Bligh rejects recycled water pipeline a waste of money
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The Opposition says the recycled pipeline spur into the dams has been a waste of money. (ABC TV News)
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says taxpayers will get value for money from the recycled water pipeline even if it is not permanently used for drinking water.
Since Ms Bligh announced last week that treated wastewater will only go into the dams when they fall to 40 per cent, questions have been asked about the value of the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project.
Opposition spokeswoman Fiona Simpson says the pipeline spur into the dams has been a waste.
"The money that they put a pipeline into Wivenhoe they would have been better off putting that pipeline into industry," she said.
But Ms Bligh says the Wivenhoe option is insurance for future drinking needs.
She says the recycled water being used by industry also vindicates the project.
"$2.5 billion in our major recycled water project is money well spent," she said.
"All of that adds up to good sense, good policy."
However, Ms Bligh says it will take some effort to turn recycled water off once it has been turned on.
She says the recycled tap would stay on for a while even if the dams go back over 40 per cent.
"Gearing it up and making it fully operational takes both time and additional staffing and so you would then take some time to turn it back down and turn it off again," she said.
"Again the Water Commission will be doing some further work for Government so we make the right decision about when you'd turn it off after you've turned it on."
Desalination plant
The Opposition also says the State Government should build another desalination plant like the one on the Gold Coast.
The Tugun plant has started pumping, with water to be stored until it goes into the south-east drinking supply system in January.
The Government says its long-term water plan includes more desalination in future decades.
But Ms Simpson says the LNP would build another plant now, instead of the Traveston Crossing dam.
"There is a need for another bulk supply in Queensland in the next few years and that's why they must build another desalination plant," she said.
"We believe Bribie Island, close to the regional pipeline infrastructure, is the only way to provide that additional security."
Ms Bligh says environmentally sustainable power will be used to run the Gold Coast desalination plant.
She says the Government is almost ready to choose a company to provide the plant's energy.
"Desalinated water is a very important part of the water grid, but it is a very expensive form of water,' she said.
"It costs not only money but it's very expensive in energy terms.
"We indicated that we would be fully off-setting the energy used in this plant with green power.
"We've gone to the market and we have a number of green power providers who have tendered."
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