Stem the Tide of Desalination. The decision by Federal Environment minister, Peter
Garrett, to block the unpopular Traveston Dam was
widely acclaimed. But sadly, Queenslanders have been
left with a rather unpleasant and salty aftertaste.
Queensland Water Commission
We are writing this submission to offer feedback on the Draft South East Queensland Water Strategy from our perspective as members and representatives of Communities Against Desalination Inc.
To clarify our specific interest in the prepared SEQWS, we offer you the following background information.
The decision by Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett, to block the unpopular Traveston Dam was widely acclaimed. However, Queenslanders have been left with a rather unpleasant and salty aftertaste.
We, the residents in and around the communities situated in South East Queensland, firmly believe that desalination plants as proposed by the Queensland Water Commission are an entirely inappropriate means of securing our future water supply. We have therefore elected to form a not for profit organization called Communities Against Desalination Inc. to ensure our various communities concerns are heard and addressed.
Our Objectives are:
affordable and sustainable outcomes.
“sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” It is usually noted that this requires the reconciliation of environmental, social and economic demands - the "three pillars" of sustainability as taken from the Brundtland Commission of the United Nations
Through this organization we are now engaging with all other communities and actively seeking public opinion and support in our cause against desalination. We will continue our efforts until desalination plants are no longer included in the range of water supply options to be incorporated within the SEQWS.
The effectiveness of Communities Against Desalination is particularly relevant right now, as we have this window of opportunity to demonstrate that we do not wish to incorporate further desalination plants as part of our water supply strategy for South East Queensland.
Quite simply, Communities Against Desalination opposes desalination as a water supply solution. We believe that many more affordable and truly sustainable water supply options are available and that these need to be fully explored by the decision makers to secure our future water supplies.
Therefore prior to offering specific responses on the complete SEQWS document please note the specific concerns that we have with the implementation of Desalination Plants are:
We have provided a detailed report with respect to the energy levels that are required by
desalination. Please refer to Appendix A.
We have been paying $1.10 per 1000 litres (on the Sunshine Coast). As energy prices rise so too will the cost to deliver desalinated water. The QWC has factored in price rises for energy however power is set to rise this year by 13-14% and only 11% was factored so these estimates are already light. These cost estimates do not allow for any ‘mark up’ by the water retailer as will be required. The real cost to the consumer is still unknown and yet we are expected to endorse a desalination project. Will all consumers be able to afford to pay for water if desalination is implemented? How can the QWC be sure that water costs will be affordable if they themselves are unable to put a price on the anticipated household consumption rates. Isn’t vital that these costs are identified clearly now and transparent so that the average consumers knows what to expect. We believe given these costs and the many sustainable alternatives many more people would rally against desalination.
This cost to Queensland is effectively for an insurance policy because the financial cost of the water through desalination is too high when our dams or reservoirs are capable of providing water. Desalinated water would / should only used when our dams are depleted because of the costs associated. We would therefore have these plants being maintained and operated at a minimal level until or unless they are required if dam levels fall to unacceptable levels. The high cost of this infrastructure will be covered by all Queensland communities not just those in Marcoola, Tugun, Bribie or the like. The strategy is driven largely by our recent experience through the millennium drought. By the very nature of a millennium drought however, is it not likely these conditions won’t be endured again for another 100 years?
It is difficult to know which the worst scenario is:
Constructing desalination plants and harvesting desalinated water at great expense whilst other more affordable water supplies exist; or
Constructing desalination plants and not harvesting the desalinated water because we have alternative supplies hence not being able to recoup the appropriate benefit from the capital expenditure. It would be only reasonable to expect governments will use the cheapest water supply available, thus leaving desalinated plants unused or operating below capacity for long periods of time.
We have provided a detailed report with respect to the anticipated costs associated with
desalinated water supply. Please refer to Appendix B.
It is important to acknowledge that circumstances have changed since the Millennium drought of 2006-2007, we now have a combined dam capacity of 70% or 6 years water supply available.
There is time to plan for more sustainable cost effective solutions to guaranteeing SEQ water supply.
In closing we thank you for this opportunity to provide a submission on the draft SEQWS, accordingly please see the following comments.
Debbie Johnson
President
Communities Against Desalination Inc
1. SETTING THE SCENE
1.1 Purpose of the Strategy
As described in the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031 (the Regional Plan), the purpose of the Strategy is to ensure water in the region is managed on a sustainable and integrated basis to provide secure and reliable supplies of acceptable quality for all uses for the long term.
We agree that the Strategy should deliver water in our region and be managed on a sustainable and integrated basis to provided secure and reliable supplies.
However we question that the Strategy does offer sustainable outcomes and challenge that the options provided do not fully adopt an integrated water strategy. It is only by fully integrating water supply with water usage that water sustainability can be achieved. Subsequently, Communities Against Desalination envisages that the strategy offers an important opportunity for the state government to:
1.3.1 Balancing community expectations
Our water resources will be managed sustainably, on a total water cycle basis. Localised solutions which are not supplied from the Grid such as rainwater tanks and stormwater harvesting will be important to support new housing development and population growth.
We agree that rainwater tanks and stormwater harvesting together with a reuse strategy and the implementation of water saving devices are an essential part of the water supply solution for all communities. Further these integrated water management principles must also be steadily retrofitted into our existing built environment to fully appreciate the extent of benefit that can be achieved. Our new housing and development represents only 1.8% of the total built form in the SEQ region. The Queensland Government has on the 1 January 2010 released the ‘Sustainability Declaration’ (refer to excerpt below) which states that rain water tanks plumbed for indoor and /or outdoor use can save up to 70,000Litres per household per year. This represents 36% of the household’s average water consumption. The declaration also states 36% saving by the utilization of greywater systems, 7% for water reticulation devices connected to hot water systems and a suite of various other options further reduce a households dependence on the centralized (town) water supplies. Looking at the government’s statistics this comprehensive list available to households almost completely removes the need for potable water supply. Household drinking water is the only exclusion from these options. The content of this document practically demonstrates how sustainable water management can be from a domestic perspective. Yet it largely applies to new dwellings. (just 1.8% of our housing stock). We believe that the government can and should continue to initiate and promote meaningful take up of these options. Rebate schemes and educational programs are essential to drive effective retro fitting in our existing housing stock.
EXCERPT FROM QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT’S SUSTAINABILITY DECLARATION
1.3.1 cont..
New infrastructure will be built in time to meet anticipated growth in the community. Planning will be regularly reviewed to keep abreast of technological advances and will reflect changing demand patterns and cultural attitudes towards water conservation. Using the scientific information available and prudent planning, investments in the water supply system will be made with the objective that Medium Level Restrictions will not occur more than once every 25 years on average.
We already have new infrastructure that has incurred great public capital expenditure. We have a desalination plant at Tugun and the Western Corridor Recycled Water Plant neither of which has had to operate at full capacity as we’ve had sufficient water reserves available to us through our dams and reservoirs. Unfortunately, as we do become dependent on these water supply options the high financial cost associated with the capital investment, the operating and maintenance costs are to be passed on to us as the consumers. These types of infrastructure also cause other costs to our communities of course. That being the environmental costs caused by the huge energy demands associated with them.
There are other alternatives to continuing the roll out of these large cost ineffective types of infrastructure projects. We believe that public monies are better put towards the improvement of our existing built environment. The Government could and should systematically retrofit the existing built environment with the range of options outlined in the Sustainability Declaration. Monies that would otherwise be put towards large scale engineered water supply solutions can be budgeted and offered to consumers as rebates. These small scale solutions better respond to the climate variances which prevail and the anticipated effects of climate changes than our dams currently do. To support this concept the following key points have been derived from technical reports and papers provided to us by Dr Peter Coombes.
1.The Relative Efficiency of Water Supply Catchments and Rainwater Tanks in Cities
Subject to Variable Climate and the Potential for Climate Change
by Dr PJ Coombes and ME Barry
Most of our water has until recently been supplied through rainfall runoff collected from inland catchments. Australia’s highly variable climate has meant we have needed to construct large dams to secure water supply to our cities. The future reliability of urban water supplies, dependant on single centralized sources of water, is uncertain due to the combined pressures of population growth, highly variable climate and the potential for climate change.
This study analysed the relative efficiencies of runoff into dams supplying Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney and of rainwater harvesting in those cities. It established that both sources responded differently to drought conditions and the effects of climate change. The catchments that supply our cities exhibited a disproportionate decrease in yield as the rainfall decreased compared to the more uniform performance of installed rain water tanks. A 50% decrease in the median rainfall causes between 60-85% reduction in the runoff into our dams. Alternatively, rain water tanks suffer only a 15-30% reduction in yield. Similarly, climate change affects reduce rain water tank yields by 5-8% whilst runoff to dams is reduced between 19 – 53%.
This study highlights the potential for rain water tanks to supplement water supply from dams during drought and to buffer the anticipated impacts of climate change.
2. Establishment of Integrated Water Cycle Management System Models- Pimpama/
Coomera and Gold Coast Residual Areas
by Dr Peter Coombes
On the Gold Coast integrated water cycle management systems have been implemented in a greenfield development at Coomera/ Pimpama. This development will feature rain water tanks, waste water recycling and water efficient plumbing fixtures on all allotments.
This study looked at modeling to determine the impact that these integrated water design features at Pimpama/ Coomera would have on the Gold Coast Region’s water supply resources. It was found that the use of waste water recycling and water saving plumbing fixtures alone caused little or no increase in the region’s water supply resources.
However when rain water tanks of varying capacity were factored in for each allotment, the region’s water supply is extended for an additional two years.
The really impressive result however, was achieved by determining the impact of retrofitting just 1% of the existing Gold Coast housing stock. An additional 20 years of water supply would be available.
3. Integrated Urban Water Cycle Management: Moving Towards Systems Understanding
by Dr Peter Coombes and George Kuczera.
The urban water cycle is currently managed as separate centralized entities, ie Water Supply, Waste Water and Stormwater. These processes have endured over 100 years. The associated infrastructure costs, water quality and environmental concerns however are increasing to unsustainable levels. A systems approach is required to find optimum solutions for urban water cycle management that includes decentralized approaches used to supplement current centralized management methods.
The urban water cycle begins with water taken from streams usually stored in dams or reservoirs. The water is processed to produce potable water by filtration and chlorination. Then it is taken via extensive pipe work to our residential commercial and industrial communities. This potable water is also used for irrigation of parks and gardens.
This water is also used to transport wastes through sewers to treatment plants via extensive pipe work which discharges the treated effluent back into our streams.
Rainfall in our serviced urban areas is drained to our streets and it too is taken via extensive pipe work for disposal into receiving waters.
Quite simply, with the installation of rain water tanks our potable water demand is reduced as is the volume of stormwater runoff from each allotment. Integrated water management within an allotment can achieve up to 80% reduction in the water demands placed on the centralized supply.
1.3.1 cont..
These outcomes will be achieved with the best possible economic management to minimise the cost to the community and ensure our water supplies remain affordable. In the future, the pricing of water will reward efficient users while still reflecting the actual cost of developing and operating new water sources.
The following extract as reported by Natasha Bita of the Australian Newspaper 23rd January 2010 quotes Ross Young Executive Director for the Water Services of Australia.
The Water Services Association of Australia, representing the bulk of Australia's urban water utilities, predicts water prices will continue to rise.
"The cost of building desalination plants will be reflected in water prices across Australia," says executive director Ross Young.
"Electricity prices are only going to go upwards so operational costs are probably going to climb steadily.
"In places like Melbourne in the next four years (water) prices are going to double."
By 2012, water bills for Sydneysiders will rise $103 a year purely to pay for the cost of running the city's first desalination plant, costing $2.4bn, due to open at Kurnell within weeks.
Household water bills will soar nearly a third - from $663 to $904 - in the Melbourne metropolis over the next three years, once a $3.5bn plant - the nation's biggest - comes online at the end of next year.
In southeast Queensland, where a $1.2bn desalination plant opened on the Gold Coast last year, water bills are forecast to rise about $60 annually until 2013.
In Adelaide, where a $1.83bn plant will open at the end of next year, water bills will increase $84 this year for an average household.
In Perth, which will open its second plant next year, the average household water bill will rise 10 per cent over the next three years, costing high-use households as much as $164 a year more.
The anticipated financial cost of water delivery in South East Queensland is an extremely important consideration. The cost implications must be fully transparent and acceptable to communities before further large scale infrastructure projects are contemplated. Please refer to Appendix B for more on the costs associated with desalination plants.
1.3.1 cont.
The QWC will take into account the likely impact of restrictions and the existing level of efficiency for residential and non-residential customers. Once business and industry have implemented permanent water saving measures, it is likely that additional savings will be mostly derived by curtailing outdoor use by the residential sector.
We understand that the QWC will defer the introduction of further large scale water supply infrastructure until such time as the community’s water demands necessitate their implementation.
This is the appropriate strategy to adopt however we believe that our water demands can be systematically reduced to a sustainable level by the introduction of many integrated water management systems of a small scale that is at an allotment level. Similarly it is essential that a greater level of public understanding is gained through continued education within communities.
1.3.2 Embedding water efficiency
During the Millennium Drought, residents of SEQ demonstrated their capacity to be water efficient. Beyond the drought, the community will continue to value water and seek ways to be more efficient without compromising quality of life.
There will be enough water to maintain our gardens, wash cars, top up swimming pools and fill paddle pools. But as a water-wise community, we will water our gardens in the cool of the day, use efficient watering devices, such as drip irrigation, and minimise pool losses by using pool covers. Our houses will be fitted with water efficient appliances, such as dual flush toilets, so we can save water without thinking about it. Water conservation will be an important design aspect when building and renovating houses, and commercial and industrial buildings.
Our major commercial, industrial and government water users will have water efficiency embedded in their business through Water Efficiency Management Plans that will ensure they reach and maintain best practice standards. Our rural water users will be able to trade water and they will have efficient irrigation equipment and on-farm water use practices.
The region’s water supplies will be managed to provide efficient, sustainable and equitable water services. Water use from major water sources will be metered, monitored and managed through the operation of the SEQ Water Grid. The infrastructure that supplies our water will be well maintained so that best practice leakage and loss management can be achieved.
CADI agrees that communities can and will respond given continued education, with better water management practise. We further believe that part of this education should be a complete disclosure up front about the cost of water to be provided in the event of further major infrastructure investment. Only then do the community have the information necessary to choose how they wish to use this resource. Utilities such as water and energy are fast becoming unaffordable for even working people within our communities, let alone those less able to provide for themselves. Accurate investigation of the anticipated cost of these services should be made and disclosed before any investment is made to introduce them. This is the only way that communities can be given a true choice between better water management practice and the inevitable increase in living costs through water supply.
1.3.4 Improving environmental outcomes
The region’s sources of supply will be managed with a view to enhancing the health of our waterway systems. Nutrient discharges into Moreton Bay will be reduced because more of SEQ’s water will be recycled. Enough water will be released into rivers and streams from our dams to maintain flora, fauna and river health. Informed choices will be made about the balance between water supply and energy consumption. Our community will have an improved quality of life because of the choices we make.
These ideals are supported completely by us however the balance is delicate and we believe is can be better managed by increasing the extent of integration of water management at a lot level.
1.4 What the Strategy aims to do
SEQ is a large and diverse area with numerous challenges to resolve. Development of the Strategy has required collaborative investigations by state and local governments over a number of years. These investigations included the assessment of water available from existing, committed and potential dams and weirs through Water Resource Planning processes, projections of future water demands driven by regional growth, and detailed investigation of future water supply and demand management options.
During the course of this investigation work, SEQ entered severe drought and the Queensland Government announced a range of drought initiatives to ensure restricted water supplies could be maintained. Consequently, there are a number of measures to manage demand and augment supply that are now contained in Part 8 of the Water Regulation 2002 (Emergency Regulation). The report, Water for South East Queensland: a long-term solution, explained the rationale behind the Emergency Regulation using information gathered as part of the Strategy development. The Strategy builds on these commitments with the exception of Traveston Crossing Dam.
The Strategy:
CADI acknowledges what the QWC strategy aims to do and agrees with these in principal. What we do disagree with is the prescribed LOS objectives and the proposed introduction of further desalination plants for South East Queensland.
1.6 Changes in context
The Strategy has also been updated to reflect key changes in the policy and planning context since the draft Strategy was released. In particular:
The draft Strategy was prepared upon the basis that purified recycled water produced from the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project would be a permanent and ongoing source of supplementation to Wivenhoe Dam. The Strategy has been updated to reflect the Government decision that purified recycled water be introduced to Wivenhoe Dam as an emergency source only, and to incorporate the QWC’s advice regarding the triggers at which use of that water as an emergency source of supply should commence and cease.
The draft Strategy also built on a range of committed projects including Traveston Crossing Dam. The dam was originally scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012. In 2008, the Queensland Government announced that the Traveston Crossing Dam would be delayed until 2017 to allow for the implementation of measures to minimise the impact on flora and fauna prior to construction of the dam wall. In 2009, the project was cancelled when the Federal Government disallowed construction of the dam. The final Strategy has been updated to reflect that this water source is no longer available.
Updated population forecasts were released in 2008, as described in Section 2.6.1. The Strategy has been updated on the basis of these forecasts.
The Queensland Government has announced priority and reserve desalination sites. The Strategy has been updated on the basis of the Government’s decision.
The changes in context listed above are incredibly significant. Population growth forecasts have been revised in this draft with the anticipated population for SEQ now increased by 6% or more. Given that these figures plays a significant role in the strategy as they relate directly to water demands, CADI recommends that the strategy should not be finalised until the outcomes are available from next month’s growth summit.
We have the Western Corridor Recycled Water Plant (significant infrastructure) being underutilised. Similarly the Traveston Dam (significant infrastructure) is no longer part of the strategy. Another significant change not mentioned above is that our water reserves in SEQ are now significantly improved with our dams offering 70% combined capacity. This provides us with substantially more time to investigate all options which may increase supply and reduce demands on potable water. As mentioned previously we believe this affords Queensland with a unique opportunity to investigate and adopt truly sustainable integrated water options and become recognized leaders in the management of community water resources.
We do not support the further investigation or implementation of desalination plant sites as we believe that planning to use the desalination process is the worst environmental and least cost effective means of securing our water future. Desalination is a contradiction to the guiding principles stated by the QWC.
Regional water planning should consider environmental, social and economic factors, and include ‘least cost planning’ to ensure proper economic comparison of all supply and demand options.
2. Our operating environment and its challenges
2.3.2 The Regional Plan
The SEQ Regional Plan 2009-2031 (the Regional Plan) provides a framework for sustainable growth to the year 2031. It describes management strategies, regional land-use patterns and policies to address growth management issues.
The Regional Plan describes a projected population of more than 4.5 million people in 2031, living mostly in a compact, well-serviced and efficient urban area supporting diverse economic activity and employment opportunities. Rural communities and industries are recognised as making an important contribution to the region’s quality of life and economy, providing diverse agriculture and grazing opportunities.
The Regional Plan acknowledges that water is a valuable and finite regional resource that requires management on a total water cycle basis. The desired outcome of the plan is that water in the region is managed on a sustainable and total water cycle basis to provide sufficient quantity and quality of water for human uses and the protection of ecosystem health.
The Regional Plan requires that there are secure, coordinated supplies of water to meet reasonable growth and development in the region, including meeting rural water needs. This must be done while minimising overall system costs and protecting and enhancing the ecological heath of our groundwater and surface water systems. It supports targeted reductions in water consumption by using water efficiently and managing consumer behaviour. Under the Regional Plan, the Strategy is to examine alternative water sources and demand management options, and develop a strategic direction for water supply in the region through to 2056.
The SEQ Regional Plan acknowledges that water is a finite regional source and we agree.
The SEQ Regional Plan states this resource requires management on a total water cycle basis and we agree. However the SEQWS states we need to desalinate the ocean if we are to supply enough water resources for SEQ. Is this sustainable water management? We believe sufficient water can harvested used and recycled to cope with our current and anticipated population numbers however we need to vastly improve our water management across our existing built environment. Clearly Queenslanders are now able to develop and construct with the benefit of improved knowledge and understanding to achieve sustainable water management outcomes. These practices are now well recognized and the state government is leading industry with education and legislation to achieve these outcomes. However, as new dwellings for example represent less than 2% of our existing housing stock, there is so much more that can and should be done. It is not enough to rely on the fullness of time for the evolution that housing / building renewal will bring. We need to be proactively assisting the improvement of water management in our existing communities. We need to be looking carefully at the total water cycle across our built environment, these areas are not lost to us.
2.4 Institutional arrangements
Coinciding with the construction of the new infrastructure that links the SEQ Water Grid, the Queensland Government has implemented wide-ranging institutional reforms in the water industry.
A transformation in water management in SEQ was required in order to realise the benefits of the SEQ Water Grid and to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the diverse range of supply sources.
Historically, the institutional arrangements for water supply in SEQ were fragmented, with bulk source, transport and treatment assets owned by 25 different entities, supplying 17 separate retail businesses. The Millennium Drought highlighted that these arrangements suffered from systemic weaknesses that directly impacted on the ability of the water supply system to meet the needs of the entire regional community. Aside from water security considerations, customer service standards and water pricing were variable, there was no means of equitably sharing the cost of new infrastructure across the beneficiaries, and there was minimal transparency in the structure and level of water pricing.
The first phase of reform implementation was completed on 1 July 2008, with the establishment of the four new entities that own and operate the SEQ Water Grid:
These entities are all Queensland Government-owned statutory authorities.
The second stage of the reform involves the establishment of three combined distribution/retail entities that will own the water and sewerage distribution infrastructure and sell water and sewerage disposal services to customers. The entities will purchase treated water from the SEQ Water Grid Manager, sell and deliver that water from these new entities that have been formed.
Who at the end of the day is going to be responsible for the pricing of water or do they all add their own bit in to the equation? The strategy attempts to explain this but in our opinion fails to do so.
As mentioned previously:
Accurate investigation of the anticipated cost of these services should be made and disclosed before any investment is made to introduce them. This is the only way that communities and the government can be given a true choice between better water management practice and the inevitable increase in living costs through water supply.
2.5 Total water cycle planning
Water must be managed on a sustainable and total water cycle basis.
Total water cycle management recognises the finite limit of the region’s surface and groundwater resources. It responds to the inter-relationships between human uses of water and the health of the natural environment arising from changes to natural water quality and quantity patterns.
The Strategy has sought to optimise total water cycle outcomes by:
This approach to preparing the Strategy has highlighted the importance of recycling, water sensitive urban design and the requirement to focus on catchment management to protect drinking water supplies and waterways from pollution.
CADI fully supports total water planning as outlined by the QWC in this section.
2.6 The challenges we face
The challenges that must be managed to achieve the Water Supply Guarantee are:
Our rapidly growing community is facing many challenges – to our lifestyle, environment, economic productivity and livability of our region. The QWC will work in partnership with the SEQ community as we face these challenges to manage their implications for our water security.
CADI agrees that the above mentioned challenges need to be met however we’d suggest rather than:
We’d add instead:
2.6.2 Climate-dependent water supplies
Prior to the construction of the SEQ Water Grid, SEQ relied almost exclusively on surface water from dams and weirs. As the Millennium Drought has demonstrated, these sources are affected by climate variability. Once the currently planned projects are completed, there are few sound opportunities for significant further development of major surface water storages in the region. This is due to the shortage of suitable sites in areas identified by the Water Resource Plans as having reliable water inflows.
Groundwater use in SEQ is almost fully developed, apart from smaller opportunistic extractions. The use of groundwater for rural applications is also considered fully developed and in some cases over developed.
We’d take this opportunity to reiterate the findings taken from The Relative Efficiency of Water Supply Catchments and Rainwater Tanks in Cities Subject to Variable Climate and the Potential for Climate Change by Dr PJ Coombes and ME Barry.
A 50% decrease in the median rainfall causes between 60-85% reduction in the runoff into our dams. Alternatively, rain water tanks suffer only a 15-30% reduction in yield. Similarly, climate change affects reduce rain water tank yields by 5-8% whilst runoff to dams is reduced between 19 – 53%.
Given that rain water tanks perform far better when rainfall is reduced or temperature is increased, (climate change impacts) than water runoff into dams, we should be proactively retrofitting rain water tanks now. We have time to roll out the retrofitting or rain water tanks and other recognized water saving systems as highlighted in the Sustainability Declaration. Our public monies are better spent on rebates schemes to partner with the community and improve our existing built environment with respect to water management practice. As new dwellings comprise less than 2% of our housing stock there is plenty of improvement to be had.
2.6.3 Climate change and variability
The more we learn about the climate system, the more we are aware of the system’s unpredictability. Planning to achieve water security becomes challenging where climate change impacts are uncertain. Previous planning has relied on historical climate behaviour to guide planning for the future. In this context, there are risks in waiting for increased certainty in relation to the consequences of climate change.
Such impacts are expected to be highly variable across the whole of SEQ and considerably more analysis is necessary to improve our understanding of climate change impacts. Such work is being done by the Queensland Government Climate Change Centre of Excellence and the SEQ Urban Water Security Research Alliance.
CADI accepts that the impacts of climate change and variable weather patterns across our lands make strategic planning for water management and supply challenging. However, if in addition to implementing best water management practice in all new development and construction, we systematically retrofitted our existing built environment, we can maximize the benefits from rainwater wherever it falls. We believe that individuals will choose to manage their own water resources rather than being reliant on water delivery from a centralized system that has become unaffordable.
2.6.4 Rural water supplies
The Regional Plan identifies around 80% of SEQ as Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area. A portion of this area comprises protected national and conservation parks, water storages and state forests. The majority, however, is privately-owned farmland, generally designated ‘rural’ in local government planning schemes.
Water for rural production relies predominantly on dams, river flows and groundwater, with recycled water likely to play an increasing role.
CADI understands that PRW from the Western Corridor Recycled Water Plant has been offered to rural industries for agricultural use but has largely been rejected by them. Seemingly, this water is too expensive to be a viable option for the majority of agricultural users. We are concerned that the implementation of desalinated plants will similarly cause water to be too expensive. Both methods of water delivery are energy intensive and the capital costs are high. These engineered water solutions are too expensive and where not absolutely essential is indeed folly.
2.6.5 Growth in energy consumption of water infrastructure
All SEQ water infrastructure requires electricity to some extent, with energy intensity dependent on the age, efficiency and type of infrastructure. Climate resilient water supplies, such as desalination and purified recycled water, use more energy than traditional storage and treatment processes (refer Section 6.5). Consideration must be given to the location of these supplies and the accompanying pumping and delivery requirements, as water is a very heavy product to transport around the region.
The challenge for water planners is to ensure our regional water security can be maintained, including through the increased use of climate resilient supplies, while managing the growth in electricity consumption per megalitre of water delivered.
As previously stated we believe that desalinated water and purified recycled water plants are intolerably high with energy consumption. The costs are therefore both financial and environmental.
Whilst we acknowledge that population growth is inevitable and rainfall is declining, our water supply demands can be reduced to provide water supply going forward. It is just as feasible to reduce water demands as it is to increase water supply. Water demands can be reduced by better water management within the community and by systematically retrofitting our built environment to a standard exemplified by our new built environment.
2.6.6 Our economy
SEQ Water Grid management
There will continue to be challenges in commissioning and optimising the SEQ Water Grid, though this will be simplified under new institutional arrangements. In the long term, there will be opportunities to maximise the system yield and these must be balanced against opportunities to reduce operating costs. The challenge will be to optimise efficiency within the SEQ Water Grid to minimise costs for the SEQ community, while still achieving regional water security objectives.
Through the use of the new SEQ water grid, reduced water demands through increased reliance on decentralized water harvesting and grey water recycling, can benefit the broader community.
Whilst some areas of SEQ are experiencing rainfall other areas may not. However the link which is the SEQ water grid enables everyone to benefit from any reduction in water demand experienced by users on the grid. The State Government’s Sustainability Declaration highlights just how much saving is potentially available.
EXCERPT FROM QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT’S SUSTAINABILITY DECLARATION
Cost of water
Building a range of infrastructure to increase SEQ water security, including manufactured water infrastructure, will increase the cost of water supply to the SEQ community. At the same time, the National Water Initiative also requires state governments to ensure cost reflective pricing of water. The challenge is to ensure that the cost of new infrastructure is equitably shared across current and future generations and that pricing provides incentives to use water more efficiently.
CADI believes that it is essential for the QWC to establish the anticipated cost of water delivery to consumers before embarking on any further projects that involve desalination plants. To not disclose this to the public as a fundamental component of the project is unethical and will cause gross discontent within our communities. These costs must be disclosed before any such commitment is made.
3. Striking the balance – methodology
This chapter provides an overview of the planning framework that underpins the Strategy. It explains the new approach to water security planning in SEQ, and the Level of Service (LOS) Objectives that have been adopted. It also provides an explanation of how the SEQ Water Grid will be operated to achieve the LOS Objectives.
Level of Service objectives
The draft SEQ strategy is heavily influenced by the Level of Service (LOS) objectives adopted for the development of the strategy. These, in turn, have been influenced by the experience of the Millennium Drought. The LOS objectives (on page 65) are so important that they demand critical examination and comment.
Our feeling is that the LOS objectives are too conservative and this conservatism has unduly influenced the strategy proposed as the 50-year strategy. The fact is that SEQ got through the Millennium Drought and consumers co-operated to an unprecedented degree without significant complaint. The question needs to be asked how much better we would have coped if severe restrictions had been introduced earlier. It was a close call, but to what extent did our lack of will to tackle the tough restrictions earlier contribute to this?
Looking forward, we consider that the community would accept a more conservative setting of the LOS objectives, something along the following lines:
It is acknowledged that the above may not be totally internally consistent, but they illustrate the point that the proposed LOS objectives are too conservative.
A relaxation of the LOS objectives along the above lines would have a very significant impact on the proposed water strategy. It will shape the quantum and timing of infrastructure investment, whether at brownfields or greenfields locations. It will hugely influence the capital funding requirements for implementation of the strategy. This is a very significant point for further review and examination.
The assumptions about LOS objectives are so critical to the strategy that, at the very least, they should be the subject of analysis at different levels of assumptions (sensitivity analysis).
2. Residential Water Consumption Targets
The proposed strategy is based on an assumption that residential water consumption will average 230 litres per person per day. Given the historical averages achieved once the community was fully engaged in water conservation during the Millennium Drought, this target figure of 230 appears too conservative. As with the LOS objectives, conservatism will lead to over investment in water infrastructure with consequent effect on water charges for consumers.
While we are unable to suggest a specific alternative figure, it would seem that a target of 200 litres per person per day would be a reasonable figure to work with. Some sensitivity analysis of the effects of a more conservative water target figure would be justified as part of the final strategy.
An essential component of setting this target is engaging the whole community in the setting and the meeting of the target. Getting community “ownership” is crucial and policies must be established and maintained to achieve this.
3.1 Managing risks and competing objectives
The Strategy seeks to ensure that SEQ has a safe and secure water supply. The social and economic consequences of an unreliable water supply or a failure of supply are simply unacceptable. The Millennium Drought has highlighted the need to establish new and improved ways of analysing and managing water supply risks and competing objectives in SEQ. A balance needs to be struck between the outcomes sought by various stakeholders, which are not always well aligned. Some examples include:
CADI understands the difficulties of managing the above mentioned risks and competing objectives however the financial and environmental costs associated with manufactured water through desalination plants in particular, needs to be fully disclosed. The people in our communities must have this information to make their choice about their community’s water management and supply. If we are to have access to guaranteed water supply through engineered options that provide climate proof supply it comes at great cost. Are our communities prepared to pay this price, or indeed have they been informed and asked?
3.3.1 Level of Service Objectives
The LOS Objectives should reflect community expectations about water restrictions and their willingness to pay for improved security of supply. The approach acknowledges that future severe droughts will occur, and that water restrictions are an effective and efficient means of managing the impact of these droughts, but those can have a significant impact on the community. The LOS Objectives make clear the assumptions made by water supply planners, and will inform investment decisions by the community.
In response to these statements we reiterate that communities cannot convey a willingness to pay for improved security of supply without knowing how much they’ll pay. We are referring here not only to their willingness to pay through water restrictions but also their willingness to pay financially.
Likely restrictions are clarified, likely costs are not.
3.3.2 Drought response planning
A Drought Response Plan is required to achieve the LOS Objectives. The purpose of the Drought Response Plan is to ensure continuity of supply regardless of climatic conditions or failures of the water supply system.
The Drought Response Plan will contain the pre-determined response to droughts, including water restrictions, water efficiency measures and new climate-resilient water supplies. The Drought Response Plan will also include the introduction of purified recycled water to Wivenhoe Dam to supplement drinking water supplies. If Medium Level Restrictions and purified recycled water are introduced and the combined regional storage levels continue to decline, then the construction of projects identified in the Drought Response Plan will be triggered. The trigger points for various aspects of the Drought Response Plan are discussed in the following sections, together with the size and placement of the drought storage reserves.
CADI recommends drought response starts now. The State Government recognizes the benefits of implementing water harvesting and reuse in new developments and these water management principals are in fact the norm. However the vast majority of our built environment already exists. Massive amounts of rain water are left to run to our streets. This unchecked stormwater runoff cause’s local flooding, soil erosion and sediment build up in our waterways.
Drought response should start today whilst we have good reserves of water supply. The State Government should budget and partner with people in our communities enabling a systematic retrofit wherever possible within our existing built environment. Rebates should be reintroduced to share the costs and stimulate these efforts. Water restrictions should be ‘business as usual’, the ‘ordinary course of events’. This is truly an opportunity for the Queensland State Government to lead the way in achieving water sustainability.
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Increasing supply or reducing demand? Some components of the supply and demand balance could be considered as either increasing supplies or reducing demand. The Strategy defines any new water source that contributes to the SEQ Water Grid as an increase in supply. For example, purified recycled water is considered to increase potable supply as it is added to the SEQ Water Grid. Water from rainwater tanks and other types of recycled water reduces demand on drinking water supplies from the SEQ Water Grid. |
CADI advocates for reducing water demand through water restrictions, decentralised water cycle management and maintenance of our existing infrastructure to minimize water loss through leakage.
4. SEQ’s future water demand
4.3.1 Residential planning assumption
Residential consumption is the largest sector of water use in SEQ (refer Section 4.1). The community’s response to the Millennium Drought has demonstrated the enormous influence this sector has on water security in SEQ.
From the information given at Table 4.1 SEQ water consumption in 2005, we have extrapolated residential water consumption comprised 65% of urban water or 44% of the total water use.
Further within the Key Messages, it is projected that:
It is not entirely clear in the strategy, however we assume that this reference to water savings, relates to the previous message and therefore is in the context of savings by household consumption. These savings being derived as result of the implementation of both water harvesting and reuse strategies within new housing developments.
Statistics published by the Housing Industry Association indicate that our new housing (per annum), represents less than 2% of the total housing stock. Given the findings by Dr. Peter Coombes where he found:
The really impressive result however, was achieved by determining the impact of retrofitting just 1% of the existing Gold Coast housing stock. An additional 20 years of water supply would be available.
Ref: Establishment of Integrated Water Cycle Management System Models- Pimpama/
Coomera and Gold Coast Residual Areas by Dr Peter Coombes
CADI suggests there is clearly significant potential in our existing built environment and we should be endeavouring to access these additional water resources now. Whilst there are currently sufficient water reserves available for SEQ we should be systematically retrofitting our existing built environment. We can enhance our water supplies by reducing household water demands. Focusing on just 2% of our housing stock per annum, is not enough
4.2 How the Millennium Drought changed our thinking
Residents in parts of SEQ that have not been subject to QWC restrictions have also reduced consumption, but not to the same level. For instance, residents on the Sunshine Coast reduced average consumption to about 225 litres per person per day over the six months to November 2009. Gold Coast residents used an average of 200 litres per person per day over the same period. Consumption increased over the following months. While they were not subject to the QWC restrictions, these areas had access to the same rebate and retrofit schemes as the restricted areas, and were exposed to most of the communications campaigns.
We fully support reduced water targets and ongoing water restrictions. CADI recommends that ongoing education is an essential component to achieving these desirable outcomes.
Until fairly recent times Sunshine Coast residents have not had any water restrictions imposed. These residents are disadvantaged in ways as they are behind the rest of the SEQ region with their adjustments towards better water management practices. However, we believe that they will and in fact must catch up.
4.3.4 System losses planning assumption
Ongoing management of the distribution infrastructure will continue following the pressure and leakage reduction project, including active leakage detection and the design of new infrastructure. Over the medium- to long-term, this management process should seek to further reduce system losses to 8% of total urban use. This target represents best practice based on industry benchmarking for system losses.
CADI supports these initiatives and acknowledges that system losses cause great reductions to our water supply. Priority must continue to be given to identifying and rectifying water losses within our systems.
4.4 Measures currently being implemented
A suite of demand management measures underpinned the response to the Millennium Drought. There are three categories of water efficiency measures:
CADI supports these initiatives and measures and recommends them as being ongoing.
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Structur Water efficiency measures |
Water Efficiency Management Plans (WEMPs)
WEMPs help businesses and other non-residential water users assess their current water use and identify and implement water savings. The plans demonstrate if a water user is already at best practice in water efficiency or how a user is planning to become water efficient in the near future. All businesses using 10 megalitres per annum or more must prepare, submit and comply with a WEMP. For the initial WEMP, the business must achieve a 25% reduction in total water consumption or best practice within an agreed timeframe. WEMPs are also required for public swimming pools, nurseries, turf farms and market gardens, and premises with cooling towers.
WEMPs are a Permanent Water Conservation Measure. Businesses that are subject to a WEMP are required to regularly review and update their WEMP with the aim of achieving business best practice water efficiency.
All businesses must ensure their urinals and cooling towers are efficient, and businesses using one megalitre per annum or more must ensure that all internal water fittings on the premises are water efficient.
Queensland Development Code Part 4.1 – sustainable buildings
Since 1 March 2006, new houses in Queensland are required to use water and energy more efficiently. Detached houses, terrace houses and townhouses must contain water efficient showerheads and toilets, water pressure limiting devices, energy efficient lighting and environmentally-friendly hot water systems. Units must have water efficient showerheads and toilets, and energy efficient lighting. Homes undergoing bathroom renovations must include water efficient showerheads and taps.
Queensland Development Code Part 4.2 – Water savings targets
Since 1 January 2007, all building development applications lodged for the construction of new homes in SEQ must meet mandatory water saving targets. Detached houses must target savings of 70 000 litres per year, while terrace houses and townhouses must aim to achieve savings of 42 000 litres per year. Internally plumbed rainwater tanks are one option to achieve the water saving target. Alternative solutions to achieve the water saving target include communal rainwater tanks, stormwater harvesting, dual reticulation recycled water schemes, and the treatment and reuse of grey water.
Queensland Development Code Part 4.3 – Alternative Water Sources, Commercial Buildings
From 1 January 2008, most new commercial and industrial buildings are required to have alternative water sources. Options include internally plumbed rainwater tanks and treated greywater.
Topping up swimming pools
Under water restrictions, water from the reticulated supply system is permitted to be used for topping up of swimming pools only if a rainwater tank or downpipe rainwater diverter is installed. The pool must also be an accredited ecopool or the premises must comply with three of four water efficiency measures, namely: use of a swimming pool cover, water efficient taps and showerheads, water efficient toilets and/or water efficient washing machines. This is a permanent measure.
CADI supports these initiatives and measures.
Pressure and Leakage Management Program
The Queensland Government has collaborated with councils to reduce supply pressure and distribution system leakage losses by 60 megalitres per day by 2012. As at 30 June 2009, a reduction of 49 megalitres per day had been achieved.
CADI supports these initiatives and acknowledges that system losses cause great reductions to our water supply. Priority must continue to be given to identifying and rectifying water losses within our systems
Expanded use of greywater
Allowable uses for greywater have been expanded where appropriate, through setting treatment standards and amendments to the types of buildings eligible to install greywater use facilities. Commercial and industrial building owners are allowed to reuse greywater captured within their buildings. These provisions commenced on 1 January 2008 and allow the use of treated greywater for toilet flushing, laundry use, vehicle washing, washdown of paths or walls and lawns and garden spray irrigation.
CADI strongly supports and encourages this initiative and recommends an expansion of greywater use by partnering with the community (rebate schemes) in a retro fitting program.
Rebate schemes
The Queensland Government and a number of local governments have provided rebates for the installation of rainwater tanks and water efficient devices, including dual flush toilets, showerheads, washing machines and swimming pool covers. In some instances, increased rebates were offered for rainwater tanks that had been plumbed to internal fixtures.
More than 580 000 rebates were paid under the Queensland Government’s WaterWise Rebate Scheme, with a total estimated value of almost $330 million. Rebates were paid to retrofit rainwater tanks onto 236 000 houses and to provide water efficient shower heads and other fittings.
Most of the schemes have now been discontinued. They were effective in bringing forward demand savings as part of a drought response. However, they would have been less cost effective beyond the drought, when LOS system yield exceeds demand, and similar demand savings will be achieved through regulation and the natural replacement of fittings and fixtures.
Water efficient shower heads continue to be available through the Queensland Government’s ClimateSmart Home Service.
CADI strongly supports these rebate schemes and urges the government to reintroduce them whilst making them conditional to maximize the water saving benefits within our existing built environment both residential and non residential.
Minimum water tank sizes should apply, along with minimum roof catchment areas which will need to be demonstrated. Similarly RWTs must be able to be plumbed back into the building. Not all our existing built environment will be suitable to reach these targets and not all the community will embrace this way of life, however we believe that there are significant proportions that will. This is effectively the ‘low hanging fruit’ that must be harvested before we endorse major water supply infrastructure such as desalination plants.
ecoBiz
ecoBiz is a program that helps businesses to achieve cost savings through reduced energy and water consumption, and reduced waste.
CADI supports this government initiative.
Operational water efficiency measures
Guidelines for business
Substantial work has been done by the QWC with business groups in identifying best practice outcomes for different types of businesses. This work will continue.
Active Playing Surfaces Guidelines
The Active Playing Surfaces Guidelines set out rules for irrigating grassed active playing surfaces to ensure water is used efficiently while surfaces are maintained in a safe and playable condition. There are over 620 registered active playing surfaces in SEQ that are using water in accordance with these guidelines. This is a permanent measure.
Efficient Irrigation Guidelines
Irrigation of outdoor areas can consume substantial quantities of water. Efficient Irrigation Guidelines have been developed to provide a framework for water-wise gardening and lawn maintenance. The guidelines apply throughout Queensland and were developed after extensive industry consultation.
Mobile commercial operator training and registration programs
Water is the primary input to the businesses of many mobile commercial operators, such as mobile car washing businesses, external cleaners and pet washers, making it important that they operate in a water efficient manner. The QWC developed Water Efficiency Guidelines to ensure operators are trained in efficient water use practices. By the end of 2008, 1130 operators were registered, trained in efficient water use and operating according to the QWC guidelines.
Behavioural water efficiency measures
Water saving campaigns
The QWC implemented successful campaigns, including Target 140 and Target 170, to encourage residents in the restricted areas of SEQ to reduce water use. A separate campaign – Water at Work – promoted water efficiency in the workplace. Further community and business education campaigns will be undertaken as required.
WaterWise
The WaterWise program is targeted at particular sectors of the community and seeks to establish efficient lifetime water consumption habits. Water: Learn it for Life has been specifically developed for preparatory and primary school children. The program is administered by the Department of Environment and Resource Management.
Council water saving and efficiency education programs
Many councils provide educational information and water saving tips and toolkits for households and businesses. Some Councils also offer water efficiency rebates.
Water use information to residential tenants
This measure requires water service providers to provide water use information to occupiers of residential rental properties. The advice will state the amount of water supplied to the premises during each billing period so residents can monitor their water use.
Water Efficiency Calculator
The QWC has developed a Water Efficiency Calculator to assist residents and business operators become more water-wise. The calculator determines water usage volumes in and around the household or premises, using information provided by the user. The calculator suggests water-saving tips and enables residents to compare estimated water usage with metered water usage.
Water Efficient Technologies Display
A Water Efficient Technologies Display has been established at the Home Ideas Centre in Brisbane. The 12-month display features a range of water efficient devices, appliances and fixtures and promotes the uptake of water efficient technology to people building or renovating a home.
CADI strongly supports and encourages all of these initiatives and measures.
4.6 Local water supplies
Local water supplies are an integral part of the Strategy, as part of a total water cycle management approach. These local supplies will complement supply from the SEQ Water Grid, contributing towards the overall reduction in the amount that needs to be supplied from bulk water supplies and the distance over which water needs to be transported.
Development of local water supplies is required under the Queensland Development Code’s water saving targets for new residential, commercial and industrial buildings. As noted in Table 4.3, since 1 January 2007 all building applications in SEQ for detached houses must target savings of 70 000 litres per year, while terrace houses and townhouses must aim to achieve savings of 42 000 litres per year. These local supplies must be internally plumbed to provide water for toilet flushing and washing machine cold water taps; as well as for outdoor use.
Internally plumbed rainwater tanks are one option to achieve the water saving target. Alternative solutions to achieve the water saving target include communal rainwater tanks, stormwater harvesting, greywater, and dual reticulation recycled water systems. These options can have beneficial outcomes for other elements of the water cycle, as described in Section 2.5.03 South East Queensland Water Strategy – Chapter 4 Revised draft November 2009
The most appropriate solution to the water saving target will vary depending upon local circumstances, and should be determined as part of the planning processes described in Section 2.5. In key development areas, the optimal solution may be specified as part of sub-regional or local planning. In other locations, it may be considered on a site-specific basis by developers.
The water saving target is forecast to apply to about 500 000 new houses by 2026 and about 800 000 new houses by 2056. At this rate, local supplies n new houses are forecast to reduce demand for Grid water by about 35 000 megalitres per annumby 2026 and 60 000 megalitres per annum by 2056. The actual number of new houses depends on a range of factors including population growth and household size. The forecast takes into account variations in the yield of rainwater tanks across the region. These forecasts are based on the minimum requirements.
Demand for Grid water will be further reduced by existing tanks including those retrofitted to existing houses during the drought response and tanks on new industrial and commercial buildings.
With few exceptions, local supplies will be insufficient to achieve the LOS Objectives described in Chapter 3. As a result, the LOS system yield of the SEQ Water Grid takes into account the amount of water that will be required to augment supplies from rainwater tanks during severe droughts.
CADI strongly supports decentralized water supply and grey water reuse and advocate that these methods be widely implemented into our existing built environment beginning now.
CADI has been engaging with people in communities all over the SEQ region and we are convinced that these are measures supported by the vast majority.
4.6.1 Rainwater tanks
Rainwater tanks were installed in 236 000 homes in SEQ as part of the Queensland Government’s Water Wise Rebate Scheme. This represents a penetration rate of almost one in four detached and semi-detached dwellings. These tanks enabled residents to reduce the impact of the drought on gardens while maintaining average consumption below 140 litres per person per day for over a year.
A large proportion of development in SEQ is located in coastal areas that receive higher rainfall than existing major dam catchments. Rainwater tanks and stormwater harvesting provide a means of capturing some of this rainfall. Rainwater tanks are able to collect inflows from light rainfall, whereas dams may require 50 millimetres or more of rainfall in the catchment area before runoff commences.
The savings that could be achieved for similar costs in existing homes are estimated to be considerably lower. Retrofitted rainwater tanks are generally less cost effective due to smaller tanks, smaller connected roof area and fewer, if any, internal connections such as to toilets or washing machines. Further design work is planned to improve the yield and cost-effectiveness of rainwater tanks installed in new dwellings.
South East Queensland Water Strategy – Chapter 4 Revised draft November 2009 04
4.6.2 Stormwater harvesting
Stormwater harvesting involves the collection and storage of stormwater, followed by treatment and reuse at a later time. The appropriate use depends upon the quality of treatment. Undertaken as part of water sensitive urban design, stormwater harvesting has the potential to reduce the impacts from urban development on local waterways, rivers and Moreton Bay. These benefits relate to:
reducing the quantity of pollutants entering waterways, by trapping and filtering pollutants before discharge and use; and
reducing the volume, intensity and frequency of stormwater runoff and stream flow, which assists in maintaining in-stream habitats and bank stabilisation.
Stormwater harvesting can vary from onsite scale, such as a shopping centre or industrial development, to a regional scale. At the onsite scale, stormwater harvesting may involve the capture and reuse of water for use in toilets and for outdoor irrigation. Storage could be provided in underground tanks under car parks or internal roads.
At the local scale, runoff from a new development area might be collected in a wetland for treatment and used for outdoor irrigation or through a dual reticulation system. At the sub-regional or regional scale, stormwater harvesting might involve collecting runoff from a large catchment area that includes urban and rural areas. The water may potentially be treated to a high standard and used to supplement drinking water supplies.
CADI strongly supports decentralized water supply and grey water reuse and advocate that these methods be widely implemented into our existing built environment beginning now.
CADI has been engaging with people in communities all over the SEQ region and we are convinced that these are measures supported by the vast majority.
The QWC will also consider opportunities to use managed stormwater harvesting to augment recycled water flows as part of the detailed investigations of potential purified recycled water schemes. Such schemes could have significant benefits for waterways, due to capturing the first flush stormwater.
The Queensland Government is undertaking more detailed research to assess opportunities for stormwater harvesting in SEQ, as explained in Section 6.10. This includes investigations into where volumes in exceedence of the water savings target can be harvested, similar to large scale stormwater projects in other parts of the country. Much of this research relates to the health risks that must be managed due to the variation in the quality of stormwater between locations and over time. At present, the cost of regulating stormwater use will be a significant factor in determining the viability of such schemes.
CADI strongly supports local harvesting further utilization of stormwater to augment recycled water flows, improve waterways and reduce local flash flooding incidents.
4.6.3 Local recycling
Local recycling is an option to achieve the Queensland Development Code’s water savings requirement for new dwellings. As with stormwater harvesting, local recycling is more appropriate for offsetting demand from larger scale industrial or residential developments rather than single properties.
Apart from purified recycled water, other types of water recycling may provide additional water supplies for the region. Such recycling opportunities may involve:
A feature of recycled water is that the treatment process and water quality can be tailored to suit the use, optimising the capital and operating costs. Where treated wastewater is not fully upgraded to purified recycled water, it might still be of a suitable quality to be used for:
In general, recycled water schemes should be encouraged where they are cost-effective compared to alternative sources of supply. Potential economic benefits of recycled water schemes include:
In addition, local recycling schemes can significantly reduce nutrient discharges from wastewater treatment plants, improving the health of receiving waterways and estuaries. These benefits vary between schemes, depending upon a range of factors including the treatment process and the other flows in the receiving waterway.
The optimal type of recycling in a particular location, if any, will be considered as part of the total water cycle planning process outlined in Section 2.5. Sub-regional total water cycle plans will incorporate a receiving water load based analysis, taking into account the costs and benefits of recycling and reuse across the study area. Local recycling will be a key consideration in the first sub-regional total water cycle plan for key growth areas in Logan City and Scenic Rim Regional Councils.
The QWC considers that other types of recycling should not be actively encouraged where they conflict with Western Corridor Recycled Water Project. In other areas, the benefits and costs of recycled water schemes should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
CADI strongly supports local recycling as an integral part of insuring our water supply
for the future.
5. South East Queensland’s water supplies
5.4 Potential future water sources
It is important that the best supply options and pipeline routes are preserved now to prevent inappropriate development on or near the sites, and to enable rapid response to any future drought.
The following categories of potential water supply sources have been considered as part of the Strategy development:
5.4.1 Desalination
Water supply by desalination became part of the SEQ Water Grid in early 2009, when the SEQ (Gold Coast) Desalination Facility commenced operation.
New desalination plants present an option for additional climate independent supplies. Preserving sites where future supply sources are required is good planning.
CADI is strongly opposed to desalination as a means of securing water supply for SEQ.
All our own investigations undertaken with highly regarded and qualified professionals in the science of water management have confirmed that desalination is not only inappropriate for SEQ it is also unnecessary to secure our water supply for the future. This is because there are a range of integrated water management options available to us where we can increase our reliance on. Decentralised supply options which will and should supplement the existing centralized water supplies.
It is becoming accepted that governments and superannuation funds in particular are actively seeking and investing in desalination plants because ‘water’ is a sound financial investment. Ref: Industry Funds Management (IFM) announced last month that they have invested $20 million dollars in the Wonthaggi Desalination plant in Victoria.
In fact water is probably the only commodity that no one can do without. This makes water the most valuable commodity regardless of what price it costs! However the Queensland Government’s Water Strategy doesn’t suggest that this is the driving force behind desalination at all, rather it makes the case that desalination plants are vital to secure water supply for SEQ and yet this fact is widely disputed by all the qualified persons that we have consulted with.
The following extracts from the Queensland Government’s SunWater’s ‘Water for Growth’ glossy brochure, suggest that Queensland has abundant water supplies which are available for business and agricultural purposes. CADI suggests that if this information is accurate perhaps desalination plants aren’t being adopted in the SEQWS to address our population’s water supply needs rather, the Queensland Government is aggressively seeking business in the water supply market as a means of securing future financial gains. Whilst it is entirely appropriate that Governments actively seek to further our economic security, it is completely wrong if the means to achieve this outcome is deliberately disguised, concealed or misrepresented when it is put to the community.
Water for Growth – Investment for the Future
While many parts of Australia are still suffering through drought and reduced water resources, many of Queensland’s regions now have an abundant supply.
Supply forThe Wide Bay Burnett region
The Wide Bay Burnett region extends from the northern edge of the Sunshine Coast to Agnes Waters, and inland to the orchards, horticulture and grazing areas of the Burnett. The region begins approximately two hours (by road) north of Brisbane and covers
an area of approximately 50,000 km2.
Major centres within the Wide Bay Burnett region include Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Gympie and Fraser Island (a popular tourist destination and the world's largest sand island). The region is rich in sugar cane farms and mills, and supports a range of industries that have developed largely as a result of natural resources in the area, including:
• engineering
• manufacturing
• timber and sugar processing
• tourism
• agriculture
• horticultural production and processing.
Fred Haigh Dam (at 562,000 ML capacity), Paradise Dam
(at 300,000 ML), and several weirs with a combined capacity
of almost 87,000 ML capacity provide support to the region’s
industrial and agricultural community.
SunWater
SunWater is a leading provider of water infrastructure and supply solutions to Queensland, Australian and international audiences.
SunWater provides direct water supply services to a large number of customers including irrigators, mines, power generators and local government. Strong experience over 80 years in the water industry also enables SunWater to provide professional consultancy services to customers.
With such a broad range of experience and skills, SunWater offers clients holistic business solutions tailored to their specific needs.
Invest Queensland
Invest Queensland works closely with national and international companies looking to relocate, expand or develop their businesses in Queensland.
As a single point of contact for Government interaction, Invest Queensland provides information and services to investors about Queensland’s capabilities as an investment location.
Desalination is a most costly water supply option for our communities. It is expensive from a financial perspective and it is expensive from an environmental perspective. The site specific environmental impacts are unique and devastating to the local communities and environments. Please refer to the Kathy Smith’s letter which is included with this submission.
The overriding environmental impacts however relate to their appetite and dependence on energy.
Given the abovementioned costs to our communities as associated with desalination plants, we should never be considering their implementation without having our ‘backs to the wall’. This is not the case for SEQ.
5.4.1. cont
The Queensland Government has announced priority sites for potential future desalination sites in SEQ at Lytton and Marcoola. Reserves sites have been identified at Bribie Island and at Tugun for additional plants. In the case of Tugun, duplication of the facility could be over land currently occupied by a wastewater pumping facility and landfill waste site. At Tugun, triplication into the sporting fields to the north of the site has been excluded from further investigation.
CADI is strongly opposed to desalination plants being constructed on any of the above mentioned sites. We will be actively engaging with the people in these areas and in the broader community to hear their concerns and listen to their ideas. We will make a continued effort to raise our communities concerns to the Queensland Government to ensure that desalination plants are not part of the SEQWS going forward.
The QWC engaged the SEQ Healthy Waterways Partnership to model brine dispersion for different capacity plants and different discharge locations in Moreton Bay and provide advice on how species and communities may be affected by the elevated salt concentrations.
CADI suggests that although modelling conducted by the SEQ Healthy Waterways Partnership shows that brine dispersion from a 200 megalitres per day capacity desalination plant located at the mouth of the Brisbane River will have “negligible to low risks” on Moreton Bay marine life and the Healthy Waterways Partnership recommended that a discharge site located outside the river mouth towards Mud Island may potentially disperse brine from a plant of 73 000 megalitres per annum capacity with ‘negligible to low risks’. However the objectives of this report as stated in HWP Synthesis Report
By Dr Eva Abal South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership 2009
Were to conduct sufficient modelling and literature review to determine:
Whilst these findings are noted it is also clear that the scope of the report didn’t include investigations and therefore any findings, about the local environmental impacts associated with the cocktail of chemicals used in cleaning and maintenance of the reverse osmosis membrane. We would have assumed that this might have been considered as a critical component to have been investigated in conjunction with the brine impact study.
5.4.2 Dams and weirs
Additional surface water supplies may be developed through the construction of new dams and weirs, and water harvesting during high flow events into off-stream storages and existing dams.
A comprehensive review has highlighted that there are few sound opportunities for the development of major new dams in SEQ, beyond committed projects. This is due to the limited availability of additional water for urban use under the Water Resource Plans and the shortage of suitable sites.
Given the time available for consultation and CADI’s focus on desalination proposals we have not considered in any detail the references made within the SEQWS to dams and weirs. We are therefore reluctant to make any comments or observations with respect to this aspect of the strategy documents. However we fail to see how dams can work efficiently as they are not resilient to climate change. Plans for future dams should be omitted from the strategy.
5.4.3 Purified recycled water
Purified recycled water is wastewater that has been treated to a very high standard using world’s best technology through an advanced water treatment process. In addition to current wastewater treatment, the water is subject to micro-filtration, reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation. This drinking-quality water can then be delivered directly to end users such as power stations or industries, or injected into another water supply source such as a dam, where natural processes provide an additional environmental and time buffer. If purified recycled water is added to a dam to increase its yield, the blended water is subjected to the usual treatment process for dam water at the existing water treatment plant before distribution to consumers
it is climate resilient. At the targeted reduction in demand of 15% in future droughts, Medium Level Restrictions would be highly unlikely to significantly reduce the yield of purified recycled water schemes;
CADI is supportive of utilising PRW through our existing Western Corridor purification plant to supplement our potable water supplies if our water reserves necessitate it. The concerns we do have with PWR is the cost both financially and environmentally due to the energy consumption associated with water purification.
The difficulties here lie with the fact that the capital cost already outlaid for the construction of this plant need to be recouped. If we don’t utilize this existing plant the capital investment is not justified. However the cost associated with the delivery of this water supply is not only financial. The high energy consumption is a significant deterrent and CADI would not advocate additional purification plants being constructed for this reason alone.
CADI is strongly supported of water recycling but at a local or lot level (decentralised supply) preferably.
5.4.4 Groundwater
Groundwater resources in SEQ are almost fully developed. The annual volume used for urban purposes over the next 50 years is expected to remain largely static. The use of groundwater for rural production is also considered fully developed and, in some cases, over-developed.
Given the time available for consultation and CADI’s focus on desalination proposals we have not considered in any detail the references made within the SEQWS to ground water. We are therefore reluctant to make any comments or observations with respect to this aspect of the strategy documents.
5.4.7 Supplies from outside SEQ
In addition to all the potential water supply options described above, there are also opportunities to import water into SEQ from outside the region.
Through CADI’s engagement with people in our communities, we have found many people support the idea of connecting to water supplies outside SEQ, namely the Burdekin and Northern NSW regions as mentioned in the SEQWS. As such, we believe that the community does support ongoing studies /investigations into these alternatives for potential water supply.
5.5 Supplies to outside SEQ
In the same way that SEQ’s water supplies may be affected by the ability to source water from outside SEQ, consideration has also been given to supplying water from SEQ to neighbouring communities. For example, the Government has made a commitment to supply up to 10 000 megalites per annum from Wivenhoe Dam to the Toowoomba Regional Council. The Government is subsidising 40% of the cost of the connecting pipeline, with the price of bulk water currently being negotiated.
Under the System Operating Plan governing the activity of the SEQ Water Grid Manager, any supply of water to irrigators and to urban areas outside of SEQ will not be permitted to impact on the achievement of the LOS Objectives for urban customers within SEQ.
CADI strongly supports the need to assist any regions such as Toowoomba to ensure their water supply. However we would not support and indeed would strongly oppose the construction of one or more desalination plants in SEQ, especially if they are to supply abundant water reserves, produced with the intention of targeting or attracting a water market within SEQ.
6. The Strategy
Key messages
The Strategy strives to deliver the Water Supply Guarantee – to supply sufficient water to support a comfortable, sustainable and prosperous lifestyle while meeting the needs of urban, industrial and rural growth and the environment.
CADI strongly agrees that the strategy strive to deliver a water supply guarantee. To maximise the success in delivering on this guarantee the strategy will need to be regularly reviewed and modified in response to any changes to the key elements upon which this strategy is logically based.
The Strategy is sufficiently robust to accommodate uncertainty regarding population growth, lifestyle expectations and climate.
The population statistics and projected growth are indeed key elements upon which this strategy is based. The Growth Summit to take place in Brisbane next month is a key consideration that is likely to affect the projections currently accepted in the draft strategy. Given the Growth Summit the SEQWS should not be finalised until the outcomes are made available to the QWC.
Planning for new infrastructure has been based on maintaining at least a 24% reduction in per capita water consumption compared to pre-drought trends. The residential planning assumption is 230 litres per person per day.
CADI strongly supports less generous water targets and would argue that 200 lites per person per day is more appropriate. To be successful with this target we recognize the community must get behind this objective and we will be interested to hear the results from the online poll currently on the QWC’s website.
On this basis, additional supplies beyond projects currently underway will be required between 2017 and 2026.
Successful reduction of the water target to 200 litres per person per day in conjunction with reduced water demands achieved by actively retro fitting the existing built environment will further and extend the need for additional water supply infrastructure.
CADI strongly requests that the QWC continue to investigate and target studies in these areas. Decentralised water supply is the catch phrase within the circles of those qualified and best able to determine how to secure our water supplies.
The Strategy challenges the community to save even more. Maintaining average residential consumption at 200 litres per person per day could defer the need for additional supplies by at least five years, to between 2022 and 2032.
As stated CADI strongly supports this reduced target and we will promote this target through our ongoing engagement with our communities.
Savings will be achieved by structural water efficiency, ensuring businesses operate in a water efficient manner and encouraging responsible water use.
CADI strongly supports these objectives and we will promote water efficiency through our ongoing engagement with our business communities.
Local supplies, such as rainwater tanks, will be installed for all new houses and most new industrial and commercial buildings. This water must be used for appropriate internal purposes, as well as for outdoor watering. These off-Grid supply sources are forecast to reduce demand on the SEQ Water Grid by about 35 000 megalitres per annum in 2026 and about 60 000 megalitres per annum in 2056.
CADI strongly supports these objectives and we will promote local supplies through our ongoing engagement with our communities and in addition lobby government to offer rebates to enable us to tap into our existing built environment and increase our local water supplies.
Additional desalination facilities will underpin future water security – detailed planning will commence immediately for the priority sites at Marcoola and Lytton. Detailed preparation will ensure that any new desalination facility is delivered efficiently and when required.
For desalination facilities to be operational by 2017, construction would need to commence no later than 2014.
CADI strongly opposes the construction of any further desalination plants as a means of securing the water supply for SEQ. We will continue to engage with communities to gain support and lobby governments until such time as desalination is completely removed from the SEQWS.
From current dam levels, there is a less than 1% probability of key SEQ Water Grid dams falling to 40% of capacity before end 2014, triggering the reintroduction of Medium Level restrictions.
CADI advocates that water restrictions should be an ordinary part of our lifestyle, times have past where we can no longer justify flagrant disregard for this precious resource.
A range of other supply options will also be further investigated.
CADI strongly recommends that decentralised water supply is the key, however it must involve and focus on the opportunities available to us within our existing built environment.
Drought response planning will be undertaken on an ongoing basis to ensure that adequate supplies can be maintained in the event of a severe drought.
CADI strongly recommends drought response starts now and is continuing.
32 000 megalitres per annum of additional water will be made available for rural production. These volumes will require producers to agree to commercial arrangements that do not disadvantage other SEQ water users and to develop delivery infrastructure.
Other initiatives will be investigated to further increase the availability of rural water.
Water supplies for rural production are a critical result to be delivered by the strategy. CADI is concerned that the cost of this water is or will be unviable for rural industries.
Compared to pre-drought trends, demand management is forecast to halve energy consumption by 2050. Energy consumption may be further reduced through efficient operation of the SEQ Water Grid and reduced operation of energy intensive sources, such as desalination, when not required.
CADI strongly supports any reduction in energy consumption, in reality this must be a key objective for all of us at all times.
Comments
Posted On
Feb 17, 2010Posted By
EmmaWith all the rain this month, just imagine how self sufficient our homes could be with rain water tanks! Not to mention the grid would have been greatly relieved of a burden, allowing the existing water supply to remain healthy for the next dry season. Retrofit tanks and water saving devices - I say. Don't displace thousands again like the Dam debacle. The expense is what bothers me the most especially considering desal plants are intended to just sit in wait for times of drought. Tugun Desal is not functioning well and we do not yet understand the impact this will have on the environment!
Posted On
Feb 23, 2010Posted By
Debbie JohnsonEmma my thoughts exactly. Such a shame to see the water being wasted, especially as we are facing the construction of more desalination plants to deal with water supply shortages.
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