recycled water [Archive]

ving

31-01-2007, 04:00 PM

Unless you have been living in a cave (that doesnt have er... electricity) you would have heard that the PM wants us all to drink fromthe golden springs.... (this is he wants us to drink recycled water). I personally have no problem with this as long as its safe, but there is a huge resistance to it for obvious reasons (cant figure out why? 2 words: golden springs).

to me, well the water supply isnt getting bigger and i think that no matter how much we try and save water the level aint going up. we have to do something and this is probably cheaper than desalination.

vote whether you would go teh recycled water or not and post your reasons why.

shredder

31-01-2007, 04:08 PM

Hi Ving,

I certainly would drink the stuff, and probably have on my holidays already (ie many places all round the world recycle their water).

My only concern is can we trust the government (and public service) to get it right? How many times have we seen untreated effluent simply pumped out to sea because some system or other breaks, just imagine if that happened in the recycling plant and it was pumped to your door (so to speak). I can just see some poly going "Oops, gee we followed procedures, can't have been our fault! must have been the oppositions poor procedures..."

So I would vote for it just so long as we simply go and buy a system we know already works, reliably and well....

M

iceman

31-01-2007, 04:15 PM

Yep, i'd have no problems with it. They need to move into the 21st century and start planning for the future.

I heard that 85% of people said they would drink it, yet the government still won't move on it, and instead wants to focus on expensive, power hungry and environmentally damaging desalination.

:rolleyes:

leon

31-01-2007, 04:15 PM

Absolutely, would drink it, it would probably be cleaner than the tap water we drink now.

Cheers Leon

merlin8r

31-01-2007, 04:36 PM

Of course. All water is recycled anyway. We would just be speeding up the process. The Earth has the same amount of water on it as it did millions of years ago (maybe comets have dropped in a few more litres), it's just in different locations.
As has been mentioned, desalinisation is not the answer. It is very power hungry, and leaves a bad by product, salt. What do you do with that? Dump it back in the sea?

Sausageman

31-01-2007, 04:44 PM

Long long ago in a distant galaxy, I was in charge of maintenance for a sewage treatment plant. I have drank the water directly from the filter bed, you know, the ones with the rotating arms that sprinkles water onto the filter material.
It was as good as you get anywhere, no, actually it was better because there was no chlorine, fluoride or aluminium salts in it like there is in tap water. Our water was tested frequently for nasties, as it was returned to the Brisbane River.
I would welcome re-cycled water. We need it desperately.

Mike.

ving

31-01-2007, 04:46 PM

put it on your fish and chips :)

I heard Qld were definitely going ahead dispite the fact the people of teh state voted against it and that we new south welsh men are to not get the privledge of voting because morris doesnt want anything to do with it.

toetoe

31-01-2007, 04:49 PM

Yes i would, it would not be an option if it wasn't safe to do so. This has been happening in other countries for a while now so why not i say. Lets do it.:thumbsup:

Striker

31-01-2007, 05:09 PM

Not entirely correct David, Qld has never had a vote on this topic only the town of Toowoomba who voted NO.

We have a 5 stage reverse Osmosis unit that we use for our drinking water so I have no problem drinking recycled water.

Like what has been mentioned before all our water has been recycled in some way.

rogerg

31-01-2007, 05:21 PM

I believe Astronauts recycle most (if not all?) of their water while in space (ISS?) ... and they are up there for months and months. Surely it's tried and tested as a result? They aren't dead yet.

I'd have no problem with it for the sake of saving the environment. If there was an abundance of water I'd prefer to drink the "new fresh" stuff rather than the "recycled fresh" stuff.

Omaroo

31-01-2007, 05:24 PM

I reckon that someone could give away small plastic bottles of this water at "driver reviver" stops and other public places to at least gauge reaction - see how it goes....

acropolite

31-01-2007, 05:32 PM

I have no problem with recycled water, but at the end of the day, our pollies need to address the causes of the problem, not find band aid solutions to the effects. They also need to put an end to the "growth economy" practices and policies that are currently pushed, as any high school student knows growth is exponential and can't be sustained indefinitely.

wavelandscott

31-01-2007, 05:47 PM

Recycled water is AOKAY with me...of course I'd drink it.

I suspect if done properly it would likely be higher quality than we get now...(at least no worse)

Cheers!

[1ponders]

31-01-2007, 05:48 PM

I don't see what the problem is. :shrug: If you ask our Kiwi cussie bro's they'll tell you were full of unrecycled sewage anyway :lol: At least when it comes to the rugby :rofl:

glenc

31-01-2007, 05:53 PM

If you don't like recycled water install a small tank on the cleanest part of your roof and drink from that.

mickoking

31-01-2007, 06:08 PM

That is a very pleasing poll result. Recycled water, bring it on :thumbsup:

Ziggy Stardust

31-01-2007, 06:15 PM

yeah and drink water with siders, bird cr@p and the rest in it...;) ;) ;) :whistle: :whistle:
I have to live off rain catchment water on my small holding and at times my water has to be boiled to be safe or go through a filter and activated carbon.

Recycled water is not rocket science, just good clean technology. I'd pay to have recycled water piped to my place. ( I ran out for third time in five months this weekend and had to pay $150 for 10,000litres!!!! to be delivered:eyepop: )

Even third world countries run successful and safe recycling plants.

My opion may get many aussies backs up, but it's time to stop thinking they too good for the real world and accept finite resources exist on this planet and this continent.
Drinking recycled water is saving the planet, saving Australia from a dry future.

Be a True Blue and proud Aussie and drink recycled water...just like they do on the ISS...:anaut: and will do on the moon soon too...

good enough for Niel Amstrong, then good enough for me...:D

Many of those claiming to be revolted by the thought of drinking recycled sewerage, do a lot worse when out on a binge drinking beer and other illegal cocktail, using banded substance, yet worry about water!!!:doh: :doh: :doh:

I'm glad and proud to be part of forum here that see the truth and future of the planet...:D

Just a quick thought, who watched the US program on bottled water last night???? where the majority of the water bottled was in fact just plain tap water and in some cases worse than tap water...how easily we fooled.

I'm not a labor supporter, but the Queensland Premier has my respect for doing the hard call and saving his state.

jmo

Tony

[1ponders]

31-01-2007, 06:18 PM

:lol: It was a shame it was on so late. Funny though, especially the water waiter. :)

Ziggy Stardust

31-01-2007, 06:21 PM

yeah with his hose filling the water up...lol

got to love their "own brand" with bullsh!t as a listed ingredient...

I love those guys and their take on the real world.... so true at times and expossing the truth..:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Tony

jjjnettie

31-01-2007, 06:27 PM

I haven't got a problem with it at all.

As it was earlier mentioned, it's been recycled over and over again anyway.

If the drinking public were to see the condition of their water catchments,
a brown murky combination of mud, duck and fish excrement with the occasional dead turtle floating on top for flavour, ( this is Somerset Dam, sorry Brisbane ) , they'd be happy to have all that clean purified water poured in to dilute it.

As for those who won't drink it, well, I guess they could just filter it or boil it before drinking.

mickoking

31-01-2007, 06:27 PM

Well said Ziggy :thumbsup: We live on the second driest continent in the world (and it's getting drier). We want large green as green lawns but at the same time baulk at the thought of drinking recycled water. Many of our ancestors came from fertile parts of Europe and Asia but the fact is that many Aussies live near the edge of an expanding desert, we have to change our ways. Singapore uses recycled water and guess what? It is the only country in South East Asia (with the possible exception of Malaysia) where you can drink the tap water.

circumpolar

31-01-2007, 08:37 PM

I have been drinking it almost all my life!

I live in North Richmond. Our water comes straight out of the Hawkesbury/Nepean River and is then treated. This river is one of the most polluted in NSW. Turf farms, market gardens, most of western subburbs, industrial areas of the west, most western sewrage effuent water returns and South Creek!. All the Nice stuff. :rolleyes:

But I would bet any money every Sydney sider couldn't tell the difference between the water they drink now to what I'm drinking!!!

Yes, It tastes, looks and smell the same. This is a no-brainer if you ask an Hawkesbury resident.

Shawn

31-01-2007, 09:13 PM

I voted NO Im affraid guys, If for example the project went ahead, and everybody is drinking recycled water, history is repleat with example of selling a product to the public, what you buy on opening day is not neccessarily what you get six months down the track...Chlorinated Flouridated Lots of Allum. and who knows what else will go into this to make it fiscally viable..

S

norm

31-01-2007, 09:16 PM

Absolutely :thumbsup: . I wish they just bloody get on with it. Unfortunately majority of our Pollies don't have the conviction to do anything about it, all they do is talk, debate, more talk....

Lee

31-01-2007, 10:01 PM

Exactly.....

I think it is a good leadership decision on Peter Beatties behalf to decide on this, the general public can't be given the chance to screw it up, and put the process back years until it is *really* critical..... Always scare mongers with questions like "Would *you* (big finger point) give water that has come from a hospital toilet full of diarrhoea to *your* baby????" to get in the road.

Astroman

31-01-2007, 10:20 PM

I'd be stuffed if I would drink the crap that came out of someone elses bowels. They are much better off using the water for industries than for human consumption.

To little too late, should be the Liberal motto.

Lee

31-01-2007, 10:25 PM

You already do drink the crap that came from someone elses bowels! - it just flows out to sea, evaporates into clouds, rains down, runs across the ground (across some animal turd probably) into the dam with the dead fish and god knows what - then you drink it, after it has flowed to your house through pipes full of slime and rust and crud..... :)
Water is water, regardless of where it has lived.....
Don't they say every cup of water on earth today will have more than a few water molecules in it that were once inside Jesus Christs' bladder?

Astroman

31-01-2007, 10:35 PM

It doesnt matter what people think really, I have my view you have yours, everyone else has theirs. Its the mental aspect of it that I cannot put my head around. Most water I drink has been boiled and has milk and coffee and sugar in it :P that way in my mind its covered up....

mickoking

31-01-2007, 10:50 PM

Sorry, I don't think we have too much choice in the matter. Peter Beattie and particularly Johnny H are not exactly my favorite pollies but they have the right idea with water recycling. What are the other options? energy intensive desalination or exploiting what little ground and surface water we have left after over 200 years of industrial colonization. Our country is drying up but our population is increasing; hard decisions have to be made.

DavidH

31-01-2007, 10:52 PM

Using recycled water is a necessity that we will all have to come to terms with in the future. Drinking it probably will not be necessary. Most of the drinking water we use is flushed, poured or washed down the drain and has very little to do with being consumed by mouth. A simple rainwater tank on most residences will produce enough drinking water to serve the needs of the occupants. Bottled water (whatever you think of the marketing of it) can also be used to serve the drinking needs of most people.
I have found that the installation of a filter on our kitchen water supply has significantly enhanced the palatability of our water, so I do not think that our current water supply is all that "pure".
So, in short, most of the water we use is not consumed by drinking and even if it is our current water is not as pristine as we might like to think it is.

Bottoms up,
David.

ballaratdragons

31-01-2007, 11:10 PM

Yep Lee,

I read a science paper only a few years ago about water.

It is not made, manufactured or produced. Water is water. The water we drink now is exactly the same water the ancient Pharoahs drank and bathed in and swam in. It is the same water that the Dinosaurs drank and wee'd out.

It is never replaced, only recycled!!! Round and round it goes.

The next time I drank a glass of water (after I read the paper) I thought to myself "wow, this exact water would have been handled and drank by Jesus, Joan of Arc, Caesar, Rembrandt, Beethoven and a host of Tyrranasaurus Rexii, Pteradactyl, Triceratops, peasants from a Medieval village, a few thousands slaves building the Pyramids and a some bloke named Bruce.

Fascinating! And we pass it in for others to drink. Water never runs out, it just gets relocated around the Earth.

Oh, I voted yes coz we drink it already. But this time they are going to recycle it thru a man made process before they add the Chemicals to it. You would be amazed at the chemicals and sludge that goes into our food (i make some of it for food additives, cosmetics and Toothpaste!). Worse than any recycled poo!, but we happily munch away not knowing.

Ric

31-01-2007, 11:13 PM

The way I see it, we would only be catching up with the rest of the world.
We are one of the driest continents on the planet and we waste so much.

Bring it on

Omaroo

31-01-2007, 11:22 PM

Hmmm.... are they that, or Tyrranosaurai Rex ? (hmmmm...pondering....)

PS - Count me in. I think it's slightly ridiculous to be worried about drinking "ex-excrement". It's all been there before - the water cycle is a closed loop. Good stuff Beattie!

ballaratdragons

31-01-2007, 11:24 PM

Dunno :shrug: just sounded right as I was typing it :lol:

AstroJunk

01-02-2007, 12:26 AM

Nah, he didn't drink it, he walked on it!

Shawn

01-02-2007, 04:55 AM

And Turned it into wine,,,;)

GrahamL

01-02-2007, 06:07 AM

love the poop water .. bring it on:)

No problems for me to drink it, BUT... I would like to see some info on the projected life of existing dams from when they
were built.. we have a very long record base of rainfall over our countrys history.. So droughts are a new thing ?..Govts do have an obligation to lay down infastructure to meet the needs of a growing population.. I suspect they have ignored some
pretty compelling data that new storage needed to be online 20 or so years back.

xelasnave

01-02-2007, 09:27 AM

We certainly need a few band aids but those giving them out are reluctant:) .
But your point is most valid:thumbsup: . We have "them" wringing their hands re GW yet not coming to grips with the already established fact that we live on a relatively dry continent. GW agricultural planning is called for which means figure out additional water supplies for an even more dry and hot future. Given the fast movement to nuclear power..we went from lets have a public debate to where will they go so fast it says to me that maybe we could move that fast with coming up with some specific proposals for say dams, recycling plants, rain water tank manufactures tax incentives, incentive for those reducing pressure on demand... money has been set aside for a committee which sounds good but one looses a little faith in committee appointments as my impression many recommendations of committees are simply ignored..why have committees if you don’t take their advice?
I drink tank water and have done so for near 20 years (here and when down on the river in Sydney) and I bet at times recycled stuff would beat it hands down.. however there is the aspect of perception and often even incorrect perception bets logic..in a practical political sense. So I can see why Mr B has taken direct action in Queensland a vote would see no step forward. Those who feel strongly about not drinking recycled water need to be placated otherwise when similar systems are sort to be introduced in other cities the "negative" voice of experience will get unbalanced air time.. No one will want to hear the success.. the media will play to the horror stories...They will focus on "victims" who have some problem they can show is a direct result of drinking recycled water..
The issue dictates that care must be taken to ease all concerns so as not to cut off the opportunity for other major cities because some journalist decides to do a sky is falling program on the horrors of recycled water.
alex

ving

01-02-2007, 10:28 AM

interesting results. I am glad I made the poll now....

we need to send this off to the pollies i think :)

It never even dawned upon me that water is already recycled, infact all of it is. regardless something needs to be done and so my vote was in the positive too....

Dujon

01-02-2007, 11:27 AM

In a general sense I would, but only if the processing system is guaranteed to be effective.

A few years ago we had a problem with cryptosporidium passing through filters and processing to find its way into our water pipes. If the general media is to be believed (yes, I know, I know) it's not unusual for our current 'state of the art' sewage treatment works to break down and pour untreated effluent into their output pipes.

So, a qualified 'yes'.

Now, if I could only get these splinters out of my posterior . . .

jjjnettie

01-02-2007, 12:30 PM

Australia has been a dry continent for countless millenia.
The native animals stand testiment to this.
The kangaroo if pregnant when a drought starts, can keep the pregnancy on hold for quite a time, until better times come.
The Koala, it can get by without drinking water for quite a while, getting it's sustanence from the leaves it eats.

Drought is the norm.

At the moment we are worried about water, in a decade or so it will be food.
The majority of our food comes from farms situated close to the coast where rain is fairly plentiful and the soils are rich. These same farms are now being cut up into lots and sold off to house our expanding population.
Where do we get our food if there are no farms to produce it?
From farms further inland? At the moment they are only getting a decent crop every 4 or so years?

ving

01-02-2007, 01:16 PM

be thankfull it wasnt barbed wire :P

Ziggy Stardust

01-02-2007, 02:59 PM

now a quick spanner in the works...:eyepop: :eyepop: :eyepop:

all water is not the same from the dinos till now mates...

Water is 2 by hydrogen atoms stuck to one very popular oxygen atom..

So what you say, well we change that in every chemical reaction we do...

H2O plus many things ends up as a reaction and in some reactions off goes the H2 and the oxygen is trapped in a new compound... same goes for when we burn some hydrocarbon in air.... out comes CO2 and hey H2O... wow we just made brand new water...never drunk, pee-ed or sneezed before...

Even your body ex-hales out water and so does plants...So water is not constant on the planets, the majority of the atoms may be... but you can make water and you can destroy water back to it's elements... it happens in a simple wet lead cell car battery every time you use power. Thats why you top it up with distilled water....

And then again the planet looses hundreds of tons of water vapour to space every day that's up ... thereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee high in the clouds, and by osmotic pressure etc,,, goes off to space.. ( just like on Mars...;) )

a few billion years time, we probally have a dry waterless planet, but is it our job to speed it on it's way to it's dry final end, or help it stay a little more wet behind the ears for now...:D :D :D

ps, take a nice glass of fresh tap water and send it off for a quick microbe test and metals.... you will be shocked to see what you guys drink everyday. A recycling plant will stop many of the so-called nautral pollutants they feed your way everyday in your taps..:scared:

JMHO

Tony