The Water Grid and Traveston Crossing Dam

I don't buy or read the Courier Mail but I picked up this conversation and a link to an article on twitter.

Today Des Houghton had a story on the front page of the Courier Mail which began:

a $2.7 billion water recycling scheme will remain mothballed, unless there are customers for it, Premier Campbell Newman says.....

The Western Corridor water recycling scheme was designed as an indirect potable reuse scheme.  All of the industrial customers combined - power stations, oil refineries, paper mills, abattoirs etc...can only use about 10% of the water.  Agriculture could use the water but they may not be able to afford the costs of treatment and transport.  

and then the article in the Courier Mail states:

Completed in 2009, the business linked three water plants and was the linchpin in the $6.9 billion water grid that was designed to drought-proof Queensland.

Water Minister Mark McArdle said although the recycling scheme produced water for power stations, none of it made it to drinking supplies.

"The scheme has been an unmitigated disaster,'' he said.

The quantity and quality of water produced by the Advanced Water Treatment plants is suited for potable (drinking) supplies.

Later, former Qld Premier Peter Beattie responded blaming Campbell Newman and/or Anna Bligh ....

"It started under the Bligh Government, it's continued under the new government - when it comes to water, both of them have stuffed it up," he (Peter Beattie) said.

The following Conversation took place on twitter:

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2. 1. Peter Beattie ‏@SmartState111h

      Happy to defend my government's record on the water grid during dreadful QLD drought. 12-25 pm outside Merthyr Bowl's club in New Farm today

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   2. OMGTheMess ‏@OMGTheMess11h

      @SmartState1 oh, this WILL be fun, defending waste of public funds

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   3. Peter Beattie ‏@SmartState111h

      @OMGTheMess No just making sure QLD didn't run out of water. Worst drought in a 100 years.

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   4. OMGTheMess ‏@OMGTheMess11h

      @SmartState1 so where was the Westdene dam?

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   5. Peter Beattie ‏@SmartState111h

      @OMGTheMess I planned two dams. One was build and the other was blocked by the Rudd Govt; a bad decision.

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   6. RowanBarber ‏@RowanBarber7h

      @SmartState1 You appear to be trying to re-write history #TravestonDam #EPBC http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/notices/assessments/2006/3150/refusal-approval.pdf … … cc: @KRuddMP @AnnaMBligh

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From my point of view, Kevin Rudd did not block Traveston Crossing Dam.  The Hon Peter Garrett, as Environment Minister was unable to approve the construction and operation of Traveston Crossing Dam because the proponent (the Qld State Government via Queensland Water Infrastructure Pty Ltd) was unable to demonstrate that they could conserve threatened species or wetlands of international significance.

It is difficult to convey this in 140 characters.

Professor Stuart Bunn's concluding remarks in his review of EIS and supplementary materials on proposed Traveston Crossing Dam,. Mary River, SE Qld: II: Final report are pretty clear.

The conversation continued.....

1. 1. 1. Peter Beattie ‏@SmartState18h

         @RowanBarber You opposed the Traveston dam Rowan. SEQ needs the dam and a properly constructed water grid. One day that will be clear.

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         3:23 PM - 13 Sep 13 · Details
         
         

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      2. RowanBarber ‏@RowanBarber7h

         @SmartState1 - Peter, I do not dispute that SEQ needs adequate water supplies. http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/mdg1/en/ … #water

         
         

1. RowanBarber ‏@RowanBarber7h

   @SmartState1 - I fear @TonyAbbottMHR will hand responsibility for the #EPBC act to @Can_do_Campbell et al and it will be anything goes

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2. Peter Beattie ‏@SmartState17h

   @RowanBarber Last words. SEQ needs a properly constructed water grid to ensure water security for its 2 million + people for next drought

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3. RowanBarber ‏@RowanBarber6h

   @SmartState1: Peter, I agree with you more than I disagree. I doubt this will be the last words we have on this matter. #water #poo #wee