Wonthaggi desalination plant - what do the locals think?
On face value, desalination seems a sensible solution to Victoria’s “water crisis”. However expert opinion almost invariably differs. Desalination has its place and must be considered, but only as a last resort. The location for the proposed plant is between the mouth of the Powlett River and Williamsons beach near Wonthaggi in south eastern Victoria is being strongly opposed by a range of local residents.
outlet of Powlett River
Is desalination the answer to Melbourne's water problems?
From Your water your say:
1. Desalination contributes to global warming. Desalination has a massive continuous energy requirement, contributing greatly to global warming. Ironically global warming is thought to be the prime cause of dwindling water supplies, which is perpetuated by desalination. The claimed use of “green energy” to run desalination plants is misleading. If it weren’t for desalination plants, that “green energy” could (and should) be used to reduce current greenhouse emissions.
2. Desalination wastes water. Desalination provides extra water, but will promote further water wastage (our government even advertises the lifting of water restrictions in Melbourne as one benefit!), rather than encouraging water savings. Thus it is self defeating.
3. Desalination produces truckloads of waste every day. Desalination produces truckloads of dry waste (salts, chemicals and organic sludge) daily that must be disposed of in landfill.
4. Desalination pollutes our ocean. Desalination produces huge volumes of waste every day (brine, chemicals and dead aquatic life) to be discharged back into our ocean. This has detrimental impacts of unknown severity on marine communities. Nearby communities here include the Bunurong Marine Park and
Coastal Reserve.
5. Desalination reduces our aquatic life. Desalination kills tonnes of aquatic planktonic life and other organisms which are taken in with the water to be treated, depleting life throughout the food chain over a wide area.
6. Desalination plants are big, ugly and noisy industrial sites. Locating one on this coast contravenes this government’s Coastal Strategy for preventing the spread of urban development along the coast.
See the information briefing from residents: This is so wrong
For further information, please see the website http://www.yourwateryoursay.com/
From Your water your say:
1. Desalination contributes to global warming. Desalination has a massive continuous energy requirement, contributing greatly to global warming. Ironically global warming is thought to be the prime cause of dwindling water supplies, which is perpetuated by desalination. The claimed use of “green energy” to run desalination plants is misleading. If it weren’t for desalination plants, that “green energy” could (and should) be used to reduce current greenhouse emissions.
2. Desalination wastes water. Desalination provides extra water, but will promote further water wastage (our government even advertises the lifting of water restrictions in Melbourne as one benefit!), rather than encouraging water savings. Thus it is self defeating.
3. Desalination produces truckloads of waste every day. Desalination produces truckloads of dry waste (salts, chemicals and organic sludge) daily that must be disposed of in landfill.
4. Desalination pollutes our ocean. Desalination produces huge volumes of waste every day (brine, chemicals and dead aquatic life) to be discharged back into our ocean. This has detrimental impacts of unknown severity on marine communities. Nearby communities here include the Bunurong Marine Park and
Coastal Reserve.
5. Desalination reduces our aquatic life. Desalination kills tonnes of aquatic planktonic life and other organisms which are taken in with the water to be treated, depleting life throughout the food chain over a wide area.
6. Desalination plants are big, ugly and noisy industrial sites. Locating one on this coast contravenes this government’s Coastal Strategy for preventing the spread of urban development along the coast.
See the information briefing from residents: This is so wrong
For further information, please see the website http://www.yourwateryoursay.com/
