the federal Treasurer has called for desalination plants to be built around the country.

Peter Costello says desalination may be energy-intensive but it is also a proven technology that Australia should embrace to boost urban water supplies.

the State Government would not need to build the desalination plant if more money had been invested in water infrastructure upgrades in the past.

you don't even look at desalination until you've done as much as you can on recycling.

desalination plants should only be seen as the last resort.

People who live in our capital cities use enormous quantities of water every day, over 300 litres for Melburnians

Until we reduce that water consumption then we're not getting to the crux of the problem

rainwater tanks are more than five times as energy efficient as a desalination plant

There's a very big saving in putting in rainwater tanks instead of infrastructure

Currently 17 per cent of Australian households have installed them.