Council committee meetings - 21/22 February ...

Some interesting discussion issues coming up at the Council's committee meetings this week:

Greywater use in sewered areas

Council is set to refuse to allow Toowoomba households to install facilities for reusing greywater.

Council thinks the costs to households of greywater installations will make the option of "bucketing" (from the laundry or bathroom) more attractive to many of those who are interested in using grey water.

Of more interest, "full greywater use results in a significant reduction in the discharge to sewer and hence would reduce the amount available for recycling".

So, no greywater use for households because the Council is still holding onto the idea that it can recycle sewage for drinking.

Water Futures Toowoomba Water Book

Produced at a cost to ratepayers of $41,000, Toowoomba residents will soon receive a copy of the A5 sized book.

Reason for the book - as "people's views about water must be guided by the best information possible so that sound judgements could be made".

Almost sounds like independent assessment but I'm sure the Council doesn't mean that.

Apparently the draft presented to Councillors for these meetings "is a draft document and is not suitable for public distribution".

The draft has certainly been tossed around:

20 October 2005 - first draft presented to Advisory Panel
21 October 2005 - first draft distributed to Councillors
12 January 2006 - second draft distributed to Advisory Panel
18 January 2006 - second draft distributed to Councillors
21/22 February 2006 - revised draft presented to Councillors

Can't wait to dissect this one when it arrives!

If you don't like the book, you can always put a "Toowoomba's drinking water - no recycled sewage" sticker on it and send it back to Council.

Results of endocrine disrupting chemical testing in Toowoomba waters and wastewaters

Council employee Alan Kleinschmidt will update the committee on testing he has done, presumably on dam water.

This should be interesting - looks like the Council has been forced into defensive mode - expect more explanations which justify the Council pursuing recycled sewage for drinking.

See - Council still thinks recycled sewage will work.