REDLANDERS face some pretty steep water price rises and it’s hard to see how they will be avoided.
It’s a complicated issue that stems from the Millenium Drought, a terrible event that took up much of the 2000s.
In the depths of that drought, the giant Wivenhoe Dam – south-east Queensland’s major water storage – was reduced to just 15 per cent of capacity.
It was a frightening time and prompted the government of the day to put in place urgent measures to provide water should the drought continue.
This included the South East Queensland Water Grid, a recycled water pipeline and the Gold Coast desalination plant.
The grid allows drinking water to be moved around the south-east from areas getting rain to places not faring so well. It also helped supply us with good water in 2010-11 when floods knocked out treatment plants.
All measures were expensive and all – apart from the grid – have not had much use because of relatively wetter years that have followed drought.
To help set up the grid, the government took over the supply of water which previously was handled by 11 councils, each of which charged different prices for water.
It has brought much heartache to councils who lost earnings through the sale of water and who often are blamed for price rises though they now have no control over the product.
Ratepayers are now paying down billions in debt for this drought-busting water infrastructure and Redlanders will be hit hard as they effectively have to catch up with other council areas to ensure all SEQ consumers are on par.
It’s been a bitter pill for Redlanders – who have not been so good as others at cutting water use – and set to get worse given the Queensland Competition Authority pricing recommendations.
Even if the government’s looming decision on pricing is to delay introduction of parity we will have to take the medicine at some point.
It appears there is little anyone can do other than being parsimonious in the use of water.
The Millenium Drought has had a sting in its long tail and shows how important it is that we conserve resources.
You just never know in Australia when mother nature will deal you a brutal blow whether by drought, cyclone or flood.
