Labour Policy and Water

'' An interesting article citing the new Australian labour party policy to encourage the use of and fund recycling of water initiatives as well as focussing on promoting the use of water tanks especially in the eastern states of Australia''

Rivers and Water
Rainwater tanks, greywater and recycling
Ecomanage tanks
+
Ecomanage tanks

Date: 25-Jun-2007

The Australian Conservation Foundation has welcomed the announcement by Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd that a federal Labor Government would subsidise the installation of rainwater tanks or greywater plumbing for up to 500,000 households.

“Rainwater tanks and better use of greywater are important pieces of any plan to secure urban water in Australia,” said ACF executive director Don Henry.

“Rainwater tanks are a cost-effective and efficient way of storing water – the water in rainwater tanks does not evaporate like it does from dams. Rainwater tanks don’t work everywhere, but they have great potential in many parts of Australia.

“While 38 per cent of Adelaide households have a rainwater tank, fewer than 6 per cent of the houses in Melbourne, Sydney and South-East Queensland do.

A study conducted for ACF earlier this year found 65 per cent of the houses in Sydney, 73 per cent of the houses in South-East Queensland and 72 per of the houses in Melbourne have potential for a rainwater tank.

Mr Henry also commended the Federal Government on its announcement of a water reclamation plant for Geelong, in Victoria, that should save 2,000 megalites of drinking water a year and reduce the amount of wastewater than runs out to the ocean.

“As climate change dries out many parts of Australia, governments must be looking at bold and innovate ways to help people catch the rainwater that falls on their roofs and make better use of greywater and recycled water.

“I would urge the Federal Government to engage much more strongly with the states on urban water solutions and I would urge bi-partisan support for a major federal initiative, in cooperation with the states, to dramatically cut energy and water waste and achieve sustainable cities.”
Print

Source: acfonline.org.au