It wasn't promoted in the recent state election, but the inability of the ALP Government in NSW to provide water for it's residents means there will always be water restrictions. Yet even the otherwise slavish follower of all ALP bodies, Mr Bolt, notes that a few more dams would have been a very cheap way to provide for these peoples.
Instead, we have Mr Carr making windfall profits from negotiating expensive desalination plants. Much larger profits than a better system, like recycling. Environmentalists would be very upset if a conservative government didn't recycle. Desalination means detergents and toxic waste still gets pumped into our oceans.
We could have spent the same money on a recycling plant and had a couple of dams, potentially taking pressure off drought affected farms. Instead, we ban children playing. Great one, Mr Iemma.
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Water bans to stay forever
By political writer Linda Silmalis
SYDNEY'S water restrictions will become permanent because of the threat of climate change, the State Government has decided.
Daytime use of sprinklers and watering systems will be banned forever - as will the hosing down of driveways.
After weeks of speculation, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal NSW Cabinet has decided against simply rolling back the restrictions as dam levels fall.
In an exclusive interview, NSW Premier Morris Iemma said the decision was based on scientific evidence on the impact global warming would have on rainfall over the Sydney basin.
He said the permanent measures, together with recycling and the Kurnell desalination plant, were necessary to ensure Sydney would never again run low on drinking water.
"This is part of a plan to secure our water supply in the future,'' Mr Iemma said.
"We've got the evidence that climate change is real, it's here and we've got to plan accordingly.
"We face the prospect of a reduction in average rainfall.
"We've got scientific advice that there will be an eight per cent increase in evaporation rates and a doubling of hot days in Sydney by 2030, so we've had no choice but to introduce a long-term plan to secure our water.''
Mr Iemma said the restrictions were aimed at ensuring the community continued to actively save water when the current level three water bans were eventually lifted.
Residents and businesses across Sydney, Illawarra and the Blue Mountains have been living under mandatory water restrictions since October 2003.
The level three restrictions ban the use of watering systems and sprinklers at any time and a permit from Sydney Water is required to fill new or renovated pools bigger than 10,000 litres.
Mr Iemma said the Government would examine lifting the restrictions when dam levels reached 65-70 per cent.
The latest figures from the NSW Sydney Catchment Authority show dam levels rose to 59.1 per cent capacity last week, up by 0.2 per cent on the previous week.
Warragamba Dam received 30 millimetres of rain while the Woronora catchment received 40mm from the rain between last Friday and Sunday.
Water supplies are now at the same levels they were in January 2003.
The last time dams were full was in 1998.
Mr Iemma said the permanent restrictions would be introduced under the Sydney Water Act. Regulations will be gazetted on Friday.
Ironically, the permanent bans are expected to ensure the $1.76 billion desalination plant will never become operational.
The State Government has set a trigger point of 30 per cent dam-level capacity before the plant begins to operate.
According to Sydney Water, the average Sydney household uses about 250,000 litres of drinking water a year.
The introduction of restrictions has reduced consumption from a record 500 litres per person a day in 1991 to about 340 litres per person.
"Both the community and business have responded magnificently to the need to save water,'' a Sydney Water spokesman said.
"Since water restrictions became mandatory in October, 2003, total consumption has fallen by 322.2 billion litres or 13.6 per cent less than what's called the seasonalised 10-year average.''
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