Feeding the Future...Although Temperate Forests might not feed the future without extensive deforestation and destruction, it can play an extensive role in quenching out thirst for water. Temperate Rainforests enjoy high levels of annual rainfall and are a diverse and vibrant ecosystem, making them more than ideal for water storage. In Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand, extensive networks of water reservoirs, channels and electricity generating stations were constructed in the 20th century to quench the thirst for a water hungry nations and cities.
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Benefits of Water Storage in Temperate Forests |
Temperate Forests offer some of the best locations for water storage. They are usually away from cities, in clean rural areas, resulting in less polluted water, they have a high amount of annual rainfall, they often have rivers running through them, ideal for damming, and they are usually at altitude, making it easier to pump water down to settlements. Because Temperate Forests are such healthy ecosystems, they act as a sort of natural filter for water, reducing the dependency on chemical additives used to improve water safety and quality. Water catchment areas also have to be controlled, meaning that thousands of hectares of forest become protected from logging and industry. These catchments can also generate clean electricity for the grid, with the use of hydroelectric generators. When existing water infrastructure begins to strain, temperate forests can offer a solution, with naturally clean water and power.
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Why is Melbourne's tap water considered the best in the world?
It all starts at the source. For over 100 years, Melbourne's water has been sourced from temperate forests within mountain ranges the states east that have been closed off and highly protected for over a century. This water require very little treatment, so is considered one of the cleanest and safest tap waters in the world. Along with the best water in the world, Melbourne also boasts the best preserved temperate forests in Australia thanks to our strict protection, spanning over 100 years.