Alice Springs Shares Sewage Outflow Problems

Power and Water Authority's "Darwin Harbour poo-shooter” continues to pump over 3 million litres of sewage into the Darwin harbour every single day resulting in the Darwin Harbour Master imposing a half kilometre radius exclusion zone in the Darwin Harbour around the "poo shooter”.

Meanwhile, Alice Springs has its own sewage outflow since Power and Water Authority began releasing its sewerage pond overflow towards St Mary's Creek, according to Shadow Minister for Essential Services, Dr Richard Lim.

"Each year, the Labor Government and Power and Water Authority promise to stop releasing sewerage overflows into St Mary's Creek, and each year they fail to fulfill the promise. This week we see that Power and Water Authority began releasing sewerage pond water into St Mary's Creek.” Dr Lim said.

"The recent rains will only make matters worse with more water flowing from the ponds into the creek.

"Millions of dollars were spent by the government and Power and Water Authority to build the pipeline that was to carry the water towards the farms area for horticultural use, but no buyer for the water could be found.

"Power and Water Authority then came up with the idea that it will pump the water into the aquifer where it will be stored and the water given time to purify itself through natural processes.

"Each year we see these promises and plans fail to come to fruition. Instead we see Power and Water Authority applying to the Minister for the Environment for an extension of its permit to release the sewerage water down St Mary's Creek during our Winter months, when the daily evaporation rate is not able to keep up with the toilet flushes in Alice Springs.

"As long as the Labor Government is prepared to give extensions of permits for Power and Water Authority to release the water into St Mary's Creek, there is no incentive for the Authority to do anything else.

"When will the Government make sure that Power and Water Authority does the right thing by the Territory?

"The Government and Power and Water Authority are failing Alice Springs residents through the noise pollution from the power station and this week's sewage outflows.

"When will the Government and Power and Water get it right for Alice Springs?”

2006-07-13