Controversial plans to pipe Melbourne’s wastewater to the Latrobe Valley in exchange for Gippsland’s fresh water have been scrapped, The Nationals Member for Morwell Russell Northe said today.
The Eastern Water Recycling Proposal (EWRP) business case has been under consideration by the Brumby government for a number of months. Today the project was ruled out, due in part to its $3.8 billion price tag.
Mr Northe who campaigned hard to ‘keep Gippsland’s water in Gippsland’ during the 2006 election, described the announcement as a “great win” for the region.
The Morwell MP said he has continued to pressure the Brumby Government to release details of the business case to the community or rule the project out, writing to the Water Minister Tim Holding again just last month.
“Under Labor’s proposal, partially treated wastewater was to be sent from Melbourne to the Latrobe Valley for industrial use, with additional fresh water taken from local rivers and piped to the city to water metropolitan lawns and gardens,” Mr Northe explained.
“The Latrobe community sent Labor a clear message in 2006, that Melbourne has opportunities in its own catchment for stormwater recycling.
Mr Northe said the region’s power generators were never supportive of the EWRP and believed the uncertainty created by the Rudd government’s ETS made the proposal even less achievable.
“I welcome news Gippsland’s water is to remain in Gippsland to meet our urban, industrial and environmental needs.
“The Victorian Labor Government simply must look to investing in stormwater capture and recycling projects within Melbourne as taking water from regional Victoria is not the answer to their prayers.”
Media contact: Russell Northe (03) 5133 9088
