FOUR CORNERS - City Limits

[ABS]

This story from 4 Corners really is very scary:

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2004/s1220624.htm

It's disgusting that with less than 2 years water left in most capitals that nothing is being done to reduce wastage of fresh treated water.

[Dilaz89]

perth is to get a desalination plant. although its not going to help that much.

[perthwa]

perth should just not waste so much water problem solved...

[AtD]

Desalination plants = greenhouse gasses.

[Aussie Steve]

This was an excellent program and I think every Australian should have watched it.

[GMAC]

Are there any other countries that have similar problems to Australia of the same scale?

[ABS]

Not that I know of. Australia is the dryest continent in the world and we use the most water per head of population.

I missed the program when it was screened. I really hope that it will be available in the library at uni soon.

[MrTall]

Not that I know of. Australia is the dryest continent in the world and we use the most water per head of population.



That means nothing if you have a small population.

[jacobsian]

perth should just not waste so much water problem solved...

Exactly. We're amongst the highest per capita water users in the world, yet live on a semi arid continent. Half our household water consumption (in Adelaide at least) is used watering our gardens - so you'd think urban consolidation would help a lot with our water concerns. In the meantime though, governments will go for the short term fix - water restrictions, and when these don't work, desalination, towing icebergs................

[Avatar]

Yes it is time for Australia to enter the nuclear age and buiild some massive desalination plants for Sydney and the greater Sydney basin.

Poor old Sydney and the Central Coast have dams running on empty - you can now taste the chlorine in an attempt to further purify the water as it gets lower. If governments are worried of fossil fuel burning aint it about time we rammed home the importance of switching to nuclear power? We have vast uranium deposits - the waste can be controlled and the pollution is relatively easy on the local environment. Nuclear power stations can provide very cheap energy for Australia and an alternative that should replace our aging and polluting coal power stations - we can also power the power-hungry desalination plants and ensure everyone has water to use.

I don't support the massive restrictions and scare mongering tactics councils are enforcing - just build what we need and get one with it. In the 21st century and a first world country we should not be inconvenienced by poorly built and located dams and a lack of precipitation - we should not have to worry about it and life should go on as normal. I wish they would just start doing something about the problems rather than waiting until we hit rock bottom - literally.

[ABS]

Hmm... I'm sure Nuclear power is very green and stable Avatar.

*cough* BULLSHIT *cough*

I'd rather Australia stays away from nuclear power.

[Avatar]

Why the hell would you want that?

It's been proven time and time again it is an excellent solution. Gee there are so many nuclear accidents we have chernobyls all over the world you know?

So what is the by-products have a half-life of some few thousand years, the spent nuclear fuel rods can all be stored safely, out in the sticks. It beat billowing our air with greenhouse emmissions by IMO.

We can then also manufacture weapons grade plutonium for an arsenal if we should ever need it. I'm not sure lucas heights has the power to enrich uranium to make weapons grade material.

So in all of this we could get...
1. Less green house emissions
2. Lots of electricity
3. More reactors for scientific research and possible weaopons programmes
4. Lots of water through desailination powered by nuclear power stations

It sounds good all round to me...

[tayser]

concentrate on the Maglev Av ;)

[jacobsian]

Damn right, nuclear power is a much greener solution compared to coal burning. Most of the country is suitable for storing the waste (don't tell me you're ever going to live at Woomera, because you're full of shit). South Australia's Olympic Dam produces no less than 7% of the world's uranium supply, let's use it ourselves instead of worrying where it goes all the time.