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Environment & Natural Resources Committee
Media Release is published below.
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ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Media Release
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Quenching Melbourne’s thirst
A report on our city’s future water supply was tabled by the Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee in Parliament this afternoon.
“With Melbourne’s water supplies at a record low, there is an urgent need to fundamentally rethink the way our rapidly growing city sources and uses its water,” the Hon John Pandazopoulos MP, Committee Chair, said today.
“There is a pressing need for medium to long term water planning, to diversify Melbourne’s water supplies and reduce our heavy reliance on rainfall.”
“The Victorian Desalination Plant and North-South pipeline, will help meet Melbourne’s water needs in the short term. However, by 2036 Melbourne’s water supplies will require further augmentation” the Chair said.
Stormwater, wastewater, groundwater and desalinated water were investigated as supplementary water sources. Achieving further water savings through conservation and efficiency was also examined.
The report contains 48 recommendations to the State Government including that:
• simple low cost water efficient fixtures become mandatory for existing houses and non-residential properties;
• an environmental sustainability assessment and rating system, including water efficiency, for all new, altered and existing buildings be established;
• harvesting of stormwater at industrial, commercial and urban infill site developments be promoted with changes to the Victorian planning provisions and building regulations;
• new enforceable recycling and reuse targets – 50 per cent by 2012 and 70 per cent by 2015 – are set; and
• a moratorium on all new bore construction and groundwater extraction licenses for Greater Melbourne aquifers.
The Committee concluded that there is a need to diversify the city’s water supply rather than invest in the construction of new dams.
Media contact: Hon John Pandazopoulos, MP, Ph 0408 310 733
Contact: Caroline Williams, Executive Officer,
Ph 8682 2802 or 0417 141 114
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