Water still an issue

I NOTICED in a recent “Councils update for the Toowoomba Region” that our dam levels are at 59% capacity.

We may think that that is good. There is still plenty of water left.

But, is it good? Each of Toowoomba’s three dams need a flood event to fill them or at least give them a major replenishment.

Still fresh in our minds are the 2011 and 2013 floods, which is not long ago. And we are already down to 59%. In the past, this region has experienced drier periods over many years duration.

Toowoomba is one of the fastest growing cities in Queensland with more and more houses and businesses being hooked up to the same old water supply – no change since the Cressbrook dam was built in 1983.

How much bigger the population is now (and still growing). For many people who experienced the situation prior to 2011, water restrictions are still fresh in our minds.

In fact it was a desperate time, facing the possibility that Toowoomba could run out of water.

Unfortunately we could easily face the same scenario in the not so distant future.

Well, at least we have the Wivenhoe pipeline to fall back on if and when needed. But is that the complete answer? Will the supply always be

‘‘ I JUST HOPE THAT THE POWERS THAT BE ARE CONSIDERING THE FUTURE OF OUR WATER SUPPLY AS SERIOUSLY.

there if and when we need it?

Not to mention the exorbitant cost for the power required to pump it up to Toowoomba (at ratepayers expense).

A dam built on Emu Creek could help, but once again, a flood event would be needed to fill it.

Then there is recycled water which also was considered a few years ago, but which was one of the most divisive issues that Toowoomba has ever experienced.

It is great that our region is booming with such potential for continuing development, but I just hope that the powers that be are considering the future of our water supply as seriously as they are all other areas of development.

At the very least, individual households and businesses owners, where possible, can at least be taking steps even now to harvest their own rainwater as an insurance for when the time will surely come that we are faced with a critical shortage of water once again in the future. JIM WATSON, Highfields

PLASTIC BAGS

SOME shoppers are bucking the plastic bag ban, not wanting to buy the new heavier bags, which apparently some supermarkets have run out of temporarily.

A few thoughts regarding bags. The new bags will eventually be disposed of when they become shabby. Cloth bags, which many of us already have a lot of, must be clean so will need to be washed occasionally and will eventually need to be got rid of.

The big query is, how did these millions of bags end up in creeks, waterways and the ocean?

I don’t remember ever losing a bag to the environment. They go home get unpacked, go into a container to be used to put the kitchen rubbish in for the bin and to the dump. Plus various other uses around the house.

Obviously, going by the numbers blowing round the council dumps, a lot of people must just put them loose in their rubbish and when dumped they simply blow in the wind.

That still doesn’t account for the millions that are floating around.

Just who actually spreads them? Accidentally on purpose or otherwise. I’m sure we’d all like to know.

RAY HARCH, Toowoomba