[fsi.scsi]

Knowing that some bottled water is essentially the same stuff might alleviate some of the "eww" factor

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."

[Mars]

Meh... it comes back to you one way or another.

[Ford Prefect]

I guess I sort of assumed that drinking sewage was already some sort of crazy Australian pastime.

[Flipside]

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

[Rictor]

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.

[Harbinger of DOOM]

Just so long as we don't end up wearing stillsuits, I'm fine.

Dune FTW.

[spartan_0214]

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

[IceFire]

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".

[WeatherOp]

Woot for recycled poop. 

[achtung]

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

[At]

When do we get to algae turning the waste into biodiesel?

[Spicious]

Not in Sydney. Here we'll be drinking desalinated water instead.

[Black Wolf]

Perth will be on partial desal soon too. Of  course, this wouldn'tbe neccesary if people actually started using water responsibly...

[Mefustae]

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!

[aldo_14]

" 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).

[Mefustae]

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.


...

[Blaise Russel]

Yeah, you should buy Welsh.

[Flipside]

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

[Charismatic]

Finally Americans arnt the only one drinking crap.

[karajorma]

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.