The Wire

Despite widespread criticism of water desalination, new desalination plants are being planned in five states around Australia. Despite, torrential rain drenching Sydney over the past two weeks however, the NSW Government this week announced that construction of a new water desalination plant will begin next month, at a cost of $1.7 billion. The project has been met with fierce opposition from environmental groups – and by the State opposition – who claim the project is short-sighted. Shadow Minister for Water Utilities Chris Hartcher insists Sydney doesn’t have a water problem, but rather a problem with harvesting the rainfall it receives.