Water in the media
• The head of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority has declared he is now free to consider cuts to water allocation below 3000 gigalitres. This comes on the basis of legal advice given to the Water Minister. MDBA chairman Mike Taylor defended the authority’s earlier reading of the Water Act – which he claimed failed to give him enough scope to consider social and economic factors. (The Australian)
• About 130 rural representatives from three states have formed a new coalition aimed at convincing the federal government that the Murray-Darling Basin Plan must save towns as well as the rivers. The group may commission its own scientific review on what is needed to rescue the Murray River. (Sydney Morning Herald)
• Allegations of financial mismanagement and safety breaches at the Adelaide Desalination Plant have been denied by project managers at a Parliamentary committee hearing held last week. (Adelaide Now)
• The Water Minister Graham Jacobs says strict sprinkler rosters seem to be working, but many people are still flaunting the one day a week rule. Since the new restrictions came into effect in October, the Water Corporation has handed out 747 infringements for watering too often. (ABC News)
• Water is the top cost-of-living concern among southeast Queensland residents, according to the results of a new survey. Many households consider the state government responsible for the rise in prices. Only 4.3 per cent of people believed the new water authorities – Queensland Urban Utilities, Unity Water and Allconnex – were responsible for price rises. (Courier Mail)