Aboriginal Heritage: water everyone's future

australian, bureau of statistics, abs, water account australia, water useage, supply, home owners, agriculture, mining industry, reduced consumption, groundwater. keneally government, pollution, bhp billiton, threat to rivers

Water prices up, use down

Australians are using less water than four years ago, but are now paying almost double for it, according to the latest statistics.

The average price of water has risen from 40 cents per kilolitre - or 1000 litres - in 2004/05 but has since gone up by almost double to 78 cents in 2008/09.

And it is householders that seem to be paying the most: about $1.93 per kilolitre compared to just 12 cents for those in the agriculture industry.

The latest Water Account Australia was released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Monday and gives a snapshot into the nation's water usage and supply.

It found Australia reduced its overall water consumption from 14,101 gigalitres (one billion litres) in 2008/09, which was a 25 per cent drop from four years when we used 18,767 gigalitres.

Home owners have done their bit, reducing consumption down to 1768 gigalitres, down 16 per cent from 2004/05.

Agriculture - the biggest user of water - has also massively decreased usage, cutting down by almost a third to just 6996 gigalitres, compared to 12,191 four years previous.

The findings will ultimately help the government make decisions about how best to manage our water, Australian statistician Brian Pink said in a statement.

"Water is a critical issue for Australia," he said.

"The Water Account Australia is an example of the contribution the ABS can make to public policy and in collaboration with others, we are hoping to do more environmental accounting in future years."

Using reuse water was down from 2004/05, but that was mostly attributed to a general drop in rainfall and drainage water collection.

The mining industry recorded the biggest jump in water usage, up by 23 per cent to 508 gigalitres in 2008/09.

This website introduces the Keneally Governments mining legacy to the people of NSW

Drilling for gas - GASLAND Trailer 2010 - Hydraulic Fracturing

BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal have made the decision not to mine under the Dharawal SRA on the Woronora plateau. That isn't the end of what is potentially a very serious issue caused by the mining industry in NSW, the reduction and pollution of the tributaries of the catchment. The Sydney water supply and a pristine area of bush were and are under attack by the mining industry.

Lack of knowledge of the workings of rivers, creeks and aquifers and how they collect and retain water is to some extent a mystery although the mining industry would have you think differently. Despite limited knowledge the NSW government chooses to ignore the advice give by professional and scientific bodies set up to advise them and rules in favour of a very suspect mining industry with its questionable misinformation and tactics.

To destroy a peoples water supply is probably one of the greatest crimes against humanity. To do it for short term monetary gain is even worse.

Ground Water Mismanagement

In November 2010 we obtained a number of documents from different sources which we have published on this website and the links follow below . These same documents can also be accessed from the Macarthur Bushwalkers and Georges River Macarthur websites.

1. 20100510_Groundwater_report - Sustainable management of Victoria's Ground Water Management
2. DOC271010 - BHP Illawarra Coal's licence to pollute Georges River
3. Groundwater threat to rivers worse than suspected (Media Release) - CSIRO, Ground water threat to rivers worse than suspected (Media Release)
4. guidelines-for-groundwater-protection - Guidelines for water protection in New Zealand and Australia
5. what happened to the waratah rivulet - A CASE STUDY OF THE FAILURE TO PROTECT STREAMS FROM LONGWALL MINING - Dave Burgess Total Environment Centre

NSW community groups resist mining and the NSW Government

Throughout NSW there are community groups fighting to protect our water supplies from long term destruction by the mining industry and other multi nationals. From the Woronora Plateau to Southern Coalfield. In the Hunter Valley, on Liverpool Plains, into the Blue Mountains and beyond.

The Wallerawang Power Station operated by Delta Electricity pumps salts and metals into Cox's River which runs directly into Sydney's drinking water supply. There has been no action taken against them

Closer to Sydney there is the Waratah Rivulet which is badly damaged by Peabody Mining. Close by we have O'Hares Creek, the major tributary of Georges River. Both tributaries now only flow after rain. SCA records show that despite SCA advice the minister of the day chose to support Peabody, an American mining company against the advice of his own experts.

Not long ago BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal caused considerable damage to the Upper Canal which carries 27% of Sydney's water supply as they smashed Simpson's Creek which ran into the Nepean river near Appin. Both these incidents have been reported on our website's. The damage to the Upper Canal is ongoing as the four adjacent longwall mines settle.

Were it not for the small groups of determined people fighting to preserve the Australian environment and water supply for generations to come, the environmental damage would be considerably greater.

NSW Government - Class actions - Multi-nationals

Lack of foresight, lack of knowledge, desperation, and corruption have given NSW the worst government in our history. Here in Wollondilly Shire, the Minister for Water Phil Costa our own local MP is a man who fly's the NSW Labor flag by showing his face at many public meetings. Unfortunately, he has a tendency to disappear before questions can be asked of him and he doesn't respond to letters.

Phil has promised to investigate why Thirlmere Lakes have dried up, it would certainly have been better to stop it happening in the first place. It;s too late after its gone Phil!. Each politician passes our enquiries onto the next until they ultimately end up with Frank Sartor who is non-committal. Perhaps the best description of our politicians is that they are fleet of foot.

Sydney law firms on BHP Billiton retainers

In 2010 Macarthur Bushwalkers approached many Sydney law firms in an attempt to start a class action against the Keneally government and its ministers. Every law firm we approached stated that they had a staff member on a retainer from BHP Billiton and were unable or unwilling discuss the issues with us. At this point we have no idea if it is possible to take action against a NSW minister or premier.

Shortly after this the mining industry launched its ant-tax campaign supported by Tony Abbott and the power brokers of both the NSW and Victorian Labor party. Exit Kevin Rudd.

Is it possible that both the NSW State and Australian Federal Governments are puppets of the multi-nationals, it certainly looks that way. Perhaps colonialism is still here, it just wears a corporate hat.

In the view of this organisation it is time that state governments were abolished, they are out of date, inefficient, very costly and most of all incompetent.

I guess this leads us onto the following issue of BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal polluting Georges River, please read on.

The Woolwash photographed 15 May 2010 - Water flow had ceased from O'Hares Creek which carries 70% of Georges Rivers water
Please visit Georges River runs dry - is it too late? for more photographs and a report

BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal Brennan's Creek Dam pollution of Georges River - November 2010

Congratulations BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal on your decision not to pursue your original plan to mine under the Dharawal State Recreation Area. We are hoping that your decision has opened the door to possibility of even more excellent decision making which will benefit the environment, local communities and population of NSW.

Georges River mining pollution levels were 11 to 17 times greater than the maximum acceptable limits

Under the freedom of information act Macarthur Bushwalkers recently obtained a copy of BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal's DOC 271010.pdf License No 2504 License Holder Endeavor Coal Pty Ltd.

Reporting period 01 February 2009 to 31 Jan 2010 - Premises West Cliff and North Cliff Collieries Wedderburn Rd Appin NSW.

This document is an annual return which covers monitoring and complaints, statement of compliance and license conditions

The document shows the pollutants discharged into Georges River from the Brennan's Creek Reclaim Dam located in close proximity to the town of Appin.

We note that pollutants levels far exceeded the maximum levels stipulated by government. In fact the levels were 11 times and 17 times greater than acceptable.

Campbelltown Council fails to protect the public

It has already been reported that these pollutants are damaging to the environment but one must ask how long has this pollution existed and what effects will it have on both human and animal life. Downstream there are beaches used regularly by the residents of Macarthur and Campbelltown.

Campbelltown Council has not thought to put warning signs at The Woolwash, Freres Crossing, The Basin and Old Ford Road. Council staff informed me that Simmo's Beach already had a pollution sign. Only this year Campbelltown Council was given a B+ for the state of the Georges River. We question the validity of this rating.

Questions to Campbelltown Council

Prior to the last federal election we engaged in a short telephone conversation with a Campbelltown Councilor. At the time she was manning the phone in support of the local liberal candidate.
We had a number of questions to ask that candidate re pollution in Georges River. The councilor who answered the phone stated that she could answer the questions so we went ahead and asked them.
It quickly became obvious that the councilor simply wasn't aware of the pollution issue in Georges River and was completely out of her depth with our relatively simple questions. When we expressed our concerns to the councilor they appeared to generate frustration and anger. At the termination of the phone call she stated that she would get back to us with answers, she never did.

We also tried to make an appointment with Campbelltown Councils General Manage, we are still waiting for them to reply with our appointment.

Our questions were:

1. Why was there no pollution signs at beaches frequently used for swimming by locals? - (council staff comments "lack of funding and hoons would destroy them").
2. Why was there insufficient funding available to allow more than one water test per year especially when council can allocate over $800,000 to publicised their own activities? - (councils own publicity).
3. Why did they test after rain?. - (council staff didn't know). Wouldn't it be better to test during the warm dryer months when people are using the river.
4. Why did they test at Wedderburn Gorge and not areas frequented by the public? - (council staff comments "nil").
5. How can a river which is polluted receive a B+ rating? - (cannot get an answer).

Having waited patiently for a response to our questions we now ask Campbelltown Council to provide answers to the previous questions 1 to 5 yet again.

Why does 250,000 people need three councils?

I guess the sixth question should be why has Wollondilly Shire, Camden and Campbelltown got three councils to administer quarter of a million people. This is also an issue that should be addressed as the cost of living rises. The cost of running three councils is far to high for this number of people.

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