Cuttlefish

EmailWater lobby stepping up campaignPosted July 19, 2009 21:15:00Updated July 20, 2009 09:17:00 Water Action Coalition wants to fight for security of supply in SA (user submitted: Anne Trebilcock) Video: A water coalition will target key seats ahead of next year's SA election.

(ABC News) More than 20 environment groups have joined forces in South Australia in a bid to reform local and federal water policies.The Water Action Coalition aims to secure SA's water supply and will campaign in key seats ahead of next year's SA election.Jim Douglas is an organiser of the coalition."When you put 20 major organisations together plus the peak council of the Conservation Council, I think that that's a pretty powerful voice environmentally," he said.The Water Action Coalition was formed in response to what it says is community concern about the future of water supplies.It wants the Federal and SA Governments to invest in sustainable projects such as stormwater harvesting and to stop the construction of desalination plants.That is a key issue for the Spencer Gulf region, where a proposed desalination plant will be built near cuttlefish breeding grounds.Greg Curnow from the Cuttlefish Coast Coalition is worried for sea life."With the brine and that the outlet pipe will be probably about 400 to 600 metres from the spawning aggregation," he said.With the SA election to be held on March 20, the group says it will target key coastal and River Murray seats.The water coalition plans to lobby governments and to hold a water summit later in the year.Tags: environment, conservation, government-and-politics, elections, states-and-territories, lifestyle-and-leisure, rivers, water, marine-parks, murraydarling-basin, sa, adelaide-5000, murray-bridge-5253, port-augusta-5700, port-lincoln-5606, port-pirie-5540, whyalla-5600

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/19/2630413.htm?section=australia