29
April 2008 - The 2008/09 Budget will deliver
on the Rudd Government’s election commitments
in water and establish a $12.9 billion water
investment program over ten years.
This includes $1.5 billion
in new urban water investment to help secure
water supplies for Australian households
and businesses.
Minister for Climate
Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong today
outlined details of Water for the Future,
the Rudd Government’s plan to secure the
long term water supply of all Australians.
“Climate change means
most Australian cities and towns have less
water, and we can no longer rely on local
rainfall to supply all our drinking water,”
Senator Wong said.
The 2008/09 Budget will
provide new money for three key election
commitments, ensuring urban water is no
longer ignored by the Federal Government:
$1 billion for the National
Urban Water and Desalination Plan
$250 million for the National Water Security
Plan for Cities and Towns
$250 million for the National Rainwater
and Greywater Initiative
The Rudd Government
is also accelerating investment in the Murray
Darling Basin, with $400 million brought
forward between 2007/08 and 2009/10.
“This money will be
used to purchase water and invest in key
infrastructure projects across the Murray
Darling Basin so we can begin addressing
the problem of overallocation and improve
river health.”
Senator Wong said $3.1
billion will be set aside to purchase water
to put back in Murray Darling Basin waterways
as part of the Government’s key focus on
supporting healthy rivers.
A further $5.8 billion
will be available under the Sustainable
Rural Water Use and Infrastructure program
for key rural water projects that help secure
a long term sustainable future for irrigation
regions and return water to the rivers.
COAG recently agreed
that a new cap for the Murray Darling Basin
would be approved by the Commonwealth in
2011. As part of that agreement, existing
state water plans will continue until they
expire, with New South Wales plans to expire
in 2014 and Victorian plans in 2019.
“In making money available
for sustainable irrigation in the Murray
Darling Basin, I will also give consideration
to community driven projects that enable
early adjustments in anticipation of a new
cap.”
Water for the Future
identifies four key priorities for the Rudd
Government: taking action on climate change,
using water wisely, securing water supplies
and supporting healthy rivers.
The $1 billion National
Urban Water and Desalination Plan and the
$250 million National Water Security Plan
for Cities and Towns will help secure new
water supplies for households and businesses.
“These programs will
help us deal with the impacts of climate
change and reduce our reliance on rainfall
by investing in desalination, water recycling,
stormwater re-use and efficient water infrastructure,”
Senator Wong said.
The private sector,
water utilities companies and governments
will be able to apply for funds, which will
be delivered through grants and tax offsets.
Under Water for the
Future, the $250 million National Rainwater
and Greywater Initiative will deliver on
the key priority of using water wisely.
“We recognise people
across the country want to do their bit
to conserve our precious drinking water
supplies,” Senator Wong said.
“Through this initiative,
families will receive support to install
rainwater tanks and greywater systems which
will reduce their use of drinking water.”
Households will be able
to receive rebates of up to $500 for the
purchase and installation of rainwater tanks
and greywater products. Funding has been
set aside to provide rebates to 500,000
homes over six years.
Water for the Future
is a $12.9 billion long-term plan to secure
the long term water supply of all Australians.
Funding under Water
for the Future will be used to support significant
water reform across the country.
+ More
BAROSSA WATER RECYCLING
TO SAVE 60 MILLION LITRES
PW 57/08 Wednesday 30,
April 2008 - Minister for Climate Change
and Water, Senator Penny Wong, today opened
a water recycling plant in the Barossa Valley
that will save 60 million litres of Murray
River water every year.
Senator Wong said more recycling projects
would be rolled out as part of the Rudd
Government’s new $12.9 billion Water for
the Future plan announced yesterday.
Water for the Future focuses on four key
priorities:
taking action on climate change;
using water wisely;
securing water supplies; and
supporting healthy rivers
“Securing water supplies
by using recycled water in place of drinking
water is a key part of Water
for the Future,” Senator Wong said.
Waste water from wineries
is now being recycled at the North Para
Environmental Control Waste Water Treatment
Plant and piped to seven Barossa vineyards
for reuse in irrigation.
Work was completed earlier
this month to connect the seven vineyards
to the recycled water.
“By treating and recycling
winery waste water, this project will save
sixty million litres of water every year
that would otherwise come from the Murray
River,” Senator Wong said.
“Climate change is already
impacting the amount of water we have, so
it’s crucial that industries look to recycling
and water efficiency to do more with less,”
Senator Wong said.
The Barossa project
is being supported by $152,850 in Federal
Government investment.
New funding will be available in the 2008/09
Budget to fund further recycling projects
through the $1 billion National Urban Water
and Desalination Plan and the $250 million
National Water
Security Plan for Cities and Towns.
Ilsa Colson
