2023 LGAQ ANNUAL CONFERENCE MOTIONS · Attachment 1 - MOTION A - Cr Lorentson - Support of Noosa Council’s ALGA motion for a National Policy on Ocean Sewerage Outfalls

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                            and population growth require efficient water
                            management and sustainable sewerage and
                            stormwater management. It demands that we start
                            valuing the worth of water and start using potable
                            water for better use.
                            It is unacceptable that in 2023, that treated sewage,
                            untreated sewage is still being discharged into our
                            oceans. A practice that commenced in Australia in
                            the 1960s.
                            Whilst it might not be currently possible to do away
                            with marine outfalls completely, we must set
                            ambitious targets, be forward thinking and do what
                            we can to look at alternatives and new technologies
                            to lessen the environmental impact to the receiving
                            environments i.e. aquatic and coastal ecosystems.
                            Our beaches and coastline are some of our most
                            important public places and must be a key priority for
                            this country.
                            Facts:
                            Data gathered in 2016 from 165 of the 175 ocean
                            and estuarine outfalls provide the first national
                            snapshot of wastewater discharges to Australia's
                            coastal environment.
                            The total volume of wastewater discharged to
                            Australia's oceans in 2016 was 1350 gigalitres:
                            equivalent to 2.7 Sydney harbours.
                            The potential value of this water would have been
                            more than more than $1 billion, had as little as 20%
                            been recycled*
                            A large proportion 64% of Australia’s 176 coastal
                            outfalls are currently contributing to poor water
                            quality for Australia’s coastal waterways and ocean
                            environments because, wastewater is treated to only
                            a lower level of quality, referred to as a primary or
                            secondary treatment. *
                            *Clean Ocean Foundation, Outfall Database
Case study/ Example         n/a
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                                                                               July 23
                                                                       Wilson Crawley