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Home » 2008 » #755 » Australian News » Water guzzling corporations

Jim McIlroy, Brisbane

According to an angry front page report in the June 9 Courier Mail: “Water-guzzling big business continues to erode the sacrifices made by south-east Queensland residents, who were yesterday told they face indefinite level 6 restrictions despite dam levels reaching a three-year high”.

The article noted that, according to a new Queensland Water Commission report, 60% of businesses inspected by the Brisbane City Council (BCC) were not complying with the legally required water efficiency management plans.

“An estimated 64 companies using more than 10 million litres of water a year have not even filed their plans for cutting water use by up to 25 per cent — almost a year after the deadline to do so”, MacDonald said.

The BCC is, apparently, moving on getting business to comply with the efficiency measures. However, the Courier Mail noted, “fewer than 20 fines, ranging from $750 for a first offence, appear to have been imposed”.

David White, spokesperson for the Queensland Socialist Alliance, told Green Left Weekly: “Once again, big business — which uses an enormous proportion of the community’s scarce water supply — is let off the hook while residents are berated by authorities to cut back on household usage. We have reduced our average usage of water, but large companies are acting irresponsibly, and, it seems being allowed to get away with doing so.”

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