New South Wales - State News - December 2007
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Sharp spike in cryptosporidiosis cases AAP; New South Wales, Dec 07
Desal plant costings misleading: Greens AAP; New South Wales, Dec 07
NSW flags $70m climate change projects AAP New South Wales, Dec 07
December 11, 2007 - 1:09PM AAP
A spike in cryptosporidiosis cases in NSW has prompted health authorities to issue a plea for people to avoid using swimming pools if they are recovering from attacks of diarrhoea.
NSW Health said there had been 129 reported cases of cryptosporidiosis in November, compared to 32 cases the previous month.
Caused by a parasitic infection of the intestine, symptoms of cryptosporidiosis include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, fever, nausea and vomiting.
NSW Health communicable diseases director Jeremy McAnulty said there was no specific treatment for the condition, and symptoms could last for a few weeks in some people.
He said risk factors included contact with farm animals, drinking untreated water and swimming.
Dr McAnulty said people who had suffered attacks of diarrhoea should wait two weeks before using swimming pools.
"While there is no common link among most cases, in the past very large outbreaks in NSW have been caused by people swimming in contaminated pools," he said.
"Pools can easily be contaminated by infectious swimmers and so it is vital that people take care not to contaminate pools."
Dr McAnulty warned pool operators to adhere to NSW Health guidelines in cryptosporidium.
He said people should always wash their hands thoroughly, avoid swallowing pool water and should never drink untreated water.
December 8, 2007 - 11:44AM, AAP
Sydney Water and the NSW government are using misleading cost comparisons to justify the construction of Sydney's desalination plant, NSW Greens MP John Kaye says.
Sydney Water plans to turn off the controversial plant, in Sydney's south, only if dam water storage levels reach between 70 and 80 per cent, Fairfax reports.
"If dam storage is at 70 to 80 per cent we will turn the desalination plant off," the Head of Sydney Water Kerry Schott told a public hearing.
The plan comes after the government said it would only build the plant if dam levels fell below 30 per cent.
Dr Kaye said Sydney Water was now saying the desalination plant would be run at full capacity even with dams filling up after recent rainfall.
Sydney's water storage levels have reached almost 60 per cent.
Dr Kaye said Water Utilities Minister Nathan Rees had failed to admit that water from the desalination plant would be much more expensive than from Sydney catchment reservoirs.
"They have deliberately obscured the expenditure on designing and building the desalination plant, while grossly inflating the price of purchasing water from the reservoirs," Dr Kaye said in a statement.
"Comparing the equivalent figures shows that water from the Kurnell desalination plant is between 2.8 and 5.9 times more expensive."
A spokesman for Water Utilities Minister Nathan Rees said the figures had been made public for some time.
"Average water bills would probably rise by $2 per week over a four year period and that's a small price to pay to guarantee water supplies," the spokesman said.
"The long distance forecast is for drier, warmer weather in the face of climate change and facing an increasing population."
December 5, 2007 - 3:44PM, AAP
The NSW government has announced $70 million in funding for two climate change and renewable energy programs.
NSW Premier Morris Iemma said on Wednesday $40 million would be given to a Renewable Energy Development Program, aimed at encouraging new technologies from the drawing board to the market place.
"A low emission future depends on our capacity to generate clean, green energy and this program provides financial backing for new ideas and technologies," Mr Iemma said.
Schools, community centres, town halls and other public buildings would also be able to access a $30 million pool of funding for water and energy saving projects.
Mr Iemma said the two programs would be funded under the $340 million Climate Change Fund, established in July to target water, energy and greenhouse gas emissions savings.
Annually both projects would save 90,000 megawatt-hours of electricity, 96,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, and two billion litres of water, the premier said.