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

       Hide conversation

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

my letter to Fiona Simpson [Pooper Scooper]

The Honourable MsFiona Simpson

Member for Maroochydore and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly

Queensland Government

Dear Madam Speaker,

Congratulations on your re-election to serve the electorate of Maroochydore.

Congratulations also on your appointment to serve the people of Queensland as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

The behaviour of the Queensland Premier this week in Parliament does not demonstrate the "humility, grace and dignity" that he promised in his Victory speech on winning the election in March 2012.

I find it a little hypocritical for the Premier to refer to cleaning up "Anna Bligh's mess" and "Anna Bligh's legacy" with a "pooper scooper" when he left Cr Graham Quirk and the people of the city of Brisbane with a legacy of debt as well.

I wonder what the visiting United Kingdom delegation thought of the Premier's decorum in the Parliament.

The question remains un-answered. Will the Queensland Government provide funding for counselling services for those 20,000 public sector workers facing the unemployment and an uncertain future?  I would appreciate your thoughts on this matter and how you (as Speaker) might hold the Premier to his promise to conduct himself and the Queensland Government with humility, grace and dignity.

your's sincerely,

Rowan Barber

Labor's Identity crisis

I may be everything that John Birmhingham thinks makes the Labor party doomed (doomed he says).

 My grandparents were fair dinkum working class.  Dad's dad was a Firey.  Mum's dad worked for the water board.  My grandmothers could not vote or could not drink in a public bar.  Once they married, it was expected that they would give up their careers and stay at home to raise my respective parents, my Aunts & my Uncles.

My parents climbed the ladders of opportunity.  Dad obtained a cadetship and worked as a Health Inspector, eventually climbing to run Building and Town Planning sections of Municipal Authorities.

Mum also climbed a ladder. She gained a scholarship to be a teacher.

As a child, I watched Mum bang her head on glass ceilings.  She needed twice the experience and three times the qualifications to break into administration.  She taught by day and studied at night.

My siblings and I (through no fault of our own) were the kids of professionals. The lower tiers of our maslow's hierarchy of human needs was met.   We were raised in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast, on a farm, surrounded by rainforest & close to beaches & all sorts of wilderness.

My parents took me off to Sunday School, where I learnt about Missionaries.  I watched slides shows of poor people in developing communities.  I did not want to save them.  I did want them to access to clean water and designated, sustainable places to poo.

So as an adult, I must be what JB refers to as soft left!  I am a Greenie (though not a Green). I am a humanitarian.  I work as a mercenary contractor for a Municipal Authority and run a floundering social enterprise.

So on Labor Day, 2012.  I am working from home, with the dual responsibilities of child care & provider.  I would have liked to have marched with the Labour movement today, but I am not sure I belong.

Never a bride

Natalie Bochenski (also known as GirlClumsy) recently wrote a blog post on never being a bridesmaid. Here is my take on the whole Samantha Brick kerfuffle.

I think the former QldPremier made a valid point the other day when she tweeted: "@girlclumsy good evening! I think it's time for you get a new name - 'girlwonder' for example -'girlclumsy' not good enough for you!"

I digress. Back to the topic at hand.

Firstly, I'd like to comment on the whole 'beauty' thing.

There are "blue chip" public companies who's entire revenue stream depends on making women (and men) feel insecure about our physical appearance.

Fashion, cosmetics, media companies & miscellaneous bloggers all conspire to perpetuate the myths associated with beauty.

As a bloke, with vocational training in biology, chemistry & physics and an amateur interest in psychology & integrated marketing communication, the ads with Megan Gale banging on about the 10 signs of aging, just shit me to tears.

How the hell am I going to raise Bug (aged 2.5) and slug (aged 7 months) into functional, well adjusted women? Bug is skinny & has food intolerances. Slug looks like the Michelin Man.

I don't have good strategies in place yet. For starters: calling them "Bug" & "Slug" probably is not wise. I wonder how I raise confident, self assured kids who don't rely on face paint & glad rags for their esteem. How do I teach them self worth that is not comparative?

One thing I have learnt, is that self esteem (by my functional definition) can fluctuate with moods & circumstance. Self worth has to be the intrinsic value one attributes to oneself in spite of mood & circumstances.

Secondly, although I have compromised my androgeny by growing a beard, most of my close friends are women. I have filled the role of a bridesmaid. I don't think it had anything to do with my beauty or lack there of.

Thirdly, as a parent of infants, I don't have a lot of disposable time to invest in maintaining close friendships. My bestest friend is my beloved wife.

Sustainable Business Weekly Qld Edition [the water blame game]

In the course of the Millenium drought (2002-2009), the Labor Government spent $7b on a water grid & water purification & recycling infrastructure.

This infrastructure included the Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment Plant, designed to produce "Purified Recycled" Water from tertiary treated sewage effluent.

Currently, the Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment Plant provides a little bit of water to local industry, Swanbank Power Station and Springfield township. During the Drought it also supplied water to Tarong Power Station. Since 2011, Tarong has water to spare from its own catchment.

Neither the ALP or the LNP have any plans to utilise the idle water recycling infrastructure & stop the Councils or Council owned Utilities from discharging sewage effluent into the Rivers & Moreton Bay.

It is cheaper, more environmentally sound & climate friendly to recycle waste water than it is to desalinate sea water.

In the process of recycling water, one could recover the nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, etc....) that are currently polluting the waterways. These nutrients could be used beneficially in agriculture.

In the light of this, let us have a closer look at the Liberal National Party's Water Policy. The LNP claim that Queenslanders are facing spiraling costs of living and family budgets are under severe strain because Labor can't get the basics right. The LNP Claim that there is no forward planning, Perhaps they have not read the South East Qld Water Strategy ....or perhaps they have, since the LNP Strategy looks very similar.

The South East Queensland Water Strategy was released on 15 July 2010. The Strategy is a long-term blueprint for ensuring a sustainable, efficient and secure water supply for South East Queensland (SEQ) into the future.

Granted there were some panic decisions by the Qld State Labor Government caused the South East Queensland Water Grid to be undertaken without adequate planning.

The water grid itself was never a great idea but given the circumstances (Water Supply Dams running empty), it was part of the policy of being seen to be doing something.....

To be fair much of the planning for the Western Corridor water recycling scheme was undertaken by Ipswich Water and adopted by the State Government in a knee jerk response to 7 years of consecutive drought.

This led to the a $7 billion price tag for the Water Grid....At least $600 million was wasted on the failed Traveston Crossing Dam (there is no argument with that).

The $1.1 billion for the Tugun desalination plant was probably money well spent. Desalination is an expensive option but it does provide SEQ with a level of water security that a dam cannot ensure. All other capital cities have gone for similar options.

Another $350 million Wyaralong Dam is not connected to the water grid.

There is no basis for the LNP's claim that South-East Queensland water bills are set to double over the next seven years. Prices have been capped to a maximum rise linked to the Consumer Price Index.

In fact: In the last 18 months, Queensland Urban Utilities reduced prices in four of their five service territories and improved network performance.

Under pressure from the LNP & Gold Coast City Council, Labor allowed Gold Coast City to have its water retail & distribution business separated from Allconnex (Discinnex?), leaving Redlands & Logan to go it alone as well.

The LNP's plan for the future looks much the same as the existing SEQ Water Strategy....

So let's have a look at the LNP is committed to:

• LNP Policy Commitment:
• * Plan properly for Queensland's future water needs and creating a sustainable water supply that caters for population increases and meets the needs of households, industry and agriculture; and
• * Increasing efficiency in water delivery from the grid to the household, while maintaining a responsible approach to water use and waste.

This looks a lot like the SEQ Water Strategy:

Conserving water

• Making Target 200 SEQ's voluntary residential water use target.
• Ensuring business and industry consider water efficiency as part of good business practices.

Being prepared

• Investigating potential bulk water supply options and new technologies relating to water supply sources to ensure the best decisions are made in the future.
• Preparing a drought response plan for SEQ to identify what needs to happen in the lead up to, during and after any future drought in the region.
• Reporting on the implementation of the Strategy annually, including a review of the fundamental planning assumptions such as climate and weather impacts, population growth and community water use.

Managing water efficiently

• Operating the SEQ Water Grid cost effectively and efficiently.
• Keeping climate-resilient sources on standby so more can be taken from dams in times of plenty, knowing back-up supplies are available when needed.

To date, the LNP has committed to:

The Four Point Water Plan:

• 1. Amalgamate the four bulk water entities into one entity to reduce the cost of supplying water (this is probably a great deal of sense in this point);
• 2. Hand back control of water distribution and retailing to councils who previously did a far better job of managing water resources than the Bligh Government (as it turns out - one way or another control of water distribution & retailing is already handled directly by Councils or by Council owned Utilities);
• 3. Write off non-performing water grid assets to reduce sharp price rises (is an accounting slight of hand, that make no real difference to water & sewage pricing);
• 4. Adopt a 40 year price path to repay the Bligh Government's $7 billion water grid debt over the economic life of the assets, which will also reduce the cost of water (just postpones the inevitable costs to future generations, as a political expedience).

None of the above will have significant impacts on the bulk cost of water or retail price of water.