A wet argumentTHE new Gold Coast City Council policy on water...

A wet argument

THE new Gold Coast City Council policy on water tanks for houses is an indicator of how seriously the council views the city's water supply crisis.

Although Hinze Dam still is 70 per cent full, disturbing trends towards drought and a dwindling supply in our back-up dam Wivenhoe appear to have the city's planners thinking about new solutions.

The council already was providing for water tanks to be installed for new houses in northern suburbs.

But with 5000-litre tanks now being made mandatory in all new houses and with the possibility that tanks will have to be installed in all existing homes, the policy towards water has changed dramatically on the Gold Coast.

The conversion of a whole city to at least partial supply from tank water would represent an urban planning revolution.

Planners also are considering desalination technology as a way of guaranteeing water supplies in the future.

One thing we can be sure of whether water comes from house tanks, reticulated supply or desalination, it will be expensive.

http://www.gcbulletin.com.au/