ALP goes to water

Labor yesterday promised a $10 million recycling plant to water Torquay gardens and sport grounds if the party won this month’s federal election.
Candidate for Corangamite Darren Cheeseman joined Labor water and infrastructure spokesperson Anthony Albanese to announce a Rudd Government would build the plant at Black Rock to supply class C water to Torquay and proposed residential development around Armstrong Creek, near Mount Duneed.
Mr Cheeseman earmarked a decommissioned storage basin in Torquay’s Grossman’s Road as a facility to hold the recycled water for distribution around the town.
“The new recycled water plant is all about long term planning for our local community’s water security and, because of climate change, we need to be innovative and efficient with water,” he said.
“The new recycled water plant will provide the impetus for environmentally friendly urban development, especially at Armstrong Creek.”
Armstrong Creek is a designated growth area south of Geelong for up to 54,000 residents and 22,000 homes.
Mr Albanese said Labor had set a national target of recycling 30 per cent of wastewater by 2015.
The party planned to eliminate all discharges of treated water into Bass Strait, he said.
The existing Black Rock facility treats more than 55 million litres of wastewater a day and produces Class C water for primary production, demonstration crops and golf courses.
“Class C recycled water has limited use because of its salinity level,” Mr Cheeseman said.
“The new plant will generate higher quality water suitable for a wider range of purposes.”
Mr Cheeseman said the proposed plant would give sports clubs at Torquay, Belmont and Grovedale long term water security for playing fields.
Labor would fund the project from a $250 million national water security plan for towns and cities, he said.
Mr Cheeseman earlier announced a funding promise to build a cafe, a public toilet and a shower block at Torquay Surf Life Saving Club.
A Rudd Government would provide $450,000 for the $700,000 project, he said, with other authorities to contribute the rest of the money.
The life club promise was part of a $1million Labor pledge for Great Ocean Road projects.
Other projects to share in the cash would include environmental and Aboriginal heritage works and a climate change risk management assessment.