my submission to the Qld Water Strategy

The following is my submission to the community consultation on the Qld Water Strategy, which closes on 29 March 2013, 11.59pm

Queensland's water sector: a 30-year strategy discussion paper


Department of Energy and Water Supply

PO Box 15456

City East Qld 4002



To whom it may concern,





Please find follow a few brief comments addressing the 30 year water strategy discussion paper.



Over the next 30 years, it is increasing likely that rainfall will become more variable and more intense. We are likely to see greater extremes of droughts and flooding rains.



I am concerned about the emphasis in the strategy on "lowest cost". I would like to see a greater emphasis on best value.



There are opportunities for integration of water management that could lead to lower costs.

There is a wholesale move by the Qld State Government towards "light handed" regulation. While I understand the rationale, I am not entirely confident that environmental and public health values can be protected with "light handed" regulation.



That said, I would like to see more demonstration projects and research around new and innovative ways to obtain and deliver water supplies and sewage/trade waste collection and treatment.



The current institutional arrangements for water supply and sewage collection and treatment is not ideal.



I would like to see more vertical integration.



The water sector is currently split horizontally (particularly in SE Qld) along the same lines as the electricity industry into generators and retail/distributors.



This model does not lend itself to integrated water management, across water catchments. In many cases local councils are in a better position to manage the integrated water cycle. Storm water is often neglected as a source of useful water, particularly for industrial reuse, cooling water, irrigation water etc.



I would like to see the retention of the integrity of the regulatory framework (e.g. drinking water quality, environmental protection, public health) while reducing the regulatory burden, by making regulation less prescriptive and move towards performance based or outcome based regulation.



I think water/sewage quality regulation needs to focus on setting criteria that are "fit for purpose".



Self regulation is appropriate when water and sewage treatment plants are run by public sector utilities. I would be very concerned if self regulation applied to private sector (for-profit) utilities.



I think it is entirely appropriate that numerous government departments regulate or have an interest in water and sewerage services including DEWS, Environment, health, natural resources etc.



I think the water business would benefit from geographical catchment based water utilities. In some cases that might been amalgamation of small regional (council utilities). In SEQ, that might mean de-amalgamation of Qld Urban Utilities and Unity Water. Water Utilities should mange the entire water cycle including water supply, stormwater, sewage, trade waste and water recycling.



During the millennium drought (2002-2009), the western corridor water recycling scheme was established. This scheme has never been commissioned for indirect potable re-use.



There would be many benefits from treating sewage effluent for potable reuse.



The advanced water treatment plant at Bundamba could also improve the quality of the effluent that is currently being discharged to the natural environment.



If purified recycled water was used for potable supplies, one would not have to retain so much water in dams. The dams could be operated with lower storage levels and provide greater capacity for flood mitigation.



In terms of innovation, I would like to see the Qld water industry participate in more local projects, to demonstrate the next generation of toilet technologies. As a developed nation, I would like to see us invest in developing technologies that have global implications.



There are 2.4 billion people in the world who lack access to a designated sustainable place to poo. A billion of those people live in Asia/Pacific.



There are a billion people in the world who lack access to adequate drinking water supplies.



The Qld water industry could be developing technologies and service delivery models that meet our own needs. The same technologies may help those in developing communities.



Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the consultation for the 30 year water strategy.



regards,



Rowan Barber      

Oswald and water

Many parts of Australia have experienced the extremes of weather over the past week, as ex-tropical cyclone Oswald moved down the east coast of Australia.

This week water distributor Queensland Urban Utilities enacted mandatory water restrictions, limiting water use for essential purposes only and all residents and businesses were urged to conserve water.

Due to record turbidity levels in the Brisbane River as a result of the extreme weather from ex Tropical Cyclone Oswald, SEQWater had to take the Mt Crosby Water Treatment Plant offline. The high turbidity and suspended solids in the flood waters which filled SEQ’s dams created problems for SEQWater’s water treatment plants

Unfortunately, many businesses and residents saw a need to stockpile water, in case supplies did run out and as a consequence they almost did.

The bulk water supply demand across the region was met, however SEQWater is continuing to work with the distributor-retailers to monitor the situation carefully.

Mine Water Releases

On Friday, 25 January 2013 the Queensland Minister for the Environment Andrew Powell told the media 4 mines had been given approval to release contaminated mine water into the Fitzroy River.

He stated that it would cause no problems because the river was already in flood so the salty and heavy metal contaminants in the mine water would be diluted.

Allegedly, an official gave a figure of approximately 1 litre of contaminated water for every 100 litres of "fresh" river water.

The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) is responsible for regulating and monitoring mines water releases into receiving environments and works collaboratively with other government agencies in managing, monitoring and mitigating mines releases during times of extreme weather events.

The Economic Development Bill 2012 (now the Act), was passed by the Queensland Parliament on 29 November 2012, and enables the state government to approve the release of water from mines with only 24 hours notice.  Under a Temporary Emissions License,  companies no longer have to test their mine water for contaminants before they release.

As a result of ex-tropical cyclone Oswald there are a number of mines in central Queensland discharging mines water into receiving rivers and creeks. EHP is working with the relevant mines and Companies to ensure these releases are managed and controlled in the best possible way.  Details of the mines releasing discharges in accordance with their environmental authorities are listed below and will be continually updated over coming days.

In November 2012 the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) issued amended environmental authorities to four coal mines located in central Queensland to conduct a pilot of enhanced mine water release during the 2012-13 wet season.

EHP is publishing a daily update of mine affected water releases  for the four mines provided with approval to take part in this pilot are:

·         Goonyella Riverside 

·         Peak Downs

·         Saraji

·         Norwich Park

·          

This pilot will be closely regulated by EHP and the downstream water quality will be closely monitored by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines. In addition, the four BMA mines will also be required to undertake additional monitoring.

As part of the close monitoring and regulation of this pilot, EHP has prepared an Isaac Pilot Operational Policy that provides information for when a cease release will be issued to ensure that water supply and water quality—for both drinking and irrigation—will not be compromised by the pilot.

Ongoing real-time water monitoring data of water quality in the Fitzroy catchment is available during the pilot as it is at any other time. Visit the Fitzroy River website to view water quality information.

The minister and EHP may have approved another 38 mine releases over the long weekend.  The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection posted a list of 42 mines which have been permitted to release contaminated water into the rising Fitzroy River. 

Fees, Green Tape and Water Restrictions

Fees

Queensland’s Environment and Heritage Protection department now charges a fee for a number of activities associated with transitional environmental programs, including assessing a draft program, assessing an annual return, monitoring compliance and amending an approved program. Information about the fees is on the department’s website

Green Tape Feedback

The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection is seeking feedback on proposed amendments to the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008 to remove a number of environmentally relevant activities and amend certain fees.

The draft regulatory assessment statement is supported by the Assigning Environmentally Relevant Activities to Assessment Tracks report.

For more information about the implementation of the Greentape Reduction project, visit the department of Environment and Heritage Protection’s website.  Feedback on the draft regulatory assessment statement can be provided until 5.00 pm on 26 October 2012. ASBG will be putting together a submission. Please send your submission in writing to: epact.policy@ehp.qld.gov.au

Lifting Water Restrictions

Water Minister Mark McArdle has distanced himself from a report the Queensland Government has a plan to ease water restrictions to raise revenue and said it was not the government's responsibility anyway.

There has been speculation in that permanent water restrictions were "under review, with regard to water availability, climatic trends and future demands''.

Water Efficiency Management Plans (WEMP) for non-residential customers over 10megalitres will be retained under the Water Act 2000.

It is alleged the LNP Government are counting on increased water use to help pay for the debt on the SEQ water grid.

The Minister has acknowledged that he has sought advice on the future of the $2.5 billion recycled water plant at Bundamba and $2 billion desalination plant at Tugan on the Gold Coast.

South-East Queensland councils and businesses will be given a reprieve on water usage following changes to water restrictions by the Queensland Water Commission (QWC).

Many restrictions will be lifted following a QWC review of Permanent Water Conservation Measures currently in place. The review was undertaken as an action under the South-East Queensland Water Strategy.

Water Minister Mark McArdle brought in the initial changes in April 2012, to cut  red tape for businesses and councils, allowing more flexible water use. The Queensland Water Commission, is being abolished on 1 January 2012, was taken back into Minister McArdle's department in July.

A spokesman for Mr McArdle said that the Water Commission's powers to decide water restrictions would be transferred to the new merged bulk water entity at the end of the year.

QWC restrictions will not continue beyond this date unless statutory amendments are made to continue these functions.  The plan would reverse years of the previous government initiatives aimed at limiting water use.

Relaxation of water restrictions is likely to face strong resistance from consumers who have learned to make do with less after years of drought. Despite the planned cutbacks and revenue-raising, the QLD Government faces a struggle to honour election pledges to reduce water bills to ease cost-of-living pressures.

In the short term, the QLD Government is eyeing some creative accounting to allow the newly merged super water supplier to start debt free with enough capital to allow water prices to fall.

Treasury officials are understood to be looking at shuffling some $3 billion of debt off the existing water utilities and on to the Government's books.

The new water super supplier, to be set up in January and running by July, would then be debt free.  Without debt to service, it would have enough capital to allow water prices to drop and encourage increased consumer use of water.

A spokesman for Treasurer Tim Nicholls said the Government was "yet to decide on a change to the capital structure of the new entity". He insisted the merger would bring "greater efficiencies in terms of water distribution and reduce water bills for residents of southeast Queensland".

The Government inherited a $7 billion water infrastructure debt burden from prior incumbert that is costing it more than $400 million a year in interest.

The previous Government’s legacy also included a sophisticated water grid and dams with enough water in them for at least 10 years of supply at current low rates of usage. The  opposition, did not directly criticise the move to sell more water, but a spokesman said it was something that would be determined by the market.

The Queensland Water Commission said in its annual report this month: "Even if SEQ was to experience a drought as serious as 2001-2009, the region would not expect to enter restrictions for five years."

Additional revenue of about $66 million would be generated in 2012/13 if residential consumption of water was 200 litres a day rather than the frugal current level of 170 litres per person a day, Government insiders say.