Water price rise, logging ban near dams urged

Richard Baker, The Age (article), April 23 2002

Sources said yesterday the committee, which has been asked by the government to prepare a 50-year water strategy, is seriously considering proposing a ban on logging in the Thomson and Yarra tributary catchment areas.  According to one source, an end to logging in the catchment areas would result in a 14 per cent increase in water yield.

The source said water run-off in logged catchment areas reduced by more than 40 per cent because young trees absorbed much more water than mature trees.  A committee member told The Age a big focus of the report was to reduce overall water demand and that the government would probably be urged to consider a new water pricing initiative. This would lead to water charges being higher in times of peak demand such as summer.

The report is believed to contain a proposal for the government to offer financial incentives or rebates for people who took steps to reduce their household's water use by installing rainwater tanks or low-flow shower heads.

It is also believed the committee will recommend that the recycling of waste water, grey water and sewage be drastically increased for use in parks and gardens.

The committee's final directions paper is expected to be released by the government in late May and the public will have two months to comment on recommendations.  A committee member said yesterday that although the rate of Melbourne's water consumption was slowing, it was still increasing by about 1 per cent a year and that supply "crunch time" would arrive in 2016.

"The crisis will still get there even though most people are now aware of the need to reduce their water use," he said.

A spokeswoman for Melbourne Water, which is the driving force behind the committee, confirmed that a report was being prepared for the government which contained a series of recommendations. But she was unable to comment on specific recommendations.

A spokesman for Environment Minister Sherryl Garbutt said he believed the report was still being prepared by a committee working group and had yet to be signed off by the committee, let alone to be delivered to the minister or her office.  He said any information in the draft form of the report was speculative at best and might not be in the final document.