Water schemes axed for NSW desal plant

SYDNEY, Aug 9 (AAP) -Nine programs that save billions of litres of water a year have been axed by the NSW government to "fatten" a desalination plant for sale, the Greens say.
The schemes achieved water savings of 8.1 billion litres in 2009-10 and were forecast to save a further 8.8 billion litres in 2010-11, Greens MP John Kaye said on Monday.
Mr Kaye said the government of Premier Barry O'Farrell dropped seven of the nine programs in a bid to increase the value of Sydney's Kurnell desal plant before privatisation.
As part of its promise before the March state election, the government is planning to privatise the $1.89 billion plant, which produces water at a cost of 62 cents per 1000 litres.
"As long as the sell-off is on the agenda, their only objective will be to fatten it up for sale and that will be a means to push up their profits," Mr Kaye told AAP.
"Pushing up profits means less competition, and we know that water saving is a cost-effective competitor to desalination.
"It's cheaper to save a litre of water than it is to manufacture it at a desalination plant."
The O'Farrell government discontinued seven water-efficiency programs from July 1 this year, while the former Keneally government axed two programs in July 2010.
The water-saving programs, which include the rainwater tank and dual-flush toilet rebates, were important not only for saving water but also for sending out a public message, Mr Kaye said.
"They have a very strong message that we do live on a dry continent and looking after our water supply is not only good for household budgets, it's also good for the environment," he said.
The programs cost the government $6.7 million in 2009-10, Mr Kaye said.
"(This) is absolutely nothing for a government with a turnover of $54 billion a year," he said.
"It's a small amount of money for a large amount of water saved, a highly cost-effective way of avoiding the need to run the desalination plant."
But Minister for Finance and Services Greg Pearce said the NSW government was committed to water efficiency.
"The extensive range of rebates, offers and programs have already achieved significant and permanent water savings - over 100,000 million litres of drinking water every year for Sydney Water alone," Mr Pearce said in a statement.
"Latest figures also show that water usage is below the Sydney Water target of 329 litres per person per day.
"The government position in relation to the desalination plant remains unchanged since before the state election."