Junk for Code : caring for water?

looking for something firm in a world of chaotic flux

caring for water? « Previous | |Next »

August 30, 2008

Water is very scarce in South Australia and the city of Adelaide is dependent on a River Murray, which is dying because too much water has been taken out by upstream irrigators in other states. Drought and drying conditions due to global warming caused by climate change means that there is less rainfall to flow into the river and to fill the city's reservoirs. So Adelaide faces a future of shortage of water.

Consequently, water must be conserved and recycled, and the water that is saved from the runoff must be cared for. So it was a surprise to see this:

Gary Sauer-Thompson, algae, Myponga Reservoir, 2008

This is the reservoir for the Fleurieu Peninsula and the towns (Victor Harbor, Middleton, Goolwa) of the Fleurieu Peninsula, with the water increasingly reserved for the City of Adelaide. The algae indicates that the run off from the watershed surrounding the reservoir is contaminated by pesticides and the animal waste from the surrounding farms.

This is indicative of South Australia treats was previous water. Not only does it take too much from the rivers for irrigation, poorly treated sewerage is still pumped into its rivers that are used fro drinking water, storm water runs into the sea, and the waste from the dairy farms is dumped into the rivers and streams as if they are drains.

| Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at 11:55 PM | Permalink

| Comments (4)

Comments

There are so many aspects to this Gary. Maintaining the quality of what little we have would seem to be good public policy. Difficult to implement in rural areas.

Posted by: Colin Campbell | September 1, 2008 7:06 AM

Colin,
yes it is complex. But we do do need to protect the watershed as opposed to relying on filtration to remove the contaminants.

Posted by: Gary Sauer-Thompson | September 2, 2008 8:43 AM

A complex issue not being adequately addressed by our State or Federal Governments or population.
We need a tank in every household for garden and household use, grey water systems for gardens and a rethink in every household of water use and conservation.We also need the adequate saving of storm-water,recycling of grey water on a large scale and an uptodate infrastructure with more profits going into replacing old pipes.Legislation should be introduced to make it imperative for industry to supply it's own water needs as far as possible.Think of the water catchment area of most factory roofs!!Farmers need to rethink their farming practises and we need a Federal policy on the Murray to make it fair and save the system from imminent death at the bottom end.
There is much that can be done in industry,farming and in households which would not involve building a desal plant.All we need to do is grasp the nettle and now!It's time the State Government planned for South Australia's future in sensible and permanent way.

Posted by: Liz | December 12, 2008 8:25 AM

Liz,
it is difficult to understand why the Rann Government isn't all that keen on encouraging households and businesses to put in

a tank in every household for garden and household use, grey water systems for gardens and a rethink in every household of water use and conservation.We also need the adequate saving of storm-water,recycling of grey water on a large scale and an uptodate infrastructure with more profits going into replacing old pipes.

Where is all the money raised by the River Murray levy going?

Posted by: Pam | December 12, 2008 12:53 PM