Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise this morning to bring to attention an important water-recycling project that I am currently working on with the bayside community in Bonner. This project is not only helping to unite the Wynnum-Manly community but encouraging local residents, organisations and schools to think more carefully about how we can conserve and recycle our precious water resource together. Mr David Seeley from the Wynnum Golf Club and Mr Stan Plath from the Wynnum-Manly Leagues Club are two outstanding community leaders who share a genuine concern for our environment and the impact of current water restrictions and water shortages. In October this year Mr Seeley approached me with plans for an initiative which would see recycled water used to irrigate bayside parks and sports fields through a purpose-built pipeline. It is a plan that I believe can indeed be made possible, but it requires the full support of not only the community but each level of government.

The bayside of Brisbane is a diverse but unique community, home to many local clubs, sports and school fields and community based organisations. Water is of course a resource in major demand, not only for basic necessities but for larger-scale irrigation. With the ever-decreasing supply of readily available water, the community is becoming increasingly concerned about the future health of local sport and club fields, parks and the like. It is this concern that led Mr Seeley and Mr Plath to join with me and representatives of the community in forming the Bayside Water Action Group, which will focus on driving towards this water recycling project. Essentially, we will work towards raising and obtaining the funds to construct a pipeline to run from the local Wynnum-Manly waste water treatment plant through to the bayside so that the community organisations, clubs and schools in this region can all utilise recycled water.

At present, the Wynnum waste water treatment plant is pumping out eight megalitres of water per day. While seven of those megalitres are accounted for, one megalitre is still available. If we can find a way to harness this recycled water for use by the community clubs, the bayside could play a vital role in saving our water resource. As the plant expands, more recycled water will be made available to the project and, in turn, the community will benefit further. Brisbane City Council has already been briefed on the project and a number of representatives from the water department are working with the Bayside Water Action Group to develop a detailed proposal. Letters have been sent to the Lord Mayor and to my state colleague the Hon. Paul Lucas urging support for the project and assistance to make this proposal a reality for the bayside community. I am committed to pushing this water project forward and I will be working with the Bayside Water Action Group to submit an application for funding for the pipeline under this government’s WaterSmart program. I assure Mr Seeley and all members of the action group of my full support. (Time expired)