Ludwig, that’s a big ask for a little old lady at her computer, but I shall do my best.

Let’s take tank water first: I have no concerns about using tank water at all. I was raised in western Queensland and the only water we had was tank water. Water conservation and recycling was part of our daily routine. Many people still use only tank water. Tanks from 2.5 to 5 kilolitres should be ideal to maximise use by including laundry, toilet and garden use.

There are many ways to improve the quality of the tank water collected from the house roof, from first flush systems, to filtration and settlement tanks. If in doubt my suggestion would be to filter it and boil it before drinking.

In Toowoomba we have had water restrictions of one kind or another for almost 19 years and if water tanks had been made mandatory in new buildings 20 years ago throughout the nation, we would not have a drinking water shortage anywhere today.

To install a new tank now means some will have them and some will not because not everyone can afford to buy a tank even with the rebate. (Amongst other misspent taxpayers’ dollars, the $150 million dollars proposed for the Federal Election Campaign advertising would be better spent on securing clean drinking water for many Australians.)

Recycling sewage water for drinking purposes is a Quick Fix Bandaid solution. It might be worth thinking about the fact that households consume rather a small amount of all the water consumed so we should be using recycled wastewater for all other purposes. The greatest demand on our supplies is agriculture.

With regards to my comparison between recycled water and treated dam water? Recycled water is a loose term and used loosely by many. All water is recycled so I don’t know to which you are referring. However, recycled wastewater should only be used for the purposes listed in the guidelines set down by the WHO and EPA and drinking it isn’t one of them.

To be continued...

Continued….

Treated dam water: Chlorinated water makes me ill so as far as I’m concerned treated dam water is no good for your health either. It does have one thing going for it. You can use a water filter that will remove the chlorine, which is what I have to do for drinking, cooking and showering.

What do I think is the best option, or combination, for Toowoomba and for all of SEQ?

Whatever we do will cost. Water conservation and maximising the efficient use of existing water supplies is essential. With my limited knowledge, in a nutshell I would suggest we reduce consumption, install tanks, reuse water (as in freeing up drinking water supplies by recycling wastewater), drill for water (an exploratory drilling program of bore holes and aquifers throughout all of South-East Queensland), build desalination plants and pipelines wherever it is possible. If we must build dams, then let’s build them in the best possible Catchment Areas. Stop the continual wastage of water from the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) by capping all the remaining free flowing bores.

Of course we can’t build a desalination plant for Toowoomba but there are other options that will supplement our water supply, one of which, drilling bores, is already underway I believe. However, use of the GAB should only be short term. Toowoomba Council can lease water from Condamine irrigators; use coal seam gas water; and if necessary, long term, it could build another dam. The State could help by allocating funds for businesses to save water and switch to recycled wastewater where appropriate.

And last but not least - we could all pray for rain

Why couldn'tTownsville build a desalination plant ?

Sorry, misread Toowoomba as Townsville

Very good Amber. Thanks for that.

Just one thing; my prime concern - the rapid growth rate in SEQ.

Do you think that attempts to mitigate the rate of growth, ie the population influx, should be a part of the plan?

I don’t know what the growth rate is in Toowoomba or the vicinity, or how significant this factor is there. But it is a huge factor in SEQ overall, as it pertains to water-provision...and just about all other resource-supply and quality of life issues.

Ludwig, silence is preferable to voicing your ignorance…you’ve conveniently ignored the reference to the Burdekin Dam (and the link to prove it).

You clearly have a difficulty with the concept of North-west…some of the northern rivers which run to the sea in North Queensland NORTH of Ayr are; the Mulgrave, Barron, Russell, Johnstone, Herbert, Seymour and the Haughton Rivers…whether they are North-west or North-east is immaterial…they are still NORTH of Ayr.

You seem to consider that the Haughton River is a lake or puddle…I’ll put it simply…if I travel from Ayr to Townsville (North-west of Ayr), I will cross the Haughton River which continues to travel eastwards to the coast after that point. So, Ludwig, you’re still wrong…if I will have to cross the river to go North…then the river is North of Ayr…whether North-west/east or directly North.

Glen-writer? What’s your point…? Not sure if you have electricity or live in a tent with kerosene lamps…but most people recognise that lights work at 3:33am too…mine do, how about yours? Lots of people work…or even play after midnight…don’t be so small-minded.

Since this thread is about sewerage and water re-cycling perhaps the above posters might ask if they’ve lost all relevance with ‘loopy’ and ‘light’ IQ attempts at derision…

Amber4350 rightly states…‘Our first option should be recycling sewage to free up drinking water in preference to directly replenishing current supplies.’

…and has given lots of options for the use of recycled sewerage…including for it’s current use in Toowoomba on farmlands…for food production.

Your following comment, Glenwriter…confirms why her concerns are well-founded…so what’s your problem?

If waste water was exclusively used for the purposes amber4350 identified, there would be plenty of water from existing supplies (supplemented with tank water) for all human consumption indefinitely…but that’s not what government wants to achieve…bottled water has to become a ‘necessity’ of life…as it has around the world.

tbc...