Email letter from Dr Peter Klinke, a Victoria Medical Specialist in Cardiology to Minister Barry Penner – September 15th 2009.
I have followed the issue of sewage discharge in Victoria with interest and increasing concern regarding the lack of proven benefits and the continually increasing projected costs.
I am neither a marine scientist nor a biologist but have extensive experience in clinical research in medicine and have published in major peer review journals and also review papers for a major international cardiology journal.
The issues from my perspective are: Marine health, Public (human health) and perception by the public/press. It is clear that we do not have good data indicating that the marine environment in the two outfall areas is significantly harmed. This has been discussed extensively by credible scientists at the University of Victoria.
Both the present and previous Chief Medical Health Officers for the Capital Regional District area have stated that there is no risk to the public with the current sewage disposal but that the main issue is our aging sewer and runoff systems which overflow following heavy rains.
This leaves us with the perception created by a small group of activists and one clown in a costume, that we are swimming in an ocean full of feces. Of course the local and international press will jump on this as a story of interest. Therefore the issue of sewage treatment arose mainly as an issue of our public image. There is no evidence that this has impacted Victoria’s ability to attract people and business.
Of course if the costs of changing our present methods of sewage treatment were minimal there would be no controversy, but with the expected costs in excess of two billion dollars and the likelihood of the local communities having to absorb most of this cost, we must be absolutely sure we are getting value for our money.
There is no rush!!!
We need to make sure that we have a problem before we apply a very expensive fix.
There is an old saying in medical research---association is not causation and that observational data is compromised by unknown confounders.
I am concerned as a private citizen and as a scientist that we get this right.
Peter W. Klinke M.D.