❓ Question regarding the cost impact of the proposed Kimberley canal on Perth water bills, with the Minister outlining a potential 400% increase and highlighting environmental concerns compared to desalination.
AnsweredQoN 181Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER SUPPLY - KIMBERLEY CANAL
Can the minister outline to the house the effect that using water from the proposed Kimberley canal would have on the cost of an average water bill for a Perth consumer? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
Can the minister outline to the house the effect that using water from the proposed Kimberley canal would have on the cost of an average water bill for a Perth consumer? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The member for Wanneroo takes a keen interest in water issues not only because some of her constituents have an interest in agriculture and irrigation, but also because of the many householders in her very large electorate and the bills that they have to pay. The average Perth household consumes about 280 kilolitres of water each year. The bill for that consumption is roughly $300 a year. If the Kimberley canal were built and 200 gigalitres - that is, 200 billion litres - of water were brought into our system to be used in conjunction with the water in our dams and our ground water supply, the average bill for metropolitan Perth households would increase by 400 per cent. Instead of paying $300 a year, Perth consumers would have to find an extra $1 000 a year to meet their normal household water bill. That would be the cost of having water supplied from the Kimberley via a canal. A 400 per cent increase in the average cost of water a year would not only make the cost of water in Perth much higher than the cost of water in any other capital city, it would make it double the cost of water in any major water system anywhere in Europe or the United States. That is what the people of Perth would have to pay if they were to pay the cost of water from the Kimberley. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The member for Wanneroo takes a keen interest in water issues not only because some of her constituents have an interest in agriculture and irrigation, but also because of the many householders in her very large electorate and the bills that they have to pay. The average Perth household consumes about 280 kilolitres of water each year. The bill for that consumption is roughly $300 a year. If the Kimberley canal were built and 200 gigalitres - that is, 200 billion litres - of water were brought into our system to be used in conjunction with the water in our dams and our ground water supply, the average bill for metropolitan Perth households would increase by 400 per cent. Instead of paying $300 a year, Perth consumers would have to find an extra $1 000 a year to meet their normal household water bill. That would be the cost of having water supplied from the Kimberley via a canal. A 400 per cent increase in the average cost of water a year would not only make the cost of water in Perth much higher than the cost of water in any other capital city, it would make it double the cost of water in any major water system anywhere in Europe or the United States. That is what the people of Perth would have to pay if they were to pay the cost of water from the Kimberley. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
I thank the member for the question. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The member for Wanneroo takes a keen interest in water issues not only because some of her constituents have an interest in agriculture and irrigation, but also because of the many householders in her very large electorate and the bills that they have to pay. The average Perth household consumes about 280 kilolitres of water each year. The bill for that consumption is roughly $300 a year. If the Kimberley canal were built and 200 gigalitres - that is, 200 billion litres - of water were brought into our system to be used in conjunction with the water in our dams and our ground water supply, the average bill for metropolitan Perth households would increase by 400 per cent. Instead of paying $300 a year, Perth consumers would have to find an extra $1 000 a year to meet their normal household water bill. That would be the cost of having water supplied from the Kimberley via a canal. A 400 per cent increase in the average cost of water a year would not only make the cost of water in Perth much higher than the cost of water in any other capital city, it would make it double the cost of water in any major water system anywhere in Europe or the United States. That is what the people of Perth would have to pay if they were to pay the cost of water from the Kimberley. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The member for Wanneroo takes a keen interest in water issues not only because some of her constituents have an interest in agriculture and irrigation, but also because of the many householders in her very large electorate and the bills that they have to pay. The average Perth household consumes about 280 kilolitres of water each year. The bill for that consumption is roughly $300 a year. If the Kimberley canal were built and 200 gigalitres - that is, 200 billion litres - of water were brought into our system to be used in conjunction with the water in our dams and our ground water supply, the average bill for metropolitan Perth households would increase by 400 per cent. Instead of paying $300 a year, Perth consumers would have to find an extra $1 000 a year to meet their normal household water bill. That would be the cost of having water supplied from the Kimberley via a canal. A 400 per cent increase in the average cost of water a year would not only make the cost of water in Perth much higher than the cost of water in any other capital city, it would make it double the cost of water in any major water system anywhere in Europe or the United States. That is what the people of Perth would have to pay if they were to pay the cost of water from the Kimberley. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The member for Wanneroo takes a keen interest in water issues not only because some of her constituents have an interest in agriculture and irrigation, but also because of the many householders in her very large electorate and the bills that they have to pay. The average Perth household consumes about 280 kilolitres of water each year. The bill for that consumption is roughly $300 a year. If the Kimberley canal were built and 200 gigalitres - that is, 200 billion litres - of water were brought into our system to be used in conjunction with the water in our dams and our ground water supply, the average bill for metropolitan Perth households would increase by 400 per cent. Instead of paying $300 a year, Perth consumers would have to find an extra $1 000 a year to meet their normal household water bill. That would be the cost of having water supplied from the Kimberley via a canal. A 400 per cent increase in the average cost of water a year would not only make the cost of water in Perth much higher than the cost of water in any other capital city, it would make it double the cost of water in any major water system anywhere in Europe or the United States. That is what the people of Perth would have to pay if they were to pay the cost of water from the Kimberley. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The member for Wanneroo takes a keen interest in water issues not only because some of her constituents have an interest in agriculture and irrigation, but also because of the many householders in her very large electorate and the bills that they have to pay. The average Perth household consumes about 280 kilolitres of water each year. The bill for that consumption is roughly $300 a year. If the Kimberley canal were built and 200 gigalitres - that is, 200 billion litres - of water were brought into our system to be used in conjunction with the water in our dams and our ground water supply, the average bill for metropolitan Perth households would increase by 400 per cent. Instead of paying $300 a year, Perth consumers would have to find an extra $1 000 a year to meet their normal household water bill. That would be the cost of having water supplied from the Kimberley via a canal. A 400 per cent increase in the average cost of water a year would not only make the cost of water in Perth much higher than the cost of water in any other capital city, it would make it double the cost of water in any major water system anywhere in Europe or the United States. That is what the people of Perth would have to pay if they were to pay the cost of water from the Kimberley. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The member for Wanneroo takes a keen interest in water issues not only because some of her constituents have an interest in agriculture and irrigation, but also because of the many householders in her very large electorate and the bills that they have to pay. The average Perth household consumes about 280 kilolitres of water each year. The bill for that consumption is roughly $300 a year. If the Kimberley canal were built and 200 gigalitres - that is, 200 billion litres - of water were brought into our system to be used in conjunction with the water in our dams and our ground water supply, the average bill for metropolitan Perth households would increase by 400 per cent. Instead of paying $300 a year, Perth consumers would have to find an extra $1 000 a year to meet their normal household water bill. That would be the cost of having water supplied from the Kimberley via a canal. A 400 per cent increase in the average cost of water a year would not only make the cost of water in Perth much higher than the cost of water in any other capital city, it would make it double the cost of water in any major water system anywhere in Europe or the United States. That is what the people of Perth would have to pay if they were to pay the cost of water from the Kimberley. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
I thank the member for the question. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The member for Wanneroo takes a keen interest in water issues not only because some of her constituents have an interest in agriculture and irrigation, but also because of the many householders in her very large electorate and the bills that they have to pay. The average Perth household consumes about 280 kilolitres of water each year. The bill for that consumption is roughly $300 a year. If the Kimberley canal were built and 200 gigalitres - that is, 200 billion litres - of water were brought into our system to be used in conjunction with the water in our dams and our ground water supply, the average bill for metropolitan Perth households would increase by 400 per cent. Instead of paying $300 a year, Perth consumers would have to find an extra $1 000 a year to meet their normal household water bill. That would be the cost of having water supplied from the Kimberley via a canal. A 400 per cent increase in the average cost of water a year would not only make the cost of water in Perth much higher than the cost of water in any other capital city, it would make it double the cost of water in any major water system anywhere in Europe or the United States. That is what the people of Perth would have to pay if they were to pay the cost of water from the Kimberley. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The member for Wanneroo takes a keen interest in water issues not only because some of her constituents have an interest in agriculture and irrigation, but also because of the many householders in her very large electorate and the bills that they have to pay. The average Perth household consumes about 280 kilolitres of water each year. The bill for that consumption is roughly $300 a year. If the Kimberley canal were built and 200 gigalitres - that is, 200 billion litres - of water were brought into our system to be used in conjunction with the water in our dams and our ground water supply, the average bill for metropolitan Perth households would increase by 400 per cent. Instead of paying $300 a year, Perth consumers would have to find an extra $1 000 a year to meet their normal household water bill. That would be the cost of having water supplied from the Kimberley via a canal. A 400 per cent increase in the average cost of water a year would not only make the cost of water in Perth much higher than the cost of water in any other capital city, it would make it double the cost of water in any major water system anywhere in Europe or the United States. That is what the people of Perth would have to pay if they were to pay the cost of water from the Kimberley. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The member for Wanneroo takes a keen interest in water issues not only because some of her constituents have an interest in agriculture and irrigation, but also because of the many householders in her very large electorate and the bills that they have to pay. The average Perth household consumes about 280 kilolitres of water each year. The bill for that consumption is roughly $300 a year. If the Kimberley canal were built and 200 gigalitres - that is, 200 billion litres - of water were brought into our system to be used in conjunction with the water in our dams and our ground water supply, the average bill for metropolitan Perth households would increase by 400 per cent. Instead of paying $300 a year, Perth consumers would have to find an extra $1 000 a year to meet their normal household water bill. That would be the cost of having water supplied from the Kimberley via a canal. A 400 per cent increase in the average cost of water a year would not only make the cost of water in Perth much higher than the cost of water in any other capital city, it would make it double the cost of water in any major water system anywhere in Europe or the United States. That is what the people of Perth would have to pay if they were to pay the cost of water from the Kimberley. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : The member for Wanneroo takes a keen interest in water issues not only because some of her constituents have an interest in agriculture and irrigation, but also because of the many householders in her very large electorate and the bills that they have to pay. The average Perth household consumes about 280 kilolitres of water each year. The bill for that consumption is roughly $300 a year. If the Kimberley canal were built and 200 gigalitres - that is, 200 billion litres - of water were brought into our system to be used in conjunction with the water in our dams and our ground water supply, the average bill for metropolitan Perth households would increase by 400 per cent. Instead of paying $300 a year, Perth consumers would have to find an extra $1 000 a year to meet their normal household water bill. That would be the cost of having water supplied from the Kimberley via a canal. A 400 per cent increase in the average cost of water a year would not only make the cost of water in Perth much higher than the cost of water in any other capital city, it would make it double the cost of water in any major water system anywhere in Europe or the United States. That is what the people of Perth would have to pay if they were to pay the cost of water from the Kimberley. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Exactly. The Leader of the Opposition should learn how to read the report. The report also states that the environmental impacts of bringing water from the Kimberley via a canal would be greater than those that would arise from using desalination plants. We worry about the environmental impacts that would arise from using desalination plants; however, the cost of the canal and the energy to pump the water from the Kimberley would be worse than having desalination plants near Perth.
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