Toowoomba Regional Council doubles the price of water ...
“Council has had to make some tough decisions about water in this year’s budget. Water access charges for people on Toowoomba’s bulk water supply will double. The half-yearly fee of $160 per connection will go to $320, to help fund the pipeline."
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“In addition water consumption costs will be increased to $1.50 per kilolitre (KL) from 80 cents per kilolitre for those consuming less than 100KL/half year (100 kilolitres/half year equates to approx 220 litres/person/day assuming 2.5 people per household) and from $1.50/KL to $2.90/KL for those using more than 100KL/half year."
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See - Toowoomba Regional Council - Water prices doubled.
A new profit centre ...
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 9:48 AM
10 Comments:
Don't worry, Toowoomba Regional Council Councillors will still get their salary increases and gourmet sandwiches.
10:05 AM, July 28, 2009
And they still will not answer the phone.
The Council office are not allowed to give out their mobile numbers so that we can get in touch with the elected members.
We pay more and get much , much less.
There is no difference between them and the Thorley camp because she would not speak to the people and this lot are the same.
Deputy Mayor Antonio had a go on the ABC radio at the "disrupting influences" some people coursed in the past and went on to say that he will make sure we have water security in the future but he did not say that it will happen at any cost.
Their is no difference. Losers!
We get to shell out more hard earned money while they seem fit to water flowers to bring thousands of more people here in September to use lots more of our expensive water.
11:54 AM, July 28, 2009
Happy birthday to all who fought for liberty and equality - by rejecting recycled water into our drinking supplies on that great day - 29 th July 2006
8:35 PM, July 28, 2009
And who said that Peter Taylor can't make the hard decisions? I'm sure he will increase rates and charges anytime he deems it necessary. Golden handshakes? No problems. $2million wasted on a fully equipped salty bore? No problems. Councillor salaries at the highest end of the range? No problems. Anything else he and his TRC mates want - no problems.
I thought he has National Party origins - seems more like ALP origins to me.
9:35 PM, July 28, 2009
How much would you pay for water infrastructure. Pipelines don't grow on trees you know.
12:17 AM, July 29, 2009
This region could be streets ahead with all the money and time that was wasted over the last 3 years because we had an engineer who was bloody minded about us having processed sewage and the council just kept spending money to educate us on that terrible unsafe processs.
The valuable time and politicking could have been more productive and they could have worked with the community NOT against it.
How do they justify watering flowers with such expensive water?
8:09 AM, July 29, 2009
Taylor and his gutless councillors couldn't even fight the state and federal govt for funding. What a pathetic bunch of overpaid useless councillors.
9:10 AM, July 29, 2009
ABC News:
Toowoomba water charges double
By Stephanie Smail
29 July 2009
The Local Government Association of Queensland says the Toowoomba Regional Council's new water charges regime is out of step with the rest of south-east Queensland.
As part of yesterday's budget, Darling Downs' residents will pay an extra $320 in water access costs, doubling the charge to $640 a year.
The council says the increased payment will help pay for infrastructure like the Wivenhoe-Cressbrook dam pipeline but future water rate rises will be small.
Greg Hoffman from the local government association says most other local councils are increasing water access rates over three years to cushion the blow.
"But in some respects it happens one year and it's behind the ratepayers in that respect, so it's a two-edged sword whichever way you go ultimately the full costs have to be paid by the consumers under the new arrangements," he said.
Mr Hoffman says recent rate rises across the state are a result of councils trying to cope with the cost of building new infrastructure and it could continue for years.
"It's a serious problem and it's been exacerbated with the withdrawal of significant State Government subsidies of water and sewerage for councils in the coming years, so let's hope it's not of this magnitude but there are possibilities that these level of increases will occur for the next couple of years," he said.
9:40 AM, July 29, 2009
The Chronicle:
Water fees set to double
Jim Campbell
29 July 2009
KEITH Dunlop knows he will have to “dig deep” to find the money to cover yesterday’s rates hike.
The Middle Ridge pensioner said he expected water charges to increase, but not by 100 per cent.
Water access charges for residents on Toowoomba’s bulk water supply will double.
The half-yearly fee of $160 per connection will go to $320 to help fund the pipeline from Wivenhoe Dam to Lake Cressbrook.
Water consumption costs will also increase from 80 cents to $1.50 per kilolitre for those consuming less than 100KL/ half year and from $1.50/KL to $2.80/KL for those using more than 100KL/half year.
Mr Dunlop said his water access charges had increased from $132 five years ago to $320 this year.
“We were forewarned that we would be stung by a much larger water charge, but I was a bit surprised that it has doubled,” he said.
“I thought it might have increased 50 per cent.”
Mr Dunlop said he and his wife Dawn would have to “prune” their finances to cope with the cost increase.
“As pensioners, we’re going to have to dig deep to find that money,” he said.
“We just have to accept it. We really can’t do anything about it.”
Water Services portfolio leader Paul Antonio said people relying on Toowoomba’s bulk water supply would be hardest hit.
“Along with the State Government, council has bitten the bullet and taken the hard decisions to ensure a sustainable future for this region,” Cr Antonio said.
“The cost of the pipeline, coupled with investments in contingency bore water supplies, has been reflected in significant increases in water connection and consumption charges for those connected to the Toowoomba water supply scheme.
“Meanwhile, ratepayers on other regional supplies will face increased water consumption costs in line with increased infrastructure and pumping costs in those areas.”
The Wivenhoe pipeline is set to start pumping into Lake Cressbrook from early next year.
Council has changed the way ratepayers will be billed for their general and water rates.
All general rate notices will be sent out in mid-August while water rate notices will be sent out to all ratepayers in mid-November.
The water access charge will now be included in the water rate notices instead of being on the general rates notice.
9:42 AM, July 29, 2009
Council elected members phone numbers are on display on the website.
http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=3&Itemid=15
10:29 AM, July 29, 2009
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