Media Release 8 February, 2006

Desalination Shelved, Recycling Must Now Become Priority

The NSW Government now has a historic opportunity to solve Sydney's 218-year-old water crisis by making water conservation and large scale recycling its priority, Clean Up Australia Chairman Ian Kiernan AO said today, following the shelving of the proposed desalination plant at Kurnell.

"I applaud the commitment of the community to not allow such an important issue for Sydney to overwhelm it and it is a sign of a responsible government that responds to that community will," Mr Kiernan, a member of the SCUD (Sydney Community United against Desalination) alliance that campaigned against the desalination proposal, said.

"It is vitally important that the historic opportunity is now seized and the options available to secure a sustainable water supply for Sydney are pursued."

Mr Kiernan was a member of the government's Expert Water Panel that recommended a range of options to meet the city's future water needs, well ahead of desalination, such as demand management initiatives and water reuse and recycling.

"Sydney has always had a challenge with how to secure a reliable water supply for a growing population. But now, the opportunity is significant as the technology is available, project proposals are developed, and the community is willing to adopt recycling and reuse options."

Mr Kiernan said large scale water recycling projects that utilised existing infrastructure, such as disused gas pipes and reservoirs, had been proven and were ready to be implemented.

"We must learn to conserve the fresh water we have, use less and take advantage of the huge volumes of wastewater that until now have simply drained away into our oceans and harbours."

The SCUD alliance included Sutherland Shire Council and Sutherland Shire Environment Centre, Clean Up Australia, NSW Nature Conservation Council and Total Environment Centre, Sydney Coastal Councils Group and Sustainable Water Solutions.


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