Magazine - Cup Track Running Dry

By Editor in Racing / Equestrian on 3rd Nov 2008 21:00

With Melbourne Cup fever running high and Flemington Racecourse facing its busiest time of the year, the Victorian opposition has warned the famous racetrack is running dry.

Liberal racing spokesman Denis Napthine said the future of the racecourse as a racing venue was in jeopardy because of the government's failure to help secure a long-term alternative water supply. "Time is running out for Flemington because its exemption from water restrictions in Melbourne, which allows drinking water to be used on the racecourse, expires in December," Dr Napthine said.

"This has serious economic implications and puts 3,000 jobs at risk." Water supply options had been in limbo since January, he said, when the federal government scrapped a $5 million Howard government grant to assist the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) to develop and secure alternative water supplies using either tapped, treated or recycled water from a nearby sewer.

Another option was to build a localised desalination plant to utilise underground saline water. "This funding would have helped reduce the use of potable water at Flemington by 70 per cent within three years, saving 350 megalitres of fresh drinking water each year. That's enough water for about 1,700 average households," Dr Napthine said.

He said he believed the decision to withdraw the funding was "absurd". "It beggars belief not only that the Rudd government failed to see this project as a priority, but that the Brumby government has ignored this opportunity to save large volumes of potable water.

"At a time when we are all adhering to the Brumby government's water restrictions, Flemington finds a water-saving solution but the Labor Party turns it back." The racecourse requires more than 475 megalitres of water a year to maintain the track and facilities for high-standard racing.

The State Government has again exempted Flemington racecourse from water restrictions. The Victoria Racing Club is planning to build a water recycling plant to tap a sewer near the racecourse, but does not expect to have a tender prepared until February. The course's exemption from the state's water restrictions will expire in December, pushing the case for an extension as the Government considers its water restriction settings for summer.

Energy and Resources Minister Peter Batchelor said he believed Flemington was well progressed with a feasibility study to secure its water supplies, but the Government would work with the VRC if an extension was required.

Mr Batchelor would not rule out stage 4 restrictions, which would prohibit the watering of gardens or lawns at any time.

Source & More: news.smh.com.au

Read more articles in Racing / Equestrian, by Editor or from November 2008.