Jondaryan Shire opts for voluntary survey ...

... and will provide the results to Toowoomba City Council:

[Jondaryan Shire] Council also decided that it will use the same question being put to Toowoomba City residents in their Water Futures poll to be conducted on July 29, along with same material being used to put the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ cases.

The question ‘Do you support the addition of purified, recycled water to Toowoomba’s water supply via Cooby Dam as proposed by the Water Futures project?’ will be posted to residents as a voluntary survey.

The survey will close on Friday July 27 and the results sent to Toowoomba City Council.

Mayor Taylor said while the Toowoomba City Council was under no legal obligation to consider the results of the Jondaryan survey, he “hoped that our residents’ views would be considered.”

See - Jondaryan Shire press release - Shire calls for State help with water - 28 May 2006.

If past indications are any guide, the Yes vote will flounder in Jondaryan Shire.

In January 2006, Jondaryan Shire issued a press release, excerpts from which appear below:

4 January 2006

Jondaryan residents reject recycled drinking water

Jondaryan residents have given the thumbs down to recycled waste water being added to drinking water.

Jondaryan Shire Mayor Peter Taylor said residents were asked their opinion on seven statements regarding supply of reticulated water.

The questions were part of a community satisfaction survey conducted by marketing research firm Market Facts (Qld) in late October 2005.

“Residents were asked how much they agreed or disagreed with the statements on a five point scale. Nearly 80% supported a statement that recycling of waste water was essential, but recycled water should be supplied in ‘purple pipes’ for use on public parks, gardens, playing fields and by industry, and not put back into drinking water. This result shows that there is a long way to go, at least in Jondaryan Shire, before residents would be happy to accept Toowoomba City’s recycling proposal.”

The mayor said that two-thirds of residents agreed that supply of reticulated water was limited and the need to use less water was more important than price.

“Almost half disagreed with the proposition that the price the consumer paid for reticulated water was more important than where the water came from or how it was treated,” he said.

There was a high level of ‘no opinion’ for statements suggesting residents were fully informed on the recycling issues, that Toowoomba water authorities had explored all options and recycling waste water back into reticulated water was essential to meet future demand, and that Jondaryan Shire should reject recycled drinking water from Toowoomba and find its own supply.

“Until Jondaryan Shire is certain it has been fully informed on all the issues and options surrounding recycling, we are unable to take a leading role in informing our residents. The replies in this survey show that public awareness is less than it should be on these issues.”

Source - Jondaryan Shire press release -Jondaryan residents reject recycled drinking water.