Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 07 Hansard (Thursday, 1 July 2004) . . Page.. 3121 ..

that will assist us to meet our water consumption reduction target while also reducing the pollutant impact on our waterways. Our target of increasing the use of reclaimed water to 20 per cent by 2013 will be a challenge and we recognise that further research is needed to determine how this can be achieved in a sustainable way. However, “Think water, act water” identifies a number of measures that we can pursue in the short term.

The government recognises the value of ensuring comprehensive and timely investigation into water supply augmentation in the event that water use efficiency does not deliver an adequate level of water saving in the required timeframes. A range of water supply options for the future is being considered. The planning process will take into account factors such as population growth, climate change and the legacy of the 2003 bushfires in the Cotter catchment. ACTEW has already begun this work. It has undertaken an initial assessment into possible infrastructure options and identified three major options for detailed evaluation. The government will work in partnership with ACTEW and the community to further investigate the full range of issues around those three options. At present we would envisage that a detailed cost benefit environmental and social analysis of each option will be completed early next year.

The ACT is Australia’s largest inland population centre and our impact on downstream water quality needs to be carefully considered. In addition to setting the direction for future water resource management in the ACT, “Think water, act water” also considers the effect the ACT has on water management across the region and downstream of the ACT. We will review the environmental flow guidelines this year and we will also participate in the cap of water diversions as a commitment to our role in looking after the Murray-Darling.

Environmental and health water quality programs will continue to ensure that water leaving the ACT is as good as that entering and water resource monitoring programs will be renewed to facilitate a clear, coordinated program. Development of a cross border water supply strategy based on sustainable principles ensuring security of supply for the ACT is a priority. Work has begun on that integrated water supply strategy. The strategy will be consistent with and supportive of “Think water, act water”. When we build our cities and towns, we significantly modify the national water cycle. “Think water, act water” addresses how we can better manage all the components of the water cycle—our waste water, stormwater and water supply—through best practice cost-effective water-sensitive urban design. The strategy will be reviewed every five years to ensure that it remains current. The strategy implementation plan will be reviewed every year to ensure its objectives are being met and progress on implementation will be reported annually in the ACT water report. The review of environmental flows later this year and the recommendations about water supply augmentation will need to be taken into account. The strategy is adaptive and will respond to these studies and to new information, including the impact of variables such as population, bushfire impacts and climate as they become better understood.

The ACT is showing national leadership through this integrated comprehensive approach to water resource management. The government is now acting with the best possible information currently available on which to base water resource management decisions and is also continuing to gain knowledge and data to ensure that we continue to adopt and respond in a well-considered and timely manner. “Think water, act water” clearly demonstrates that the government is acting responsibly through the delivery of an

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .