Let’s see all the other water supply submissions

I FEEL that the water taskforce headed by Brad Webb has not made the best use of the almost 70 submissions made during the consultation process.

Surely they should have made a shortlist of at least the top three or four submissions and even invited their authors to contribute further to the eventual design. To announce what looks like the least expensive option and not acknowledge the vast amounts of work and experience that must have gone into the submissions doesn’t sit well with the vast majority of ratepayers.

One group, the Water Action Group, has been able to produce a 450page submission which they have publicly released through their Facebook site. It is comprehensive with what appears to be a better solution to our water crisis than the one proposed.

This one submission must be embarrassing for those organisations who demand large grants of government money to do similar work. They did it with no charge and the only motivation was to get an adequate and sustainable water supply for Townsville.

Surely there must be other high quality submissions that deserve to be released to the public in the form of a short list. I personally would have been keen to see a submission that looked at a value- added solution to the crisis.

A much more elaborate solution could open up land near Townsville for intensive food and fibre production while turning the Ross River Dam into the jewel in Townsville’s crown. Vacant area around the dam could have been turned into a mecca for grey nomads and water sports. Extra water could be allowed to flow through to the weirs and be used to keep the army area, sports fields, turf club and golf course green. The economic outweigh the extra cost.

Now we are hearing mumblings about water wise solutions and a celebrity is being brought in to tell us how not to water. It all seems to be shaping up to be a very sad time for thousands of keen long time gardeners.

Instead of the putting the big projects perpetually in the CBD and Strand area why not look at a project that gives the whole city something we deserve. Water! benefit would ALLAN FRANKLIN, Mount Louisa.