Monday, September 14, 2015

Message for Bushy Park/Glenora community

A message from the Mayor and
Councillors of the
Derwent Valley Council
 

Drinking water service for Bushy Park and Glenora

What is being offered?
TasWater is offering to supply a drinking water service to Bushy Park and Glenora.

Why won’t this offer be available in another few years?

This opportunity is only available due to the need to upgrade the water supply service at Gretna. The treatment plant at Gretna can be built to cater for just Gretna – or if there is enough local support for Bushy Park and Glenora also. Without strong support demonstrated now, TasWater will not consider improving existing water and sewerage services for many years. You would have to organise for your own water supply (and not be able to rely on existing arrangements).

What about Hop Products Australia’s (HPA) existing supply?
HPA no longer wishes to supply this water for domestic purposes as it is untreated and subject to runoff from agricultural catchments which greatly impacts water quality. As a Council, beyond 2016, we will no longer pay for maintenance of the pumps which HPA manages on behalf of the community, for the supply of water to households in Bushy Park and Glenora.

What benefits are there for connecting to a TasWater supply?
  • Access to safe, clean drinking water which meets Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
  • More reliability as TasWater will be responsible for providing water and maintaining infrastructure.
  • Water for firefighting with the installation of fire hydrants.

What will it take for it to go ahead?
The Council has committed to contribute $500,000 towards the cost of the project if it goes ahead. This will reduce your cost of connecting. TasWater will proceed with the project if there is around 80% community support.

What are the costs involved if the project proceeds?
By saying "yes" you are only supporting a supply of water to the area. It does not mean you have to connect to the supply if you support the project and it goes ahead. If you choose to connect, TasWater have said the 2016/2017 costs will be:
  • A service charge of $329.48 per year for every property in the serviced land area (regardless of whether connected).
  • Connection costs - $2,083.50 for a standard residential connection (20mm water pipe) to connect to the system.
  • For those connecting the water charge will be based on the amount of water you use. This is presently $0.9954 per 1000 litres.
  • Internal plumbing works and Council permits.

Do I have to connect straight away?
No, you don’t. But once the system is built and operating, you will have to pay a service charge regardless. This charge covers costs for providing maintaining upgrading plants, dams, reservoirs, pipelines and pump stations. This charge is $329.48 for 2016/2017.

I’m worried I can’t afford the TasWater connection costs
If you wish to connect to a TasWater supply the payment would not be due until the project is under way – about 12-18 months away. If a payment plan was available would this encourage you to connect – provide this information to TasWater as feedback If the project doesn’t go ahead you will need to purchase and install your own rainwater tanks along with the additional plumbing and be reliant on rainfall or purchasing your own water.

How do I record my vote?
Phone surveys will commence in September by a market research company called ORC. If the researcher is unable to contact people via phone, they will be surveyed with a letter. The feedback TasWater receives from these phone surveys will determine whether there is around 80 per cent support for the project.

My phone number is a mobile number, how will the market research company contact me?
Every effort will be made to contact you. However, if you have an unlisted phone number, you are encouraged to contact Miriam Rule, Community Engagement Officer at TasWater, to record your details. Call 6237 8852 or email miriam.rule@taswater.com.au.

Want to know more?
http://www.yoursay.taswater.com.au/bushy-park-and-glenora-water-supply-opportunity

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Monthly meeting this Thursday

THE monthly council meeting for September will be held at New Norfolk this Thursday night, starting at 6.30pm and you are very welcome to join us. If you would like any assistance or information about the meeting, please do get in touch.

The meeting agenda is available online and in hardcopy from the council chambers. The agenda document has taken on a new format under the new general manager and will undergo some fine tuning in the coming months.

 The council meeting roster for the rest of the year is as follows:

  • 17 September 2015 - New Norfolk Courthouse 6.30pm
  • 15 October 2015 - Maydena School Hall 7pm (community forum 6.30pm)
  • 19 November 2015 - New Norfolk Courthouse 6.30pm
  • (Monday) 14 December 2015 - New Norfolk Courthouse 6.30pm

Monday, September 7, 2015

TasWater media release

Your say on proposed water supply for
Bushy Park/Glenora closes soon

Bushy Park and Glenora property owners are being urged to give serious consideration to the future of their water supply options as TasWater continues its community consultation into the extension of a reticulated water system to the area.

The proposal is to connect Bushy Park and Glenora to a pipeline from Lake Fenton which is being built to improve the supply to nearby Gretna, overcoming long standing problems with the quality of drinking water in the town.

TasWater CEO Michael Brewster says the new pipeline’s proximity provides the ideal opportunity to now offer Bushy Park and Glenora the chance to be connected to the TasWater reticulation network.

So far several community information sessions hosted by TasWater have gained a good level of support from locals who have attended but many more residents need to assess what water sources they plan to access in the future if a TasWater supply is not extended to the Bushy Park and Glenora community.

The Derwent Valley Council has committed $500,000 to the project but again, contingent on community support. Council has also advised that beyond 2016, it will no longer pay for maintenance of the pumps which Hop Producers Australia (HPA) manages on behalf of the community to supply water to households in Bushy Park and Glenora.

Likewise HPA no longer wishes to supply this water for domestic purposes as it is untreated and subject to runoff from agricultural catchments which greatly impacts water quality. TasWater is prepared to introduce a drinking water supply to Bushy Park and Glenora if there is around 80 per cent community support.

While committed to the project, its go ahead hinges on support from residents. Given the demands placed upon TasWater resources to improve water and sewerage services across the state, it may be many years before the opportunity is revisited if the community chooses not to back the proposal this time round.

Property owners are reminded that support for the new water system does not mean they must connect. TasWater acknowledges that as the connection cost of $2083.50 (current estimate) may mean that some property owners are reluctant to commit, it will consider a payment plan.

“A new water scheme will bring many benefits to Bushy Park and Glenora including safe, clean drinking water which meets Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. TasWater will be responsible for providing water and maintaining infrastructure as well as providing a reliable supply of water for firefighting with the installation of fire hydrants,” TasWater’s CEO, Michael Brewster said.

Mr Brewster said that it will offer security of water supply for now and future generations TasWater’s next step in gauging community support is a phone survey due to take place in September.

“The community of Bushy Park and Glenora must make an important decision on whether to accept a TasWater supplied drinking water service and I appeal to all property owners to carefully consider their decision during the survey period.”

Over the next three years TasWater is planning to spend around $330 million dollars in upgrading water and sewerage services across Tasmania. “Gretna is scheduled to benefit from our infrastructure spending along with Ouse and Hamilton which have just recently connected to a new water treatment plant. It would be great if Bushy Park and Glenora could join these other Derwent Valley communities in receiving a safe and reliable water supply.”

Information about this project is available by contacting Community Relations Officer Miriam Rule on 6237 8852.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Council notice

Childhood Immunisation Sessions

Temporary Change of Venue


For a four month period commencing 23 September 2015, Council’s free childhood immunisation sessions will be trialing a change of location from the Community Health Building, lower level, New Norfolk District Hospital to Ptnuarra (Derwent Valley Child and Family Centre) located at 52 Blair Street, New Norfolk.
These sessions will continue to be held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 2.00pm – 2.30pm.
Following the trial period, a follow up advertisement will advise of a permanent venue for 2016. For further information contact the Immunisation Co-ordinator Laura Minton on 6261 8530.
Greg Winton
GENERAL MANAGER