EXPERT
COMMENT
Media and
Communications
Tel. +61 3 9925 3176
Fax +61 3 9662 2739
MELBOURNE
BRUNSWICK
BUNDOORA
FISHERMAN’S BEND
POINT COOK
HAMILTON
HO CHI MINH CITY
HANOI
-- Expert comment on World Water Day --
With doubts emerging about how much water will flow to Melbourne from the north-
south pipeline, and the city’s water storages dropping to 29.9 per cent, World
Water Day this Sunday (22 March) has extra meaning for all Victorians.
This year’s theme is “Shared Water – Shared Opportunities”, with a special focus
on transboundary waters.
How can we better manage our water supplies in areas like the Murray, which
involve more than one state?
What can we do about the increasing salinity in the Murray River?
How can we efficiently transport and store our water?
How can we better manage the use of bore water?
How can we make recycled water more palatable to householders?
What are the economic and environmental impacts of pumping water from
Queensland’s flood areas to drought-ravaged areas in the south of the continent?
Should Victoria pump water from Tasmania to top up its supplies?
Are desalination plants viable?
RMIT University’s Professor John Buckeridge is an expert in natural resource
engineering, environmental ethics and marine biology and palaeobiology.
Professor Buckeridge has written a textbook on engineering ethics, which looks at
the issues surrounding water and sustainability.
The Head of the School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering,
Professor Buckeridge is available for interview on the need to find a balance in the
transboundary water issues that confront Victoria and Australia.
For interviews: RMIT University’s Professor John Buckeridge (03) 9925 2181
or 0438 067 875.
For general media enquiries: RMIT University Media and Communications,
Gosia Kaszubska, (03) 9925 3176 or 0417 510 735.
20 March, 2009
NEWS 
