Water levels a factor ?

[Tandella]

Are people starting to consider the low water levels as a factor when deciding whether or not to buy in places like Sydney or even Melb (either PPOR or IP) ? And the sort of impact that it will have on our quality of life, and our children in particular ?

I recall that as kids we used to spend many a warm evening running through the spinkler or diving onto the slippery slide, or going for a dip in a neighbours pool. Will such luxuries be available to our kids and beyond, and therefore influence our thinking on future property purchases ?

With a fairly dry winter and an even drier summer predicted, coupled with a growing population, the situation looks like getting worse before getting better

BTW, water storage in Sydney is at lowest ever levels :
http://sca.nsw.gov.au/dams/169.html

 

[voodoo]

I don't consider these issues, it is just another thing we have to adapt to and live with.

water restrictions Pi*# me off.

Coffs harbour has been on water restrictions (almost constantly) for about 20 years now. We have the dearest water in the state, and we pay for every drop.

The consumption has not changed since 1985, even though the population has grown by about 20 thousand.
This shows that people are accustomed to the restrictions.

what annoys me is that we are paying top dollar for a service that Council cannot supply.

The motion was passed thru council about 2 mths ago that Coffs Harbour will remain on restrictions forever. Level 1, only hand held hose between 8am and 4pm. never sprinklers.

We are currently on level 2, depending on the date, it is odd and even house numbers (every second day), hoses for 1 hour 5 - 6pm

We will be on level 4 before christmas, no hoses, all beach taps and showers will be turned off. this is every year...

gee i'm cranky

 

[Aceyducey]

Tandella,

Goulburn is on Stage 5 restrictions & is looking to be out of water in twelve months.

Canberra is pretty much on Stage 3 permanently (though may go back to Stage 2 occasionally).

Sydney and Melbourne are flush (so to speak) in comparison.

The effect on housing prices I've noticed - none at all. People have to live somewhere...and best if there are jobs there too.

You may also want to consider what the effect of RISING salt water levels may have on low lying coastal regions.....in the Antarctic they are seeing ice shelves melting & falling into the sea in ever increasing rates.

Cheers,

Aceyducey

 

[Timmsi]

Hi,

It continues to amaze me that councils aren't pushing more for rain water tanks for each new house. We have rainwater tanks even though we are on town water.

The feeling of having a long shower and knowing that you aren't really wasting water is awesome!

Peter

 

[bawley]

As a nation we need to become clever regarding water usage. Councils will be forced to allow composting loos etc. And as for flushing with first quality water .................... We are showering with a bucket and using the soapy water to flush the loo, and even though I hardly know youall we live by the rule "if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down".

IT IS RAINING HERE IN CANBERRA, AND HAS BEEN SINCE BEFORE 6AM. I KEEP GOING TO THE WINDOW TO LOOK AT IT AND LOOK TO SEE IF IT IS POOLING YET. JUST HEAVEN.

 

[The Y-man]

Hi,

It continues to amaze me that councils aren't pushing more for rain water tanks for each new house. We have rainwater tanks even though we are on town water.

The feeling of having a long shower and knowing that you aren't really wasting water is awesome!

Peter

Hi Timmsi,

Great point. In Melbourne, there was the case of a local council actually forcing a resident to REMOVE their newly installed tank, because the neighbours complained of "aesthetic value" (apparently the tank was "too large" and was an eyesore)...............

When we have a shower, we actually collect the first minutes or so of the water in a bucket, while waiting for the water to warm up. This bucket then goes to the washing machine. Grey water from the washing machine goes to the garden.

Cheers,

The Y-man

 

[gregss]

Hi Acey,

Pity about the melting ice shelves. I thought I'd finally found a place so regional that the yields would have to be really great. Oh well, scratch that one ....




Greg

 

[Tandella]

My view is that councils and government were short sighted when they knew about this potential problem years ago. Instead of spending money to build more catchment areas, they have taken the easy option and decided to penalise us when existing catchment areas are low.

It also pains me to see such good water being wasted down storm water drains during rain periods. Surely that could be put to better use ?

But I agree that we need to start getting smarter about the use of our water - before it's really too late.

We may not like to admit it, but if the situation doesn't improve soon, then I do believe that people will start to consider water restrictions as a factor in deciding where to live or invest. Who would want to live in a place where you have no control over when you can shower, wash dishes, do laundry, etc. Sounds like prison to me (not that I've been there )

 

[Aceyducey]

IT IS RAINING HERE IN CANBERRA, AND HAS BEEN SINCE BEFORE 6AM. I KEEP GOING TO THE WINDOW TO LOOK AT IT AND LOOK TO SEE IF IT IS POOLING YET. JUST HEAVEN.

Actually Schrivener dam was overflowing this afternoon - so the rain can stop again for the Big BBQ

Cheers,

Aceyducey

 

[qaz]

Whats the forecast for tommorrow?

 

[bawley]

5 - 18 party crowdy

 

[geoffw]

The bbq has been slated for indoors given the temperatures- though there is an outdoor area.

 

[Sunfish]

My view is that councils and government were short sighted when they knew about this potential problem years ago. Instead of spending money to build more catchment areas, they have taken the easy option and decided to penalise us when existing catchment areas are low.

It also pains me to see such good water being wasted down storm water drains during rain periods. Surely that could be put to better use ?

But I agree that we need to start getting smarter about the use of our water - before it's really too late.

We may not like to admit it, but if the situation doesn't improve soon, then I do believe that people will start to consider water restrictions as a factor in deciding where to live or invest. Who would want to live in a place where you have no control over when you can shower, wash dishes, do laundry, etc. Sounds like prison to me (not that I've been there )

Nothing is that simple. You feel your council has been short sighted but the council is just your elected representatives. Could it be the citizens were short sighted? Absolutely no gov. will attempt to lead it's electorate down the path of righteousness until the majority wish to be led.

We are 5wks through an election campaign and have you seen either major party warn that change is necessary in the future? If you believe Acey, (and I agree) "cheap" oil has gone for ever. Has our esteemed leader found a few million bucks to even "consider" the problem? We need to do this before we can, wisely, spend the multi-billion bucks needed to cope.

Then there is Global Warming, but we will not sign the Kyoto Agreement and Central Banks, worldwide, are committing treason.

It is far too much to expect that government, at any tier, will lift their collective eyes to the horizon so they may avoid the shoals without a mass of people in front pointing the way to go.

A letter to the Ed. is such a small step but a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Thommo

 

[Rolf Latham]

Hiya

Costly water

HEHEHEH, in Australia we have noooooooooo idea,

For example in the part of Germany I come from a cubic metre of water (1000 l) costs around TEN times what it costs in Sydney :O)

ta

rolf

 

[Tandella]

You feel your council has been short sighted but the council is just your elected representatives.

That is true. But are our councillors also not people with power, influence and vision ?

Or would that be too naive ?

 

[voodoo]

I dont believe its the councillors that have the problem.

It's the doo goodin greenies that won't let dams and reservoirs be constructed.

What's more important? the existance of Humans or the little spotted frog.

We do not have a water problem, we have a storage problem.
Billions of litres of water runs into the ocean each day.

cheers

 

[Aceyducey]

Voodoo,

I don't believe you fully understand the issues.

The death of frogs (for example) is actually used by ecologists in a similar way to which canaries were used in mines. Frog numbers falling are a strong sign of other issues across the entire ecosystem.

Destroy our ecosystem & we destroy our own survival.

If you need stronger examples, look at the salt pans created by bores causing falling water tables. The deserts created by poor farming practices. The low level of water we let run in our major rivers creating silting & how it affects flood patterns.

These are have direct effects on humans. It's not only the spotted frogs placed at risk.

Australia is the driest continent on the planet. Fresh water is not in limitedless supply - just as the forests of Europe & North America were not endless, or oil reserves unlimited.

We live within a system. An extremely complex system that we do not completely understand & have limited ability to mend.

There's no mechanic we can go to if we break the parts.

Cheers,

Aceyducey

 

[Ecogirl]

My view is that councils and government were short sighted when they knew about this potential problem years ago. Instead of spending money to build more catchment areas, they have taken the easy option and decided to penalise us when existing catchment areas are low.

It also pains me to see such good water being wasted down storm water drains during rain periods. Surely that could be put to better use ?

Tandella
I can understand how lack of water would seem inconvenient for some. I will follow on from Acey....
If the councils spent more $$ buidling more catchment areas we would potentially decimate (a strong word I know) our ecosystem. Dams that collect water for us disrupt the whole ecosystem by
a) providing an artificial barrier that prevents fish etc from swimming upstream for breeding
b) controlling the flow of water down stream, so the dam gets first priority and the ecosystem a third place after farmers etc. Rivers need floods to maintain the ecosystem, this is inconvenient for downstream users/residents so the flow is controlled in detriment to the riparian habitat.

The burdekin dam is nearing completion. I have read about the significant envtl impacts that this will have on the ecosystem - is it worth it? Our kids will find out for us. I spoke to two guys working on that job and as part of the earthworks they captured and released downstream, lungfish, turtles and other significant species. They found a species of turtle that hasn't been recorded there in a very long time and is nationally threatened. This whole ecosystem will never be the same again - are these species important to us?

Yet we still build our dams for our farmers, the cities and for surburbanites who insist on planting gardens that aren't native to the area and that require watering to survive. That water that flows down the stormwater drain (as long as it's relatively clean) is what the streams should be getting anyway - they need it to survive so it isn't 'wasted' per se.

I guess it all depends on your perspective. I posted this not to baffle you with jargon but in the hopes that it might get ppl thinking about the bigger picture - we can all minimise the amount of water that we use, we just have to change our perspective on what constitutes a nice shower/garden.

We live in the lucky country - it just happens to have significant dry periods - the plants and animals have evolved with that knowledge, maybe we should too.

Ecogirl

 

[bawley]

thanks ecogirl

.............yes, thanks ecogirl for those thoughts, a girl after my own heart!

 

[Jerry Maguire]

This is what i called a natural disaster
in some countries they are flooded
in some parts of Sydney that i can recalled it was flooded about 15 yrs ago and now its not

So don't worry too much about buying in an area where there is no water
this is up to what is above us and there is nothing we can do about it

Regards
Jerry