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Sign Senator Bartlett's petition to the Queensland Government supporting water recycling
SIGN THE PETITION |
The CSIRO predicts that because of greenhouse gas emissions and resulting increase in temperatures that there will be less rain in some areas and higher evaporation, and that Australia will be hard hit by this climate change. Rainfall is predicted to reduce by 15%, even though there may be heavier downpours during summer.
Currently most of our water is supplied via dams and weirs. The water is treated so that it is safe to drink. Only 1% of the drinking quality water we are supplied is actually directly consumed by people, the rest is used in industry, institutions and in our homes where half is used inside (a quarter of inside use is for flushing the toilet) and half is used outside.
Many cities and towns around Australia are on water restrictions because dam water levels are low. check out dam levels here. Dams are under pressure because of increased demand, reduction in rainfall in catchment areas and increased evaporation. Federal, State and Local councils are looking at ways to manage the water crisis.
Unfortunately too many are looking at the traditional, failed methods such as building new dams, which are socially and environmentally destructive and prohibitively expensive; or at desalination (converting seawater to drinking water) which is highly energy intensive and expensive.
Australia's biggest problem is that two beliefs have dominated water infrastructure in our cities.
- The first is that water is readily available and need only be used once;
- The second is that stormwater should be carried away to rivers and oceans.
In the 21st century where we have technologies to safely and cost effectively recycle water, we should be challenging these beliefs.
For the full story on water in Queensland, visit Senator Bartlett's campaign website. | 
