BIG-SPENDING election promises aimed at fixing the country’s water shortage could make the crisis worse, an academic warns.

Both Labor and the Coalition have pledged billions of dollars for numerous projects from fixing leaky pipes and water pipelines to constructing recycling and desalination plants.

THE competition watchdog is to clamp down on marketing schemes that claim all sorts of “green” benefits, including those associated with carbon credits.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will check the authenticity of several green marketing products after receiving a growing number of complaints.

ACCC commissioner John Martin said the consumer protection provisions of the Trade Practices Act still applied to green marketing claims, irrespective of whether business was promoting “green” motor vehicles, “green” flights or “green” toilet paper.

“In light of the growing number of complaints, the ACCC is taking a closer look at a number of the green claims that are being made at the moment,” he said, addressing a conference.

“All businesses need to ensure they are not misleading their customers with such claims.”

Mr Martin said many people incorrectly believed green marketing referred solely to the promotion or advertising of products with environmental characteristics.

“Terms like ‘phosphate-free’, ‘recyclable’, ‘eco-friendly’, ‘ozone friendly’ and ‘environmentally friendly’ are terms consumers have in the past associated with green marketing,” he said.

LABOR has pledged $1 billion to help fund water desalination plants, water recycling and storm water capture in Australia’s major cities, claiming the Government has washed its hands of the water crisis.

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd, who has attacked the Government’s $10 billion Murray-Darling Basin plan for failing to deal with water supplies for the 18 million people who live in big cities, said he rejected Treasurer Peter Costello’s contention that meeting the urban water crisis was a job for the states.