As a country we are in denial to climate change. Both Federal and State Governments must make a part of Standard Practice for Industry to recycle all used water which would be other wise be wasted. Governments must recycle all water derived from sewerage treatment plants to be used by non food processing industries. All dams must be linked to one another so that all may drink clean water. If governments don't spend the money needed than we must be prepared to drink recycled water from sewerage treatment plants. Don't like the idea than pursue all levels of Government, Federal, State and Local or migrate to another country.

Southerner.

I am mainly in agreement with you with regard to conserving water.

However, there are many industries where I would not like to see its water recycled.

Olympic Dam currently is extracting 33,000,000 litres per day from the Great Artesian Basin, for its uranium processes and they are preparing for a 3-fold expansion. Recycling radioactive water is a "no no." This company has access to the Basin for the next 70 years, free of charge and is already permitted to extract some 45,000,000 litres per day from this resource. O/D is the largest user of ground water in the Southern Hemisphere.

Then you have the gold mining industry where its tailings dams are engulfing and contaminating many kilometres of land. The destruction of native flora and fauna, to accommodate tailings dams, has created enormous salt and other ecological problems. Like many others, I would be reluctant to see this water recycled. The cost of removing arsenic, cyanide, xanthate, heavy metals etc would be considerable and then one must rely on the "competence" of the regulators to ensure safeguards for the ecology and human health.

The Shire in my community has been recycling sewerage water for decades for all public parks and ovals. This should become mandatory for all communities and it has worked very well in an arid environment.

Of course, any criticism of the enormous depletion of our resources by the mining industry is met with disdain and one must be sufficiently resilient to endure the onslaught of name calling by those with vested interests.

The dictatorial edicts, set down by our leaders, to the masses, to reduce their human footprint, fails to include any sensible restrictions on the big environmental vandals in the resource industries.

And the fact remains, economic expansion (incorporating outdated, shabby technologies) and conservation make poor bedfellows indeed.

Re name calling, dickie, let me remind you who it was who called one commentator on this site a "subterranean rodent".

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=5559#75785

If there was a later apology, I'd be happy for you to direct me to it.

Ah....yes, Richard Castles - a "subterranean rodent." As advised, one must be sufficently resilient to name-calling.

You seek an apology Richard Castles? So I apologise - sooky bubby!

Though I note, as usual, you are distracting the readers by piffle to avoid acknowledging the pillaging and rape of our lands by your buddies in the resource sector.

I wasn't seeking an apology, dickie. The comment wasn't directed at me. But if it was, I wouldn't accept what you offered. You accuse me of distraction when it was you who referred to name calling. The apology is less the issue, than your hopefully temporary double standard. Seeing oneself more clearly is a good start to seeing the world around you more clearly, and I acknowledge your half-hearted recognition - childish, but then I don't actually know how old you are.

PS. I'm curious by what means you write and send these posts, given your aversion to resources.

We know the cause of Global Warming. But, If you really want to see the rapid on set of Global Warming and the effect it is having on the Planet Earth, we call home, listen to the messages that Nature is given to us. For those who have doubts about the message, here is a simple example of one of Nature's Messages. When the 1974 floods occur in Brisbane, three days before the Birds disappeard and the Ants sought higher grounds by entering our home. And still we have the Howards' of this world who are still in denial. We who are the future must show those politicans who are in denial the door before our children and our children's children are force to live below the earth's surfsce.