Peter Smith – Snippetts Plus – Passionate About The Murray

Peter Smith OAM grew up on the Murray and is heavily involved in multiple water resource groups.

• Murray Darling Association
• Lower Murray Working Group (Lock 1 to the sea)
• MDA SA Reference Committee
• Rural City of Murray Bridge Water Resources Committee
• Lower River Murray Drought Advisory Group
• Al Gore & Australian Conservation Foundation ‘climate change’ presenter’s team

Peter distributes info on the water issue through his networks. One distribution method is an email he calls ‘Snippetts Plus’ – lots of info/articles gleaned through diligent reading. Following is one such ‘snippett’ from Adelaide Now:

Pipeline Wrangle Turns Off Recycling

“MAINS water instead of recycled water is flowing through the “purple pipes” of new homes in the northern suburbs because of administrative squabbling over a pipeline from a recycled-water plant.

Homes in the Lakeside and Blakes Crossing are being fitted with the purple-colour pipes to deliver recycled water to toilets and outdoor taps, similar to the dual-reticulation water supply pipes at Mawson Lakes.

But until SA Water and the Land Management Corporation resolves issues over a pipeline from the recycled-water plants to the housing estates, mains water is running through recycled-water pipes to keep toilets and taps flowing in homes as they are built.

The Urban Development Institute of Australia is urging SA Water or another agency to accept responsibility for the pipelines quickly and resolve the issue totally.

Executive director Terry Walsh said issues over recycled-water pipes had risen in the past two years as awareness and need for water conservation and efficiency rose.

On-going administration issues were especially problematic as it was seen as “the norm” for developments to have the recycled water system.

“Some of these developments are putting in the purple pipes as a requirement, but there’s not necessarily a recognition by the government agency to accept responsibility for connecting that purple pipe to treated water,” Mr Walsh said.

“All of us in the industry believe (the purple pipe system) is a really good thing. But when there’s no realisation of connection to the appropriate treated water, then we ask the question, why is the developer being required to do that?”

A SA Water spokesman said the recycled-water supply to developments in the north, including Lakeside and Blakes Crossing, was part of “commercial discussions” between SA Water and the LMC.

He anticipated talks would be complete by the end of the year.

“The Lakeside and Blakes Crossing developments were designed to include dual reticulation and this has been put in place by the developer,” the spokesman said.

“Recycled water is not currently available from SA Water to these developments.

“Until an agreement is reached and recycled water is available from SA Water, we generally provide mains water through the purple pipes to enable homeowners to flush their toilets and water their gardens in line with current water restrictions.”

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Peter Smith can be contacted by phone 08 8569 2086; Mobile 0418 822 342
E: myriver@internode.on.net
OR climate_change@internode.on.net
OR psmithers@internode.on.net
www.psmithersmyriver.com
PO Box 126, MANNUM 5238 SOUTH AUSTRALIA