Years of inaction and neglect have left the Sydney catchment ill-prepared for climate change and drought.

We need an emergency response plan that has tighter water restrictions as the first, front line option. In the medium term, our day-to-day water habits need to change. The Greens are working for more water tanks, on-site grey water treatment and reuse, recycling, and demand management.

The immediate water crisis has been compounded because the major parties have been unwilling to back tighter water restrictions.

The Iemma government and the opposition have underestimated the enormous water savings potential locked up in the community's willingness to change habits and use less water.

The Greens NSW plan to solve Sydney's long-term water supply problems

Doubling the current rebates on rainwater tanks

The meagre rebate for rainwater tanks must be doubled and consumers allowed to pay off the cost of tanks as part of their quarterly water bill. This would reduce water demand by 10 million kilolitres (10 GL) each year and cost just $66 million. The Greens NSW aim to boost the amount of rainwater tanks in Sydney from 20,000 to 250,000 by 2011.

Improving household water efficiency

The Greens NSW approach to improving householder water use is based on treating rainwater and grey water (water from sinks and showers) as assets, not waste product. A small investment in tanks and local treatment plants or getting rid of inefficient appliances can make a big difference to household use. Those low income households would be offered financial assistance to reduce their water demand and increase efficiency. This includes rebates on high efficiency appliances for pension card holders. The Greens NSW would also work with other state and territory governments to develop a nation-wide ban on the sale of appliances that unnecessarily waste water.

Enhancing BASIX

BASIX needs to be improved so that all new and renovated dwellings and commercial premises are water efficient and maximise the capture of rainwater, stormwater and wastewater. Industrial and commercial premises must begin on-site recycling of grey water with the goal of re-using most of water at least three times. The Greens NSW would urgently implement on-site grey water pilot projects with the goal of re-using most water at least three times. The best focus for these projects would be on domestic uses such as clothes washing and shower water. Separating easily re-used grey water before it is mixed with more contaminated products, especially human and industrial waste, will reduce the energy required to process it to potable or near potable levels. Doing this locally will significantly reduce transport costs and pumping energy.

Immediately introducing Level IV water restrictions

Level IV restrictions would provide a 30% saving in Sydney’s water consumption. This would remove the pressure for a desalination plant. Level IV restrictions would involve a ban on outdoor hosing, efficiency measures for pool owners and restrictions for some business, industry and government agencies. A reduction in water consumption would give our dams time to recover. Find out more at level4now…

Stopping the wasteful Desalination plant

A desalination plant is expensive and environmentally damaging. The desalination plant could add up to 1.4% to NSW’s stationary source greenhouse gas emissions.  If a 500 ML/day plant were operated for 50% of the time, it would provide only 15% of Sydney’s annual water consumption. Sale of this water would earn about $30 million in net revenue which is an extremely poor return on a $1.2 billion investment.

Preparing for the next drought

Climate change is likely to create a more volatile climate for NSW with increasingly frequent and severe droughts. The lessons of the current crisis should not be wasted. The protection of the water supply requires careful planning but building expensive supply side options like desalination, is an expensive and ill-conceived attempt to drought proof Sydney. Demand side options like water tanks and improved efficiency are cheaper and more reliable. These measures also continue to make economic and environmental sense even in the absence of drought.

Reforming Sydney Water and making Sydney a world leader in water wisdom

In the longer term, Sydney’s environment and economy can benefit from a change in the way we think about water.  The experience of the drought and the development of new technologies mean that the community is now is a position to break away from outmoded thinking that treats our storages as inexhaustible and the oceans as a dump.

Sydney Water is a water services provider, not just a water supplier. Sydney Water is publicly owned. Last year it provided $193 million to the state government. Sydney Water’s business model means the more water Sydney uses, the greater the short term profit that is delivered to the NSW government. Instead of just providing water at the meter and taking sewage at the street, Sydney Water can become a partner with households in reducing water consumption and overall costs. This involves changing the structure and culture of the organisation and removing the incentives to sell more water and make bigger dividends.

No public private partnerships that lock Sydney into a waste-driven future. Public Private Partnerships deliver short term capital at the expense of long term flexibility and environmental sustainability. Most private sector projects, such as sewer mining and desalination proposals, have contractual requirements that work against water efficiency and water self-sufficiency measures.