Nicely written and constructive contribution.
David Tribe

Australian over-attraction with gadgets energy-consuming is a normal reaction of a conservative traditions-preoccupied model of no-head-of-state-in-situ society where development of a national human potential reflecting world-class technical standard is being sacrificed to profiting the turnovers of money borrowed internationally.

Desalinisation plant is OK if no available volumes of water recycled could be estimated and while consuming energy at increasing rates, it could be run automatically with a minimum of work force involved in.

Particulars of recycling for recirculation is a very engineering pattern where consuming the recycled stock which is a treated sewage and rain water further purified to a decree allowed for a particular water usage, is a political decision.

Eventually, an inextricable link between engineering and other applied professionals with professional politicians constitutes a good example of working democracy in this Sydney case.

Sydney Harbour, all that water and not a drop drinkable. I have a question, where does all the storm water go?

"Sydney Harbour, all that water and not a drop drinkable. I have a question, where does all the storm water go?". asks Elida (29.3.06).

The answer was graphically shown by a large photograph by a Sydney Morning Herald photojournalist published during the Sydney desalination controversy. It showed, one rainy day, a jet of stormwater shooting out from Sydney's seaside cliffs - into the ocean.

Elids's question does get asked around water conservation circles in the city and, clearly, retaining stormwater runoff would be a useful strategy, especially for the irrigation of public open space, sporting fields and the like. An increasing number of citizens are leading government (the usual story, parhaps) by installing rainwater tanks in their homes. Increasing the subsidy for tanks and making them tax write-offs would be other ways to caprture rainwater for use.

Eventually, somewhere - maybe, a Royal Commission should be established to work out?

I can understand an Army having its own de-salination plant, because of the areas it accesses, & after much has been destroyed, they go in to re-claim an area, be it man made destruction or natural disaster. What I don ‘t understand is a city the size of Sydney not having enough ‘On line opinion Readers, & Posters’ interested enough in their own situation regards a daily essential for life. That is Water! Ok. You just turn on a tap and there it is, ready for use. The majority of Readers & Posters, are going on the ‘religion theme,’ which follows the leaders of words, not doers, or workers who solve the problems, and make the miracles become reality.