ETP RECYCLED WATER BUSINESS CASE RELEASED
As expected, both the Yarra and LaTrobe options came up too expensive to invest in. Instead smaller localised options will take priority.
This brings up some questions.... Why was the business case started when it was destine to fail from the start?
How can a pipeline to the La Trobe Valley cost $3.9 Billion, when a whole new Desalination plant is $3.1 billion?
When will Tim Holding stop lying about the environmental benefits at Gunnamatta from the upgrade alone? FRESH WATER IS THE MAIN POLLUTANT
Will the smaller projects in Tim Holding's Press Release take too long, end up costing MORE and never actually close the outfall?
When will the Mt Martha (Mornington) Treatment Plant be upgrades to Class A? IT IS STILL CLASS C, STILL DISCHARGES AT GUNNAMATTA AND WILL CONTINUE BEYOND 2012.
And read OLGA GALACHO's flaming of Timmy in the Thursday 2nd July's Herald Sun
There is also a story in the Southern Peninsula Mail
Secure our water - sustainably! The Politicians LIE.
John Brumby on 22% Water recycling."...the level of recycling has come up from 14 gigalitres, 14 billion litres, to 65 billion litres. It’s meant that there’s a huge amount of recycled water, which is no longer just being pumped out to sea..."
LIE. Massive amounts of water are 'recycled' at the treatment plants and flushed back into the system.... into the pipe to the sea.
Tim Holding ".....we improve the ocean water quality at Gunnamatta (TRUE... ISH...) where this treated water is currently discharged. So this is a real win-win: it’s a win for the environment, because it means that we’ll get better ocean water quality"
Hmmm remembering that FRESH WATER is the main pollutant. It will only be a 'WIN' when the flow is dramatically reduced or stopped.

"Gunnamatta is STILL polluted and will be until beyond 2012, despite an upgrade of the Eastern Treatment Plant to Advanced Water Treatment (Class A). The promise of outfall closure is fading long into the future, with options to use all Class A recycled water in one hit, deemed too expensive."
"The main pollutant at Gunnamatta is Fresh Water as researched by the EPA and CSIRO, the upgrade alone WILL NOT fix the Environmental wasteland at Gunnamatta as Tim Holding and Melb. Water Managing Director Rob Skinner falsely claim. It will only fix the BREACH of EPA license guidelines at the outfall, and reduce the HEALTH EFFECTS that surfers and beach users have suffered since 1974."
"With other environmentally damaging and expensive options chosen to ‘secure’ Melbourne’s water, NO MONEY is left to SECURE OUR WATER SUSTAINABLY!" Clean Ocean Crew
Call to recycle all water and ban outfalls, The Age, 3rd June 2009
"We should be ending, in effect, outfalls to waterways and oceans like the Gunnamatta outfall, and Government should be committing to finding users for that water that will be recycled."
> Click here for the full story
Concern over southern wastewater pipe, ABC News, 20th May 2009
The 'South Australian Government must clarify if an ocean outfall pipe being built at Christies Beach will send millions of litres of stormwater out to sea'.
> Click here for the full story
Get Real on Climate Change!
Seen the ad on TV yet? Yep, the Clean Ocean Foundation authorised the screening for a new campaign. The joint project between the Bass Coast Boardriders and Clean Ocean has rounded up a few well known beach lovers and we want YOU to do something!
The basis being that if CRAZY projects like desalination go ahead, then the ocean we love will keep being polluted because the need to recycle waste water and close outfalls will go cold, desal will pollute the air AND water, and North South pipeines will drain inland Australia. So...
It is pretty simple. Head to WWW.GETREALONCLIMATECHANGE.ORG, watch the ad and after being informed, make your pledge. It will take 3 minutes max. So off you troddle. Click away!
Gunnamatta Marine National Park
Do you think it should be protected? Sign the online petition now....
http://www.petitiononline.com/GunnaMNP/
Rally "No More" Gunnamatta Outcomes
Gunnamatta Rally - Our local member of parliament Martin Dixon has told the Clean Ocean Rally that the opposition don't think there is enough public support for upgrading the Eastern Treatment Plant to purified recycled water standard! This is the standard used in all of Brisbane's treatment plants which allows them to use ALL the waste water for all manner of industrial and agricultrual purposes. Email the words "No More Outfall" to Water Minister Tim Holding (timothy.holding@parliament.vic.gov.au), and cc Martin Dixon (martin.dixon@parliament.vic.gov.au) and Clean Ocean Foundation (info@cleanocean.org): let them know you want to see the water pouring from Australia's 144 ocean outfalls re-used!
Got a Bumper Sticker? Become a Member!
Yep, its pretty cool when you are getting around town and you see a fellow driver with a Clean Ocean sticker on the back window.
But are they a member? Hopefully so, because by the end of summer anyone with a sticker, WILL BECOME A MEMBER! So if you know anyone... (or you are one of the sticker owner/non member people) tell em (or yourself) to get on board. The time is now to stand up and be counted. Closure of the outfall is soooo close, yet soo far with out people power.
We will be out there too, campaigning and educating on the current issues. Targeting the half supporters to become true blue supporters. Keep a look out for THE BIG POO, carrying info and sample gifts from our sponsor SEASOL.

For The Facts on Purified Recycled Water click here
Why is water recycling being overlooked? The Age, 20th November 2008

John Morgan, managing director of Melbourne Water 1995-98, speaks out:
'According to Morgan the desal plant is a waste of money. He pointed out that at the sewerage treatment plant at Carrum, 70% of the purification work to bring the water up to potable standards has already been done. This alternative would cost only a fraction of water from the desal plant. If this class A water was cleaned up to potable standard and pumped into the Silvan reservoir, which distributes water to 80% of Melbourne, it would cost a fraction of the water from the desal plant'.
> Click here for the full story |