With the State election due at the end of next year, the battlelines are being drawn in the political war over Victoria’s controversial North-South pipeline.

The new Pipeline represents all that is divisive in the political argument over water.

The Pipeline will divert 75 billion litres of water to Melbourne when it opens next year. But experts say our water reserves are dwindling, with Lake Eildon down to 18 per cent of capacity.

With the surrounding water reserves in northern Victoria extremely low and little prospect of big rainfalls over the next few months, serious questions are being asked about whether the savings are really there.

The Opposition claims that it is not clear that the Government will ever achieve the water savings that it claims that will provide the water for the Pipeline, without stripping water out of the Murray Darling system.

Other commentators say that the North South Pipeline has been presented as the solution to all our problems.

The Greens in Victoria say it will take 75 gigalitres every year out of the Goulburn and pump it into Eildon Weir. Good in theory if the water is there, they say.

The man in the middle – Water Minister Tim Holding – is spearheading the Pipeline project for the Government. He is one of the Brumby Government’s top ministers and his profile was lifted considerably recently when he was lost – and then found by rescuers - in Victoria’s alpine wilderness.

He was missing for two nights after going on a solo hike at Mount Feathertop, the second highest peak in Victoria.

Mr Holding might have stepped of a dangerous alpine peak only to find himself in the midst of bad political weather.

The powers that the State Government needs to pump water through the Pipe have been blocked in the Upper House by the Opposition, Greens and the DLP – all aligning themselves against the Government.

It has developed into a Mexican stand-off over the water to Melbourne. The Government refuses to budge and says they will guarantee water through the Pipeline for at least the first year.

The Opposition parties say the Pipeline is a white elephant and say the Government has squandered billions of dollars in big infrastructure projects at the peril of other more sensible water saving options such as rain water harvesting and recycled water.

What will happen next?

One thing is sure. Water politics is shaping up as a key issue at next year’s State election – and the divisive fight over our water will continue beyond our waterways all the way to the ballot box.

WHAT’S YOUR OPINION?

Do you think the State has acted well enough to deal with our low water levels?

Will their plans solve our water issues?

Should we use recycled water?