❓ Mr. Miles asks about Perth's water supply after a dry winter. Minister Marmion responds, highlighting low dam runoff but forecasting average spring rainfall and emphasizing the success of desalination and water conservation efforts.
AnsweredQoN 526Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH WATER
SUPPLY
526. Mr P.T. MILES to the Minister for Water:
I am very much aware that the government has spent real money
on real infrastructure to help drought-proof our city and position Western
Australia to respond to dry conditions we might experience. Can the Minister
for Water please update the house on our water supply situation, following the
very dry winter we have just experienced?
SUPPLY
526. Mr P.T. MILES to the Minister for Water:
I am very much aware that the government has spent real money
on real infrastructure to help drought-proof our city and position Western
Australia to respond to dry conditions we might experience. Can the Minister
for Water please update the house on our water supply situation, following the
very dry winter we have just experienced?
AnswerView source ↗
Before I answer the member for Wanneroo's question, I
also acknowledge Arnold Carter, who is just leaving the Assembly.
Several members interjected.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : He is well known to our family. What a pity! I have it in Hansard that he has been well known to
our family from the time we lived in Wittenoom Gorge in the late 1950s.
I thank the member for Wanneroo for
the question. We are going through one of our driest winters on record. We had
another dry period two years ago. I can advise the house that to date there has
been only 17 gigalitres of run-off into our dams, when usually by this time of
the year we have about 110 gigalitres. But there is good news on the horizon.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a median to average rainfall for
spring, so we will, hopefully, get a lot more rain in spring before the summer
comes.
Mr
C.J. Barnett : September showers.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : Yes, Premier. When the government's outstanding
decision to expand the southern seawater desalination plant is coupled with the
concerted efforts of the consumers of Perth, I am very confident that we have
secured Perth's water supply for the shorter and medium term. There are
some interesting figures. Since 2001, Perth residents have reduced their
consumption per person from 191 to 135 kilolitres. If we add those savings up,
it is a saving of 95 gigalitres, which is almost the capacity of the southern
seawater desalination plant when it is fully operational—it will
produce 100 gigalitres. It is a saving of almost a complete plant. More
recently, over the past three years, in 2009–10, the per-person
consumption was 144 kilolitres; in 2010–11, 140 kilolitres; and last
year, 135 kilolitres. These savings are attributed to our two-day-a-week
sprinkler roster in summer, our winter sprinkler ban, the target 60 campaign
and the shower head swap. We have also been concentrating on water efficiency
management plans for the larger non-resident users.
Although winter sprinkler bans have ended, and I am very
confident of our water supply leading up to summer and for the future, I
encourage residents to not use their sprinklers if it has been raining.
However, when they do use their sprinklers, it must be in accordance with the
current two-day roster scheme.
The Liberal–National
government is proud of focusing on water security and I am pleased to update
the house that stage 2 of the southern seawater desalination plant will be
commissioned at the end of this year. We allocated $2.5 million in our last
budget towards the Craigie water replenishment trial and, so that commissioning
can start quickly, the early work is being done at the moment. I am very proud
of the Liberal–National government's achievements with water.
Because of that, the consumers of Perth can be comfortable that they can use
their sprinklers this summer.
also acknowledge Arnold Carter, who is just leaving the Assembly.
Several members interjected.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : He is well known to our family. What a pity! I have it in Hansard that he has been well known to
our family from the time we lived in Wittenoom Gorge in the late 1950s.
I thank the member for Wanneroo for
the question. We are going through one of our driest winters on record. We had
another dry period two years ago. I can advise the house that to date there has
been only 17 gigalitres of run-off into our dams, when usually by this time of
the year we have about 110 gigalitres. But there is good news on the horizon.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a median to average rainfall for
spring, so we will, hopefully, get a lot more rain in spring before the summer
comes.
Mr
C.J. Barnett : September showers.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : Yes, Premier. When the government's outstanding
decision to expand the southern seawater desalination plant is coupled with the
concerted efforts of the consumers of Perth, I am very confident that we have
secured Perth's water supply for the shorter and medium term. There are
some interesting figures. Since 2001, Perth residents have reduced their
consumption per person from 191 to 135 kilolitres. If we add those savings up,
it is a saving of 95 gigalitres, which is almost the capacity of the southern
seawater desalination plant when it is fully operational—it will
produce 100 gigalitres. It is a saving of almost a complete plant. More
recently, over the past three years, in 2009–10, the per-person
consumption was 144 kilolitres; in 2010–11, 140 kilolitres; and last
year, 135 kilolitres. These savings are attributed to our two-day-a-week
sprinkler roster in summer, our winter sprinkler ban, the target 60 campaign
and the shower head swap. We have also been concentrating on water efficiency
management plans for the larger non-resident users.
Although winter sprinkler bans have ended, and I am very
confident of our water supply leading up to summer and for the future, I
encourage residents to not use their sprinklers if it has been raining.
However, when they do use their sprinklers, it must be in accordance with the
current two-day roster scheme.
The Liberal–National
government is proud of focusing on water security and I am pleased to update
the house that stage 2 of the southern seawater desalination plant will be
commissioned at the end of this year. We allocated $2.5 million in our last
budget towards the Craigie water replenishment trial and, so that commissioning
can start quickly, the early work is being done at the moment. I am very proud
of the Liberal–National government's achievements with water.
Because of that, the consumers of Perth can be comfortable that they can use
their sprinklers this summer.
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