Water supply and its useage rates extremely high on the agendas of most spheres of government. To better understand and plan for future needs, the Lower Murray Working Group is researching all available information on what Australian Councils are doing to reuse water and in particular potable reuse.
The working group comprises 15 Murray Darling Association (MDA) delegates from Alexandrina, Mid Murray and Coorong District Councils, the City of Victor Harbor and Rural City of Murray Bridge, along with a number of non Local Government representatives.
Located at the end of the Murray River in Region 6 of the MDA, these Councils experience difficulties with water quantity, quality and flow.
On behalf of the working group, Mid Murray Councillor and Secretary of Region 6 of the Murray Darling Association, Peter Smith, is calling on all Councils and Shires to share information on what their Council is undertaking or planning in regard to water recycling.
“There is as much water now as there was millions of years ago, there is just more people using it,” he said. “We want to explore every method of reuse and see to what extent Councils are using water over and over. If you were to drink a glass of tap water in London, it would have passed through 60 bodies before it gets to yours. We want to see to what degree Australian Councils are taking their cleaning and recycling of water to.
“Our group believes very strongly that potable reuse could be one of the methods that could add to the flow of the River Murray, other watercourses within the Murray Darling Basin and elsewhere in Australia. I hope you will be able to assist us in this most far reaching venture, the seeking of information from all of our peers.”
Peter Smith said the group is putting the call out nationwide.
“You never know where you are going to get information you haven’t heard before,” he said. If the working group research prompts a large response, it will call on the Murray Darling Association to help compile the final report.
At the South Australian Local Government Association General Meeting in March, State President, Councillor John Rich, expressed his support of the research and encouraged all Councils to participate.
To assist the Lower Murray Working Group, contact Peter Smith on (08) 8569 2086, or email psmithers@lm.net.au
