The French company that will manage the Beattie Government's Western Corridor recycled water project has serious doubts about drinking water recycled from sewage.
The Senate Inquiry into water supply options for South East Queensland heard expert evidence in Canberra today that drinking "purified recycled water" from sewage treatment plants is risky.
The director of Infectious Disease and Microbiology at the Canberra Hospital, Professor Peter Collignon, told the inquiry there was no evidence of other western cities drinking "purified recycled water" sourced from sewage treatment plants.
He tabled evidence from the Singapore Public Utilities Board that shows the
"purified recycled water" there is distributed through a separate pipe to industry keep it from the drinking supplies.
"What I see Singapore doing is a sensible use of recycled water – using it for industrial purposes so you can save your drinking water," Professor Collignon said.
He told Senators drinking recycled sewage water would be defined as a "moderate to high risk" under Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
Queensland Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce said professor Collignon's evidence cast serious doubts over the Beattie Government's claims that drinking recycled sewage water was safe and was done all over the world.
During his evidence, professor Collignon referred to an article in London's Financial Times newspaper that quoted the French CEO of Veolia Water, Atoine Frerot.
Mr Frerot tells the Financial Times that recycled water should be used for industry, agriculture and golf courses "before talking about drinking waste water".
Veolia Water is the company that will manage the Beattie Government's Western Corridor recycled water project.
Senator Joyce said: "Veolia is one of the world's leading operators of recycled water schemes with over 100 plants operating in France, Honolulu and Durban, South Africa. Yet none of them are for drinking."
"The whole premise of recycled water saving Queensland works on the belief that you will excrete more than you drink. I don't think this is physically possible unless you have got a condition that requires immediate hospitalisation," Senator Joyce said.
"Recycling to a dam that is five percent full has huge question marks over it because of the presence of heavy metals and other toxins," Senator Joyce said.
"To be positive, we must come up with a primary source of new water before Brisbane runs out which could be as early as the end of next year.
"We may have to bring in water from an external source. Although this will mean absolutely severe restrictions, it is better to plan for it now, build the infrastructure for receival and reticulation now than to stay on board the aimless progression to the ultimate water train wreck at the end of next year.
"The people of the south east corner don't need any more convincing of the lack of management expertise in deputy Premier Anna Bligh's delivery of a water grid.
"By the time her water grid is completed there will be no water to move around it. Unfortunately Ms Bligh's record of being completely implausible on all that she does and all that she says, means that her current guarantees are nothing but ashes in the mouth of a parched south east Queensland.