We have seen huge changes in rainfall and water supply over the past decade.
As our climate dries, competition for water continues to increase, and our rivers get lower and lower. Some have even stopped flowing.
But rivers with enough water are the key to water security.
Healthy, flowing rivers will mean we can still expect clean water to come out of the taps in our homes. And rivers with enough water to sustain themselves equal prosperous regional communities.
So what is our state government doing to help deliver a future where water supplies are safe and rivers are healthy?
They’ve been building expensive desalination plants and pipelines.
Promising water for our rivers that they never deliver.
And fighting to maintain an irrigation system and old ways of doing business, in drought-affect
ed areas that need a new vision for their economic future.
But they’re missing the point: ensuring our rivers have enough water in them to sustain themselves is the fastest and most economical way to securing a safe water future.
We’re doing our bit.
We’re taking shorter showers. We’re installing tanks and water efficient appliances. We’re bucketing recycled water on to our gardens. We’re meeting their Target 155.
It’s time for our government to do theirs.
We’ve got a plan to Rescue Our Rivers. It’s not yet too late. But this dual election year, our rivers really, really need to get a drink.
The state government needs to
1. deliver water to our rivers,
2. buy water for our rivers and
3. protect our rivers’ water.
Here’s some of the why and how
Read our plan to Rescue Our Rivers
Want to help us Rescue Our Rivers?
You can take Green Action to Rescue Our Rivers by…
Joining our Water & Healthy Rivers e-bulletin – a fortnightly update that covers off on interesting rivers developments, news, and opportunities for you to take action. To join email Healthy Rivers Campaigner Amelia Young with ‘subscribe e-bulletin’ in the subject line and together we can help ensure our rivers are not left high and dry this election year.
Having a read of our Rescue Our Rivers Volunteering opportunities booklet – something might tickle your fancy, so you can help us make sure there’ll still be native trout to tickle in our streams and rivers! Check it out.
Helping Replace Hazelwood and Return Water to Gippsland Lakes – If you haven’t taken a moment to write a letter to our Leaders, click here now to have your say! Hazelwood’s annual water use is 27 billion litres, the equivalent of a month’s worth of Melbourne’s total water use. And if the state government replaced Hazelwood, much of this water could be returned to the struggling Latrobe River which flows into the Gippsland Lakes. So get on board and sign away.
Because, let’s face it, this water crisis is not going away.
2010 is an election year. Our politicians will be trying to impress you.
Make them work for it.
When they come to you for your vote, tell them you want to see their plan to Rescue Our Rivers.
More resources
Check out our Draft Policy Prescriptions – a document that outlines the detail behind our series of recommendations and reforms to Rescue Our Rivers. And we’d love to know what you think about this – drop us a line with your viewpoints or comments at [email protected]
And for more info about why river health is so important, have a look here.
What’s more, there’s plenty of other ways to meet Melbourne water needs and to make us a leading water-sensitive city. Check out Water Security, Healthy Rivers – Environment Victoria’s Vision for Melbourne.