mimo2005

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An Australian state plans to introduce recycled sewage to its drinking water as a record drought threatens water supplies around the nation, a state leader said Monday.
Queensland state Premier Peter Beattie said falling dam levels have left his government with no choice but to introduce recycled water next year in the state's southeast — one of Australia's fastest growing urban areas.

"We're not getting rain; we've got no choice," Beattie, who said his government had scrapped a referendum planned for March on the issue, told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Australian farms and most cities are in the grip of the nation's worst drought in a century, with some areas receiving below average rainfall for a decade.

"I think in the end, because of the drought, all of Australia are going to end up drinking recycled, purified water," he added.

However, Morris Iemma, Premier of New South Wales, the most populous of Australia's six states, said drinking recycled water was not inevitable for Australia's major cities including his state capital, Sydney.

South Australia state Premier Mike Rann said his state — Australia's driest — already used recycled water to irrigate crops but would not introduce it to the drinking water supply.

Victoria, the second most populous state, did not need to recycle drinking water, the state's acting Water Minister Justin Madden. He said using recycled water for industry was a better option since that would free up more drinking water.

Prime Minister John Howard, a Sydney resident, congratulated Beattie and predicted recycled water would be introduced to Sydney in the near future.

"I am very strongly in favor of recycling, and Mr. Beattie is right and I agree with him completely," Howard told Southern Cross Broadcasting radio in Sydney.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2...a-sewage_x.htm

MattBro

A poll last night here in sydney proved that noone wants to drink recycled water in a 4:1 vote.

crazijoe

Enlighten me on what happens to waste water in Australia. Ours (at least here in the midwest) goes to a water treatment plant then gets realeased back into the rivers.

Tumbleweed36

Hi,

Yep, CraziJoe is right about what happens here in Indiana.

There used to be a fairly large sign in a filling station restroom in a little town up the river about five miles from here. It said, "Flush the Toilet Twice, Muncie (my town) needs the Water." How do they say that, "Pass it On."

Kalim

Yup, Queensland it now head on way (according to its Premier) for drinking sewage water as does UK along with many other places. Either waste less water (which hell no is never an option) or just consume recycled toilet drinks

Repeatedly forever

carsey

Hehe....my mams side of the family is called Beattie.

Its a totally stupid idea, but if its treated correctly...then there shouldnt be anything wrong

JohnthePilot

It's reckoned that drinking water in London has been recycled 7 times by the time it gets to the city.

Nik00117

Um, poeple do know that you don't produce water correct...

Um poeple you drink the same water Jesus died.

One time my buddy said Water has a expiration date. I cracked up laughing so hard.

Kalim

Well in London, the towns upstream such as Oxford, Reading etc, discharge their sewage into the river earlier and downstream its later used to supply London with fresh drinking water

Usually "reclaimed water" is not directly consumable nor seen fit for many reasons; humans will face psychological barriers against drinking reclaimed water, since it was formerly sewage | small amounts of pathogens and pharmaceutical chemicals are able to pass through the filtering process causing danger to humans | modern technologies such as reverse osmosis are helping to overcome this problem but most utilities already providing reclaimed water for "nonpotable" uses do not treat the water to drinking water standards.

Its used for nonpotable purposes in many places around the world but not for potable uses. They can also use "greywater" (used in showers, sinks etc) rather than "blackwater" (sewage) as an alternative but I guess they have heavy prioritized financial demands elsewhere.

carsey

Im sure radiation will be used to kill off any other microbes.

JohnthePilot

I was thinking more of the Lea Valley where the quantity of sewage dischage is much greater.

Tumbleweed36

Hi,

Well, my planned vacation to Australia is now officially off. Guess I will stay home and drink the water from my 350 deep well. It is pure and clean the "natural" way. Ever hear of the "Trickle Down Theory?"