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Desalination is the process of removing salt and other impurities from seawater to produce fresh water, and make it fit for human use.
Very large quantities of sea water (11,000 litres per second, or 16 Olympic-size swimming pools every hour) are pumped into a factory-like complex. The water is mixed with chemicals in a pre-treatment process. This kills any animal life, and removes any solid particles that will clog up the next stage of filters. The water is then pushed through a series of exceptionally thin membranes in a process called reverse osmosis.
Chlorine, caustic soda, hydrochloric acid and ferric chloride are used during the process. Some of these chemicals are discharged back into the sea, where some chemicals form carcinogens. Heavy metals also contaminate the food chain.
"The Government should look to cheaper, environmentally safer options for resolving Melbourne's water shortage instead".The Age - Editorial March 10, 2009
The Wonthaggi desalination plant will:
Many people are opposed to the desalination plant with us. See who's against the desalination plant.
"We haven't asked all the questions"
"This is a plan for disaster"
"Crisis of incompetence and mismanagement"
"The model says it's safe... don't buy it."
"Environmental Effect Statement... did not reflect the truth"
"In 2012... Almost everywhere in Melbourne (it) will be cheaper to have a rainwater tank than buying water from Melbourne Water "
"Stormwater is abundant secure source of water.. importing more water compounds the task of restoring and protecting our creeks, our rivers and makes it much more expensive"
"We have an obligation to get the facts out there... on these methodologies used to justify these vast expenditures and their resultant adverse effects."
"There's an awful lot of cheaper options"
Independent water experts agree that Victoria can secure its future water needs with a combination of sustainable alternatives. These are better than desalination because they:
| Freshwater Options | Qty. (gigalitres p.a.) | Further Information or Description | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recycle Purified Water | 110GL/yr | Endorsed by the Queensland government. [Video] | |||
| Stormwater Capture | 50GL/yr | Associate Professor Chris Walsh, Uni Melbourne, Stormwater expert - "Stormwater is abundant secure source of water". [Video] | |||
| Rainwater Tanks | 25GL/yr | Associate Professor Peter Coombs, Universities of Melbourne and Newcastle - "In 2012... Almost everywhere in Melbourne (it) will be cheaper to have a rainwater tank than buying water from Melbourne Water" [Video] | |||
| Flood Diversion | 20GL/yr | Low environmental impact diversionary weirs. [Link] | |||
| Dual Flush Cisterns | 15GL/yr | ||||
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| Desal Ship(Optional) | 18-70GL/yr | Australia's mobile national strategic water security and humanitarian relief asset. [Link] | |||
| Water Supply Criteria | Victorian Freshwater Thinking 254 Gigalitres/year | Victorian Desal Plan & N-S Pipeline 225 Gigalitres/year |
|---|---|---|
| Does it secure Melbourne's water? | Yes | ? |
| Does it minimise greenhouse emissions? | Yes | No |
| Is it world's best practice in water supply ? | Yes | No |
| Can it be delivered on time and on budget? | Yes | No |
| Does it comply with World Bank criteria on rainfall independent water supplies ? | Yes | No |
| Does it protect whales and other marine life? | Yes | No |
| Does it minimise ocean pollution? | Yes | No |
| Does it protect and restore Melbourne's creeks and rivers? | Yes | No |
| Is it the best for the environment? | Yes | No |
| Is it a good example of water policy for the world? | Yes | No |
| Is it the policy Labor endorsed at the last election? | Yes | No |
| Does it have community support? | Yes | No |
| Can Australians feel proud of water from these sources? | Yes | No |
We are proud to call the following people supporters of our opposition to the desalination plant:
We are proud to call the following people supporters of our opposition to the desalination plant:
If you oppose the Victorian Desalination Plant, disagree with Victorian State Governments current water policies and want the Victorian State Government to provide the best quality solutions to prevent climate change, then have a democratic say on a new direction in water policy.
Please add your name to our petition to the Governor of Victoria opposing the Wonthaggi Desalination Plant.
Your name and details will be submitted to Professor David de Kretser, A.C. the Governor of Victoria asking him to intervene on the behalf of the Victorian public.
Please contact our Campaign Director, John Gemmill, with any questions, comments, or suggestions that you have.
Get real on climate change is dedicated to giving people all the facts about the proposed Wonthaggi desalination plant. The Wonthaggi desalination plant will destroy pristine coastline, endanger wildlife, and cause greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 365,000 extra cars on the road each year.
Desalination is not yet proven as a viable, sustainable option. The effects on our environment can be horrendous (and permanent). If you care for the ocean and its creatures, then help us fight for a better solution.
Victoria has a significant water security problem, however desalination is a regressive, short term band-aid solution, that will perpetuate the problem that it is intended to solve. There are better alternatives.
