The Andrews Labor Government is pushing a $77 million dollar order of 125GL of desalinated water through Melbourne’s water storages as the system nears 90 per cent full.
Wet weather lashed the state this weekend, topping up Melbourne’s water storages which are today at 88.2 per cent – up 0.2 per cent since Friday.
Shadow Minister for Water Steph Ryan said Labor was forcing Melburnians to pay extra to run the desal plant when storages were bursting at the seams.
“The Andrews Labor Government is running the desal plant flat chat, even though Melbourne’s water storages have not been this high since 1996,” Ms Ryan said.
“Labor has always claimed the desal plant will only be used as an emergency measure, but if we get more rain there’s a chance storages will spill.
“We could soon see fresh water flowing out to Port Phillip Bay while Melburnians pay hundreds of millions of dollars to desalinate sea water further down the coast.
“These orders only serve a political agenda.
“Daniel Andrews is trying to justify the billions of dollars customers are paying for Labor’s desal plant which, to date, hasn’t been needed.”
Announcing a 125GL order in March, the Andrews Labor Government claimed it “is necessary to prevent Melbourne’s water storages dropping to a point where they pose a significant risk to water security”.