Implications for sustainability, social justice and equity

Introduction

Given Australia's shortage of quality drinking water supplies, the Goulburn Mulwaree Council's 2005 Sustainable Cities Project proposal represented a very timely and much needed approach to waste and water management. This chapter will explore the implications that the Goulburn Mulwaree Council's 'Sustainable Cities Project' has for sustainability. This will be assessed in light of the negative social and economic circumstances the town had experienced as a result of chronic water shortages in the lead up to the project's creation. It will also examine the implications that this environmental management initiative has for social justice and equity, and how it could be considered a positive example to be followed in the future. See image 1

Implications for sustainability

In October 2004, the New South Wales Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability (DUES) released their 'Integrated Water Cycle Management' (IWCM) initiative. Three of the five principles underpinning the initiative are the consideration of wastewater recycling; the promotion of sustainable and equitable methods of water use; and the consideration all water users in the process of decision-making. The fact that the Goulburn Mulwaree Sustainable Cities Project meets these three principles reflects that it is consistent with the overarching principles of sustainability, social justice and equity. See image 2

Many negative social impacts had been felt in Goulburn due to the prolonged drought conditions and a resulting lack of water (refer to Chapter One). Some people predicted that this would inevitably translate into negative economic impacts as well. Prolonged water restrictions can restrict people's lifestyles in many ways. At the time the Goulburn Mulwaree Sustainable Cities Project was proposed, children were being made to bathe together, people were unable to tend to their gardens, and use of many of the towns sporting fields had been prohibited because they were too dry.

Water shortages were also impacting negatively on local businesses and industry. Difficulties in securing water supplies had meant that some existing businesses were struggling to make ends meet and new businesses were unlikely to be attracted to the area. These sorts of economic impacts can affect population trends, as people sometimes consider relocating to other regions when faced with the grim prospect of lost income and no water to drink.

In addition to minimising many of the social and economic impacts of water shortages, wastewater recycling is an environmentally-friendly initiative. It is also a relatively reliable system in terms of predicting water availability, as unlike building new dams and increasing the capacity of existing dams, it is not dependent on rainfall.

It is well known that recycled wastewater is already used in many parts of Australia as a source of water for purposes other than human consumption, such as watering sports fields, parks and golf courses. What many people do not know, however, is that many Australians already drink recycled wastewater. This is because in many parts of the country, treated sewage effluent is disposed of into waterways that provide drinking water for other communities downstream. See image 3

Implications for social justice and equity

One major difference between the proposals to introduce recycled water schemes in Toowoomba and Goulburn were the processes of decision-making involved (refer to Chapter One). In Toowoomba the final decision was reached via a referendum in which it was compulsory for all residents within the electorate to vote, whereas in Goulburn the process of management involved extensive community consultation, which began well before the formal project proposal was submitted to the National Water Commission.

While referenda are generally perceived to be a fair and equitable process of determining the outcome of a contested (or controversial) social or political question, many people argued that the integrity of the referendum held in Toowoomba was questionable due to an abundance of misleading information. Opponents of the decision to hold the referendum in Toowoomba argued that it became overly political and the true issues at hand were not properly conveyed to the community. Other people who were critical of the manner in which the debate over recycling water in Toowoomba was decided argued it was a flawed process because it only presented stakeholders with one option, rather than providing them with the opportunity to suggest alternatives, as was the case in Goulburn.

The inclusion of community consultation processes in Goulburn (both prior to release of and as an element of the Sustainable Cities Project) increased the integrity of the proposal, in terms of its adherence with the principles of social justice and equity. Community consultation processes are extremely useful methods of uncovering public concerns and helping to ensure that people affected by a proposal are educated so that they properly understand the issues at hand. In this way, the Sustainable Cities Project is a good example of integrated and sustainable environmental management practice, which areas facing similar water problems could follow in the future.