desalination will cost us dearly

Samantha Dunn – Upper House candidate for Eastern Victoria
Neil Rankine – Lower House candidate for Bass

“The only time the true price of desal water will be revealed to Melburnians, is when it arrives on their bills,” said Greens upper house candidate Samantha Dunn as she joined with Neil Rankine, candidate for Bass on the steps of parliament at Watershed Victoria's, 'Scrap the Desal' rally. “Only then will Victorians realise they’ve been duped by Brumby and his Ministers into believing the desalination plant is the answer to Melbourne’s water woes”, said Samantha.














Samantha Dunn and Neil Rankine at the Scrap the Desal Rally on the steps on parliament.

The Greens know there are much better options for securing water for Melbourne, it rains more in Melbourne than what Melburnians consume. A recent 2007 study found “rainwater tanks are five times more energy efficient than desalination plants. Most Australian houses are suitable for a rainwater tanks and in Melbourne 72% of existing houses have potential for a rainwater tank whilst fewer than 6% of the houses in Melbourne have water tanks.”



















From left to right: Sue Pennicuik - Greens MLC for Southern Metropolitan, Samantha Dunn - Greens candidate for Eastern Victoria, Greg Barber - Greens MLC for Northern Metropolitan and Neil Rankine - Greens candidate for Bass.

“People are starting to realise that the government is making us pay dearly for fresh water, produced in the most expensive and carbon intense way, only to have it flushed down our toilets. There is more than enough recycled water available to flush every toilet in Melbourne and run most businesses, but at the moment this precious resource is being flushed out to sea”, said Mr Rankine.

The Greens have a sensible water policy to secure Melbourne’s future water supply. Water conservation, re-use and recycling should be prioritised over energy and capital-intensive strategies such as seawater desalination or long-distance pumping. It is possible for our cities and towns to use a diverse range of water sources including tanks, urban storm water and recycled wastewater, to achieve water supply security and waterway health.

“We can pay out the Brumby government's contracts with the desalination consortium, secure our water supplies and still be better off, according to Kenneth Davidson, former economics editor for The Age newspaper. Water supplies can be secured from recycling already underway and from stormwater harvesting projects as upgrades to Melbourne's stormwater infrastructure is undertaken”, said Mr Rankine.

The desalination plant will create 1.2million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions during operation. It will generate an additional 70,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from decomposing waste from the plant. It will intake 380,000 small marine organisms per second whilst discharging 8,800 litres of brine per second.

“Not only is this an economic disaster for the family budget it is an environmental disaster for Victoria’s coastline,” said Samantha.

“The desalination plant will cost tax payers dearly. Not only in a $5.1 billion construction bill and escalating water costs. It will dump 50,000 tonnes of toxic waste every year and secure big profits for overseas companies - why would we want it?” concluded Samantha.