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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: fsi.scsi on February 06, 2007, 04:55:37 pm

Title: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: fsi.scsi on February 06, 2007, 04:55:37 pm
Knowing that some bottled water is essentially the same stuff might alleviate some of the "eww" factor

http://www.progress.org/2007/water33.htm (http://www.progress.org/2007/water33.htm)

Australians are to follow in Britain's footsteps and start reprocessing sewage for drinking water, the premier of Queensland State announced to considerable public outcry.
Although cleaning up sewage to be mixed in with drinking water is an accepted practice in countries like the UK, protests have so far held it back in Australia despite severe drought.

Following an announcement from Australian Prime Minister John Howard who called water shortages Australia's biggest challenge which he allocated 10bn Australian dollars to address, the premier of Queensland, Peter Beatie, has now said that water recycling was no longer an option but a necessity.

"We're not getting rain; we've got no choice. These are ugly decisions, but you either drink water or you die. There's no choice. It's liquid gold, it's a matter of life and death," Peter Beatie told ABC radio.

Australia's new water minister, Malcolm Turnbull, said that all options will have to be considered as the country struggles with its "worst drought ever".

The drought has left Australia's farmers hard-hit and has affected the wider global economy. The continuing lack of rain recently prompted authorities to create a new "water ministry."
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Mars on February 06, 2007, 05:32:11 pm
Meh... it comes back to you one way or another.
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Ford Prefect on February 06, 2007, 05:33:36 pm
I guess I sort of assumed that drinking sewage was already some sort of crazy Australian pastime.
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Flipside on February 06, 2007, 05:39:06 pm
Oddly enough, there's a Bass Beer distillery near me that uses water that comes from a nearby treatment factory. This probably explains a great deal....

And yup, great cycle of life, look at it this way, it wasn't that long ago that people were using your water supply as a toilet, washbasin and bathtub, since your water supply was the nearest river. At least they clean the stuff first these days ;)
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Rictor on February 06, 2007, 08:34:58 pm
I always just assumed that all the water we drink is filtered and processed sewage or lakewater, which amounts to the same thing. Is that not correct? Because I somehow doubt that the water in my tap comes direct from pristine Alpine springs.

As long as they filter it, who cares? Just so long as we don't end up wearing stillsuits, I'm fine.
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Harbinger of DOOM on February 06, 2007, 09:33:33 pm
Just so long as we don't end up wearing stillsuits, I'm fine.
Dune FTW.
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: spartan_0214 on February 06, 2007, 10:06:00 pm
You Aussies should have a Water Treatment Plant with good filters. If you don't (yuck) use filters on your tap water and boil any water before you drink it
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: IceFire on February 06, 2007, 10:07:59 pm
We're going to keep hearing about more stories like this.  The environment is changing and some innovative solutions are going to be required to keep things at "status quo".
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: WeatherOp on February 06, 2007, 11:36:27 pm
Woot for recycled poop.  :p
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: achtung on February 07, 2007, 12:24:16 am
I always just assumed that all the water we drink is filtered and processed sewage or lakewater, which amounts to the same thing. Is that not correct? Because I somehow doubt that the water in my tap comes direct from pristine Alpine springs.

As long as they filter it, who cares? Just so long as we don't end up wearing stillsuits, I'm fine.

Our local public water system, which I'm not on mind you, is pumped from several wells and the local lake.

Something interesting I'd just like to note is that deep mines of any sort, aside from maybe radioactive and toxic materials, are excellent sources of somewhat clean, easily attainable water.  Problem is no one ever seems to think about that.  I do have a hunch that Australia lacks deep mines near major city centers though :P
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: At on February 07, 2007, 12:55:24 am
When do we get to algae turning the waste into biodiesel? :P
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Spicious on February 07, 2007, 01:46:44 am
Not in Sydney. Here we'll be drinking desalinated water instead.
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Black Wolf on February 07, 2007, 03:03:54 am
Perth will be on partial desal soon too. Of  course, this wouldn'tbe neccesary if people actually started using water responsibly...
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Mefustae on February 07, 2007, 03:13:15 am
Of  course, this wouldn'tbe neccesary if people actually started using water responsibly...
Some people just can't grasp the concept that water is a finite resource. When you grow up in a society where you've got what pretty much seems to be a limitless supply of water out of a handy little lever or rotational apparatus, the idea that it isn't actually all that limitless takes a while to dawn on you. Hell, i'm [somewhat] educated and even *I* find the idea of a limited supply of fresh water far-fetched. We live on a "Blue Planet" for crying out loud!
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: aldo_14 on February 07, 2007, 03:16:02 am
" It's liquid gold" Peter Beatie told ABC radio.

Surely it's only that colour before they process it?

Some people just can't grasp the concept that water is a finite resource. When you grow up in a society where you've got what pretty much seems to be a limitless supply of water out of a handy little lever or rotational apparatus, the idea that it isn't actually all that limitless takes a while to dawn on you. Hell, i'm [somewhat] educated and even *I* find the idea of a limited supply of fresh water far-fetched. We live on a "Blue Planet" for crying out loud!

I'm in Scotland.  You can buy some of ours (the English already do).
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Mefustae on February 07, 2007, 03:28:04 am
I'm in Scotland.  You can buy some of ours (the English already do).
Eeeww, Scottish water! Someone pass me some of that recycled wee.


...:p
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Blaise Russel on February 07, 2007, 06:12:27 am
Yeah, you should buy Welsh.
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Flipside on February 07, 2007, 12:10:01 pm
Of  course, this wouldn'tbe neccesary if people actually started using water responsibly...
Some people just can't grasp the concept that water is a finite resource. When you grow up in a society where you've got what pretty much seems to be a limitless supply of water out of a handy little lever or rotational apparatus, the idea that it isn't actually all that limitless takes a while to dawn on you. Hell, i'm [somewhat] educated and even *I* find the idea of a limited supply of fresh water far-fetched. We live on a "Blue Planet" for crying out loud!

Yeah, but that's cyanobacteria ;)

Seriously though, you are right, people don't realise that less than 1% of the water on the surface of this planet is fresh, and that we have to rely on desalinisation and processing for the rest. This is why I get so pissed off at Thames water and their inability to do the one thing they were created for, hence why they have the highest amount of water lost per year in the UK :(
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Charismatic on February 07, 2007, 12:39:21 pm
Finally Americans arnt the only one drinking crap.
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: karajorma on February 07, 2007, 06:17:31 pm
This is why I get so pissed off at Thames water and their inability to do the one thing they were created for, hence why they have the highest amount of water lost per year in the UK :(

When I go around to Ofwat with a bat in hand I'll make sure I call you to join me.
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Grug on February 07, 2007, 07:42:13 pm
Recycled water has been on the table for a while, its just unfortunate that a large group of moronic boguns don't have the smallest understanding of science or the big picture. They just want their cake and eat it too. (which most of them do going by the looks of there giant bellys hanging out from their lowcut tops... *shudders*)

Just yesterday I was coming home from my walk with the gf and this guy was out checking his mail. Now he would of been over 150kg's for sure and there he is wearing nothing but black speedos which more resembled a g-string. YUCK! *shudders*
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Black Wolf on February 09, 2007, 07:11:56 pm
Finally Americans arnt the only one drinking crap.

Yes, they are. It's called "Budweiser"
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Mars on February 09, 2007, 08:25:41 pm
No... they've been drinking treated water on the East Coast for a long time now... they're thinking of doing it here in Colorado too... cause Arizona gets more water rights to the Colorado River.
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Stealth on February 10, 2007, 12:29:25 am
...who called water shortages Australia's biggest challenge...

(http://www.swooh.com/lorenzo/hlphosted/australiawater.JPG)

...am i missing something? :wtf:
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Mefustae on February 10, 2007, 12:33:09 am
...am i missing something? :wtf:
Clearly. :p
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: redsniper on February 10, 2007, 12:34:18 am
That's all salt water. They can't drink it. :D
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Stealth on February 10, 2007, 12:34:46 am
;) then what?!  they want water, yet they have water surrounding the entire country!!!1111oneoneoeneoenoen
Title: Re: Australians to Drink Processed Sewage
Post by: Stealth on February 10, 2007, 12:35:30 am
lol no sh1t redsniper :p

i was waiting to see how long it would take before someone actually stated it =P