WE ARE IN TROUBLE!

There is no question about it.. we have an emergency in Melbourne.

Look at this set of graphs.
http://conservewater.melbournewater.com.au/content/storage.asp

JAN 1997 100% full
JAN 1998 72% full
JAN 1999 70% full
JAN 2000 57% full
JAN 2001 62% full
JAN 2002 58% full
JAN 2003 52% full
JAN 2004 56% full
JAN 2005 59% full
JAN 2006 58% full
JAN 2007 38% full
JUNE-07 28% full "NOW"

Now.. lets look at the 'morality' of the water resource and apply some Biblical perspectives.

1/ Privatization of water= "Shareholder value" rules, rather than public good. (and is therefore immoral and to be condemned)

2/ Because of "1" above, the natural tendency of Companies which are responsible to their shareholders, will be to:

a) Keep maintainance/costs as low as possible.
b) Not to invest in infrastructure.
c) Be aimed at short term 'numbers' to maximize CEO bonus's, Shareholder dividends etc.

Which again are immoral, and deserve the sternest rebuke.

Of course, wisdom will tell us that far sighted CEO's and boards will recognize that without investment in infrastructure, "eventually" things will fall apart.

CEO contracts and exit benefits mean they don't have much to worry about as they plunder resources on which the public depends and build their 'panelled houses' adding room to room.

All this shows how fundamentally 'sinful' we are, and our governments, and how 'Shareholder Value' is the new BAAL of modern Australia.

II Kings 17:16-18
16And they forsook all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made for themselves molten images of two calves; and they made an Asherah, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.
17And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings, and used divination and sorcery, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.

THEREFORE..... the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight; none was left but the tribe of Judah only. (2 Kgs. 17:16-18)

This is actual history.

Climate change. 300,000 immigrants per annum. How could things end up otherwise? Yes, pay $5 per kilolitre to ScrewU4H2O Inc for your plant killing, foul tasting desalinated water and all will be fine for them at least. With simple population regulation, high quality water could once again be cheap and abundant. How come the pollies keep up the "population growth is great" mantra, yet are hopelessly struggling against the resultant deprivations?

Fester :) I bring your attention to Hezekiah's words to Isaiah the prophet when told what is going to happen due to Hezekiah's stupidity.

Pollies.. kings... always balancing things so they can maximize votes and stay in power..but with this one, water.. there is not a whole lot of juggling to be done. Its like the juggling balls will have bounced away and the hands are still going through the motions..but to no purpose.

I suppose there is also a weighing up of it like this:

"If we get in lots more people.. then we can BLAME whoever is in power (if it isn't us) for their lack of action in providing adequate storage..and in the mean time, our source of cheap labor will be supplemented. If we are in power when the crunch comes we can blame THEM ..the other mob for not doing enough when they were in power"

Honestly, I don't know how Politicians think on such things. Maybe they just don't ?

I know one thing though, if we continue for 2 more years at current consumption rates, we won't need to worry about us being up that proverbial creek without a paddle, because there will be no WATER in the jolly creek.

ANOTHER IMMORALITY of privatization of Water....is where the public is punished for buying water tanks, and thus consuming less from the Water Company....the privatization of such utilities would only happen with reasonable guarantees of profitability right ?

I guess that means we will be paying more for less, so they can maintain their revenue. But screw them, I'll be 100% independant if I have my way. (from the Electric companies also grrrrr)

Gawd spare us - Boazy's discovered climate change! At least he's not blaming it on the Q'uran and/or Muslims... yet.

CJ Morgan, "At least he's not blaming it on the Q'uran and/or Muslims... yet." - you could not find that part either. That's two of us.

BD the points you make
a) Keep maintainance/costs as low as possible.
b) Not to invest in infrastructure.
c) Be aimed at short term 'numbers' to maximize CEO bonus's, Shareholder dividends etc.
are not just private company problems, they apply to government run enterprises as well. Sometimes worse when the government is running it because the shareholders (government ministers) are looking to the next election and not 10 years down the track.

Queensland has had the symptoms you mention criple a number of government run services (Electricity, Health and Water - not sure about rail). We were fortunate with the electricity setup that some bad storm highlighted the problems before they got too bad and the government was forced to do something about it. Union ties to the government make it even worse because they don't speak out particularly vigorously against Labor Governments.

Our water supplies are even lower than yours. Stopping the construction of the long planned Wolfdeen dam had nothing to do with winning votes in a difficult election.

R0bert

CJ... well may you say 'God spare us'....because He is the only one who will.... we will not spare ourselves. Greeeeeeeed will take us down.

No.. I can't think of any 'anti Muslim/Islam/Quran' angle on this one..sorry to dissappoint you.

I was just checking our water storage after this recent bout of rain, thinking that it might have gone UP rather than down, no such luck.

If you look at the graph, you will notice that the MOST the level has risen in the past few years is 2003 when it went up 15%. This was an 'exceptional' infilling, compared to every other year. In 2006 the level went down by approx 18%

The graph for 2007 is analoguous to 2006, virtually the same, but the starting point was only 38% so unless we have bumper rain... we will end this year with about 25% capacity.... given that we CONSUME about 15% of capacity per year, at the end of 2008 we will have the grand total of......... 10% !

Even if we had a bumper rain in 2007, it would not add more than 15% which would give us maybe another year.

Never has there been a time, when the only answer will be:

1/ National humility and sincere repentance to God..
2/ Water prices which will either bankrupt us, or the industry base.

Even if we opted for 2 and sent the Almighty the middle finger, (as many people tend to do) we would still not stop the impending crisis.

The prophets often spoke about 'impending crises' they could see what would happen, they predicted it... the people gave God the rude finger, clinging to their cult prostitutes and fertility gods... killing their own children (gee.. where does that happen today ?)
BAALs new name is 'not convenient'.

We:
-go after sorcerers and the occult.
-kill our (unborn) children.
-Immerse ourselves in degrading literature, films and live experiences.(cult prostitutes)
-encourage devient sex.

God can bring rain in abundance ....2morrow. Forget El ninio.