SUPPORT for this community to have the debate we have so far avoided - namely, whether we should drink recycled water in Bendigo, is continuing to grow as more community leaders confirm their support for the concept.

Past chairman of Coliban Water, Gordon McKern, yesterday declared his position of support when approached by The Advertiser, as did Mayor David Jones and prominent businessman Graeme Sloan.

That the outgoing Coliban Water managing director and his former chairman have now come out in support of recycled water only adds more weight to the need for this community to have the debate over whether or not we should add recycled water to our potable supply.

While up to 4000 megalitres of recycled water is available for use on our sports grounds and public gardens, little more than one third of this figure is being put to use due to the constraints of the system and the costs to expand the necessary infrastructure.

Regardless of what we do, clearly we must do more to utilise more of this precious water for the benefit of the community.

The debate on recycled water needs to be held, responsibly, inclusively, informatively and respectfully.

The theatrics and scaremongering that accompanied Toowoomba’s experiences of recent times should not be welcomed in this community, and we would hope that if anything can be learned from the regional Queensland city’s campaign, it is that this is too important an issue for fantasy to cloud the debate.