Drought
Oct 29th 2006 | 1:27 pm
#46
has lost The Game
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,735
From: Chippendale, Sydney
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by Gibbo
Most of the new suburbs around the Hills Districts have recycled water - so no restrictions for them. Most homes years ago had water tanks, no mains water, but then Councils in the city suburbs banned them, for reasons only known to themselves, Wouldn't say there was any paranoia about using grey or rain water.
S
Oct 29th 2006 | 2:24 pm
#47
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,399
From: Hills District
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by Swerv-o
So why has the NSW fire Union instructed its members not to use grey water? I can't think of a much bigger waste than pumping lovely fresh drinking water onto a fire. Hell, you could even use sea water if it came to it.
S
S
Oct 29th 2006 | 2:36 pm
#48
Oiiii.. You slaggg!
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,209
From: Brisbaneshire
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by jad n rich
Our old codger neighbour, ex grazier sold about 2 zillion acres as they do, but did it 3 years ago, he claims if he did it now he wouldnt have been able to sell it, its basically worthless now.
You know why its not taken as that serious, how many people have seen any drought land ?? Were discussing this on here, but how many people here are even aware what the wheat belts and stock properties look like, I bet very very few. Many poeple think no rain is good, define it as great weather
umm little trip out west needed perhaps.
Now food has started to rise to such an extent people cant help but notice it there is a bit of media, it seems it only concerns people if it affects their pocket.
I reckon most city folk, aussies included need a bit of a tour out west and a bit of a ponder on where the next lot of meat and wheat is going to come from :scared:
Australias got about 21 m population, only a tiny portion of that live more than 2 hours from the few major cities. Probably a bit harsh but do 20 million mr and mrs legolands awating arrival of their new plasma TV really care whats happening to the few on the land? Any concern seems to be more "can I fill my swimming pool" rather than a deep understanding of what this will do to the economy.
You know why its not taken as that serious, how many people have seen any drought land ?? Were discussing this on here, but how many people here are even aware what the wheat belts and stock properties look like, I bet very very few. Many poeple think no rain is good, define it as great weather
umm little trip out west needed perhaps.Now food has started to rise to such an extent people cant help but notice it there is a bit of media, it seems it only concerns people if it affects their pocket.
I reckon most city folk, aussies included need a bit of a tour out west and a bit of a ponder on where the next lot of meat and wheat is going to come from :scared:
Australias got about 21 m population, only a tiny portion of that live more than 2 hours from the few major cities. Probably a bit harsh but do 20 million mr and mrs legolands awating arrival of their new plasma TV really care whats happening to the few on the land? Any concern seems to be more "can I fill my swimming pool" rather than a deep understanding of what this will do to the economy.
Oct 29th 2006 | 5:53 pm
#49
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,909
From: Oz -> UK -> San Diego
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by ozzieeagle
Ballarat has been on stage 4 restrictions for about 15 months. ..........Nothing the Government has come up with in this town has worked so far.
How about compost toilets? That would save quite a lot of water! I know, sounds gross......
Oct 29th 2006 | 6:04 pm
#50
has lost The Game
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,735
From: Chippendale, Sydney
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by Ozzidoc
How about compost toilets? That would save quite a lot of water! I know, sounds gross......
On the plus side, you can place a methane digester on the top, and produce your own gas for cooking, heating, BBQ's etc.
See, this self sufficiency thing is so easy, you can call me Tom Good!
S
Oct 29th 2006 | 6:20 pm
#51
Melbourne Australia
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,169
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by Wol
The "trick" is to use a humidistat in parallel with the thermostat. You don't need to run the A/C - and I'm not talking evaporative here - for long to get excess watervapour out of the air and then even 80'F becomes comfortable. It's the humidity which most people find unpleasant.
By switching the A/C through a humidistat, leaving the thermostat wound up as far as it'll go, you save 60% or so of your electricity bills, create a more comfortable house and don't hve the problems associated with very low interior humidity.
By switching the A/C through a humidistat, leaving the thermostat wound up as far as it'll go, you save 60% or so of your electricity bills, create a more comfortable house and don't hve the problems associated with very low interior humidity.
Oct 29th 2006 | 6:21 pm
#52
Member of Mumo-land
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 771
From: DownUnder
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by Gibbo
Think you'd have to ask them that question.
they do scoop it up out of the sea - i've seen them do it.
Oct 29th 2006 | 6:31 pm
#53
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,316
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by Swerv-o
So why has the NSW fire Union instructed its members not to use grey water? I can't think of a much bigger waste than pumping lovely fresh drinking water onto a fire. Hell, you could even use sea water if it came to it.
S
S
Sea water should only be used as a last resort for a number of reasons: it would need filtering before going into a tanker, it rusts the tanker and salty water is no good for foam production. Obviously on bush fires the water is taken from wherever it can be found (typically dams) but towns water if necessary.
Oct 29th 2006 | 6:33 pm
#54
has lost The Game
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,735
From: Chippendale, Sydney
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by MartinLuther
The main reason is probably the safety of the firefighters. Typically you would only get grey water near houses and in a house fire you need a reliable reticulated source of water (i.e. the town's supply). I'm sure if the town supply failed they would resort to a grey water if available (although they would be more likely to use a swimming pool or a dam in this case).
S
Oct 29th 2006 | 6:36 pm
#55
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by MartinLuther
salty water is no good for foam production.
Heh... You've never been to the Isle of Sheppey have you
Oct 29th 2006 | 6:42 pm
#56
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,066
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by Swerv-o
But is there any reason that grey water can't be used from the fire tender?
S
S
In a big fire they said there was little chance due to the sheer heat of the fire in major westerly winds igniting things by combustion alone before the flames even touched. We have seen such a fire up the mountains near us and as the flames were about 100ft high and like a pure orange wall think we will work on the old Monty Python adage of run away run away.
Lots of info on bush fire preparedness on http://www.fire.qld.gov.au/community...re/default.asp
On the meat front did anyone see that programme where the woman went to Peru to meet her fathers family who she had never met due to growing up in Aus. After a few days she was eating Guinea Pig the local delicacy despite being vegetarian. Are we allowed Guinea Pigs here if the price of meat gets bad it's an option.
Oct 29th 2006 | 6:43 pm
#57
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by annqldau
On the meat front did anyone see that programme where the woman went to Peru to meet her fathers family who she had never met due to growing up in Aus. After a few days she was eating Guinea Pig the local delicacy despite being vegetarian. Are we allowed Guinea Pigs here if the price of meat gets bad it's an option.
Yehp, definitely my kids have had a few of those. They taste a hell of a lot like Koalas as well
Oct 29th 2006 | 8:36 pm
#58
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 46
Re: Drought
Hi Folks,
Surely there is only one answer why the the hell dont the local governments build desalination plants which turns sea water in to drinking water in each state where the droughts are then fill the reservoirs from these plants.
FANCYFELLA AND THE TRIBE
P.S.YOULL NEVER WALK ALONE
Surely there is only one answer why the the hell dont the local governments build desalination plants which turns sea water in to drinking water in each state where the droughts are then fill the reservoirs from these plants.
FANCYFELLA AND THE TRIBE
P.S.YOULL NEVER WALK ALONE
Oct 29th 2006 | 9:05 pm
#59
has lost The Game
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,735
From: Chippendale, Sydney
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by fancyfella
Hi Folks,
Surely there is only one answer why the the hell dont the local governments build desalination plants which turns sea water in to drinking water in each state where the droughts are then fill the reservoirs from these plants.
FANCYFELLA AND THE TRIBE
P.S.YOULL NEVER WALK ALONE
Surely there is only one answer why the the hell dont the local governments build desalination plants which turns sea water in to drinking water in each state where the droughts are then fill the reservoirs from these plants.
FANCYFELLA AND THE TRIBE
P.S.YOULL NEVER WALK ALONE
To desalinate water you need to either electrolyse the salt out, producing sodium and chlorine, or distill the pure water from the saline water producing salt.
Unfortunately, both of these methods are not very efficient, requiring large amounts of energy to be useful. Australia does have plenty of sunshine though - it strikes me that [a major] part of the power requirment could be drawn from solar furnaces running during the day, or just during the sunnier months to pump and fill the reservoirs.
Problem is, if you start a massive move towards solar energy like that, then you'll risk upsetting the miners union, and probably the coal power stations union, the coal users board of Australia, The board of Australian coal users, The Australian federation of coal power users, state govenments, which will (on principle) oppose the federal government, not to mention the fact that you would need certificate IV in solar power maintenance and the Certificate III in urban aqua desalinisation blah-de-blah-de-blah
Probably easier to just leave things as they are and learn how to do rain dances or something...
S
Oct 29th 2006 | 11:39 pm
#60
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,316
Re: Drought
Originally Posted by ozzieeagle
Heh... You've never been to the Isle of Sheppey have you
I took a boat from the Isle of Sheppey to Vlissingen once. Nice 6 hour crossing, smooth as a mill pond won lots of money playing cards and led the dancing in the on-board disco. Everyone was just sitting around the dance floor until me pissed-as-fart decided to strut my stuff. It got decidedly crowded then. Met a nice girl from Croatia.
Last edited by MartinLuther; Oct 30th 2006 at 12:03 am.
