay region, and the Hinze Dam on the Gold Coast.
Following Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett's refusal earlier this month to allow the Traveston Dam construction, the Queensland Government has shifted its focus to desalination.
Plans for two extra desal plants – at Lytton, near the mouth of the Brisbane River, and Marcoola on the Sunshine Coast – have been fast-tracked to start operating between 2017 and 2022.
But the Water Commission's strategy says using recycled water has advantages over desalination, with far lower energy consumption involved.
The Commission says recycled water is also climate-resistant.
A spokeswoman for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said he would decide on the Water Commission's recommendations after public consultation ends next March.
i don't understand " But it has been labelled a white elephant after Premier Anna Bligh" what does it mean?
and
could you summarize it?
thanks for your helping