Tillegra spells death to future recycling and water efficiency

Commenting on the announcement of a 4.3 billion litres a year recycling plant at Fairfield Sewage Treatment Plant in Sydney's west, Dr Kaye said: "Tillegra dam will swamp the Hunter with water capacity.
 
"Before the Iemma/Rees government interfered, Hunter Water was set to increase recycling and water efficiency to cope with population growth and droughts.
 
"Now it is taking Hunter residents back thirty years in water technologies to a massive dam.
 
"The independent pricing regulator IPART sounded the alarm in their recent determination, saying they did 'not consider there is merit in expanding the demand management program ... given the extent to which the Hunter Water's water supply will be augmented and the regions drought security improved through Tillegra Dam' (p. 94).
 
"Hunter Water will need to kill off alternatives to avoid Tillegra appearing an even bigger white elephant once the project is completed.
 
"After the Kooragang project and a few third pipe schemes for new residential developments are completed, it could be a century before the Hunter sees a new recycling effort.
 
"It is still not too late for the Rees government to put into practice its environmental spin and save almost half a billion dollars of Hunter householder's money.
 
 "Abandoning Tillegra in favour of water recycling and efficiency makes sense," Dr Kaye said.