The value of fresh, clean water

As local governments start to plan the strategies and policy settings needed to meet the inevitable challenges of climate change rising sea water levels, drier-harsher weather and increased frequency of storm events there is a very real need to review the value we place on clean water.

We have seen in Australia in the past 12 months an awakening within local communities of the need to preserve those parts of our world we depend on. Green house gas concentrations have finally been recognised as being of pre-eminent importance for our economic well being. To date though we seem to have been a bit slow to realise that the availability of fresh, clean water is of at least the same economic value.

At a local level, we need positive measures that reward development improves rather than degrades the quality of our waterways. Local management regimes should improve not just maintain.

Our urban landscape, with its artificial rocky terrain (roads, roofs etc), grime, dirt and contaminants has placed enormous stress on these rivulets of life. The natural, fresh water systems of Warringah provide great utility and value to our community, wasting this precious resource is economic insanity.

Its time we worked together on a policy framework that rewards local development improve the quality of our water systems.

See our policies at We Love Warringah