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What is the answer to Australia's growing water shortage problem? Queensland's Toowoomba residents are about to find out, as the council seriously considers one of its less popular options.

7.30 Report (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

REPORTER: The answer, according to Toowoomba's mayor, Di Thorley, lies here at the expanding Wurtulla sewage treatment plant just north of the city. After going through filters, the council is proposing the water be put through a complex membrane in a process known as reverse osmosis. This technology is already in use at a water treatment plant in Brisbane for producing distilled water used in industry.

After working on a water-recycling project in California, chemical engineer, Dr Greg Leslie, is advising Toowoomba Council.

DR GREG LESLIE, UNESCO CENTRE FOR MEMBRANE SCIENCE: Reverse osmosis works by forcing water molecules across a dense plastic film. And things like salt and pharmaceuticals can't dissolve into the plastic the same way that the water does.

The use of membranes to treat water to this standard is a good form of drought management.

REPORTER: Dr Leslie explains that after reverse osmosis, the water would go through a third barrier involving ultraviolet light and peroxide, eventually providing the city with a quarter of its water supply.

Once the water is considered to be pure enough to drink, it will be blended with the surface water here at Cooby Dam. Now, the water here at the moment is quite hard - it has a very high mineral content - but the council says the introduction of the softer recycled water will improve considerably the overall quality of this dam water.

REPORTER: How safe is the water after it has gone through those three steps?

DR GREG LESLIE: It's very, very safe. There really is no doubt about the safety of the water at that point by using a whole range of measures.

But many of the Toowoomba residents strongly oppose the idea of drinking treated sewage.

Let us know what you think by answering the poll question below: ?In regard to drinking sewage treated using the 3 purification stages, would you?

In regard to drinking treated sewerage (the 3 purification stages);, would you: single choice
	Rather find some other water source, such as buying a rainwater tank or buying bottled water
	Reluctantly drink it out of duty
	Drink it happily while wondering what all the fuss is about
Votes accepted starting: 01/01/70 12:00 AM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

If they measure the water and maintain the filters why not?

I know that the reverse osmosis is a very good water treatment method and UV I believe kills about everything bacterial wise so I feel that if it is implemented correctly there should not be a problem at all.

I'm a Manager at a Water Utility, and was previously a tech in the Sewage Treatment Group.

There is no issue with this other than people's yuch factor.

I wouldn't hesitate to drink it.

Regards,

Blacknad.

There is likely no drop of water on this planet that wasn't used by something, somewhere, at some point in time, as a toilet.

People need to grow up and stop acting like middle-school children laughing about natural body functions. This is the no different.

Those that don't wish to drink it are welcome to exit the gene pool ... stage left.

The Capitol of Namibia (Windhoek) has been using such water for decades. The beer they make is very well liked in Southern Africa. It has been tested by so many kidneys that it must be the best!