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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-07-15 Daily Xml
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STORMWATER HARVESTING

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:32): My question is to the Minister for Water Security.

The Hon. K.O. Foley: What about asking at this end of the bench?

Mr PEDERICK: Well, you can answer it, if you like. It is up to you. What research has the government undertaken on community acceptance of the treatment of stormwater to drinking standards, who undertook the research, what scenarios were included in the questions and will the government release it publicly? On radio this morning the minister said that the government knew what the community wanted to do with stormwater because it had undertaken extensive research.

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD (Chaffey—Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water Security) (14:32): I am glad that the Liberal opposition is again reiterating their commitment to put treated stormwater directly into our potable water supplies, because I think that is going to be quite a point of difference between—

An honourable member: It's gutter politics!

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD: It is gutter politics at its worst. The one thing that we will not do is put at risk the public health of this state by taking a gamble on non-proven technologies to put water into our fresh water drinking supply. I do not think that would be any responsible government's position, so it is just as well that you are in opposition.

In relation to the research that has been undertaken, I have been to many public forums where it has been expressed that people are not at all happy about water being put into the public drinking supply from treated stormwater and other wastewater sources. We have also undertaken work with SA Water internally, and SA Water have also undertaken some work internally and I will get the details of that and bring that back to the house.

I can assure you that you do not have to be out in the community for very long, walking around the streets and talking to people in your community, to understand that people do not want stormwater to be put directly into their drinking supplies. They do not want to be drinking water off roads. They do not want to be drinking water that has gone down the gutters with all the dog and animal faeces that goes with it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD: They do not want to drink that water, I can assure you.

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