Weekly Water News - 13th February

South-east drought aid decision a 'hit in the guts'. Lower south-east South Australia is one of only three regions in Australia that will not be able to reapply for Exceptional Circumstances (EC) drought grants.

Qld floodwaters heading towards Lake Eyre. The first floodwaters from western Queensland have arrived at Goyder's Lagoon, in the far north-east corner of South Australia, raising hopes the water will flow into Lake Eyre. Bligh puts house on the line for fluoride. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has signed a personal guarantee that could cost the Premier her personal assets in a court battle if people become sick from water flouridation, a Brisbane lawyer said.

Queensland - drought one day, flood the next. The Queensland Department of Primary Industries says while more than 60 per cent of Queensland is disaster declared, there is also 54 per cent of the state under drought declaration. A deadly reminder that we must tackle climate change. Climate modelling suggests the decline of southern Australia's winter rainfall is caused by a build-up of greenhouse gas, much of it from coal burning. Federal Govt to probe Ord environmental review. The Federal Government has appointed an adviser to look at Western Australia's environmental assessment of the proposed $195 million expansion of the Ord Irrigation Area in the state's north. SA gets 35 gigalitres for Murray flows. South Australia has successfully secured its required contribution to the 500 gigalitres to be returned to the River Murray for environmental flows. Desal plant opponents 'running out of options'. Residents who are against a desalination and sewerage plant planned for Agnes Water say they are running out of ways to fight the project. Build and be dammed. The NSW State Government is pushing ahead with construction of a $406 million dam the size of Sydney Harbour on the Williams River that will send water bills in Newcastle and the Hunter soaring and could kill industry moves to switch to recycled water. Wetlands inflow 'won't affect' irrigator access. South Australia's River Murray environmental manager says an inflow of water into some wetlands along the river will not have an impact on irrigators' access. Final pipeline section underway. Work has started on the last section of the Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline. Aldermen in water fight. Hobart City Council is to provide higher water pressure for parts of Lenah Valley by building two concrete water tanks at the end of Pottery Road. Top advisers warned against desalination plant, north-south pipe. One of the Victorian Government's top strategic consultants advised cabinet against building the controversial desalination plant and the north-south pipeline in an alternative water plan that has since been suppressed. Leaks check aimed at big water savings. New technology will scan Adelaide pipes for water leaks, with an aim of repairs to achieve big savings. Quamby water soon to flow. After months of delays, work has begun on the Quamby pipeline which will supply sorely-needed irrigation water to dozens of farms near Deloraine in northern Tasmania. New water arrangements promise greater flexibility. South Australian irrigators will now be able to accumulate their unused water allocations over several years.ACTEW taken to court over water charge. The Queanbeyan City Council has taken ACTEW to the Federal Court in an attempt to settle a dispute over a controversial ACT Government water charge. No big allocations boost for irrigators. Irrigators on the south side of the Bundaberg scheme in Queensland will not get a boost in their water allocations, despite Paradise Dam being at its highest ever level. Government pressured to appoint Basin Authority board. Irrigators are pressuring the Federal Government to appoint the members of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, which was formed in December so a single agency would be responsible for the Basin.