More recycled sewage chaos at the Toowoomba City Council ...

Report in the Chronicle today (annotated) highlighting concerns over the Mayor's controversial project.

Clearly, there is a complete lack of unity over the recycled sewage project. Every day more concerns are raised.

Sniping at staff taints future of water project

Toowoomba Mayor Dianne Thorley called for an end to alleged "sniping" at staff as more body blows over the Water Futures Toowoomba project were exchange.

Crs Lyle Shelton, Keith Beer and Graham Barron were attempting to stall what they described as the "premature" publishing of the water book. [Sure it's a waste of $41,000 - but we're looking forward to dissecting it!]

Cr Shelton last night denied any slurs on staff despite claims the draft book was tainted with misinformation.

"I'm saying I don't agree with all the information in there. I certainly don't agree with the analysis of the options that's been done by DNR and our staff - that's not questioning their integrity, it's saying that I have a disagreement." [Many others agree with Councillor Shelton - the analysis of water source options conducted to date is at best inaccurate.]

Cr Shelton accused CH2M Hill of not providing council with all the facts about the recycling processes and the people of Orange Country (sic), USA, in particular that people were unaware they were drinking recycled sewage water.

He also said hospital and industrial waste was not used in recycling processes in Singapore.

"I believe our staff have put the book together in good faith, but I don't agree with the outcomes."

Cr Shelton said he had been behind closed doors with staff before and his own investigations "behind the scenes" continued. [This could get interesting.]

Cr Thorley admitted her intervention was probably inappropriate.

"I'm taking licence because I'm the chair - so shoot me," she said. [Did she really say that?]

Cr Sue Englart had Cr Shelton firmly in her sights as she maintained if there were any major health issues in Orange County it would have hit the headlines before now. [Councillor Shelton's point was that the Council has implied that everyone in Orange County is happily drinking recycled sewage knowing they are doing so - it now seems Orange County officials may not have told residents what they were drinking.]

And she could not believe there were two sets of pipes in Singapore separating kitchen and bath water from sewerage, hospital and industrial wastewater. [Written very slowly for Councillor Englart's benefit - Councillor Shelton is saying that hospital and industrial waste is disposed of in other ways.]

Cr Michele Alroe damned the misinformation that had been circulated and cited a letter written by Cr Shelton to a constituent about underground water supplies. [What about the Council's misinformation campaign? Singapore's desalination plant, Disneyland drinking recycled sewage, pure water going into Cooby dam etc.]

Cr Beer cited the Urban Development Institute of Australia's list of proviso before backing water recycling for drinking including extensive community consultation before a decision is made.

He believed it flew in the face of how Toowoomba City Council had approached the project.

Most councillors agreed the book was a long-overdue answer to the public's pleas for more information. [What is required is independent information and an independent review of water source options - the $41,000 water book won't satisfy this.]

Prime Minister John Howard is yet to rule on Federal Government funding for the $68 million project.

Stay tuned for the next exciting instalment of how a Council works together to properly assess all the water source options for its city and, after extensive consultation with the community and business groups, adopts the most appropriate option for the city.