The 4350water Blog highlights some of the issues relating to proposals for potable reuse in Toowoomba and South East Qld. 4350water blog looks at related political issues as well.
16 November 2009
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 6:33 AM
For many years, the 4350water blog has informed readers of plans by the Toowoomba City Council (now Toowoomba Regional Council) and the Qld government to introduce recycled water for drinking in Toowoomba. It has also looked at the issue from a State and Federal perspective and dealt with related State and Federal political issues. There continues to be a need for the Toowoomba Regional Council to be completely transparent in its dealings with the ratepayers and residents of Toowoomba. There also continues to be a need for open debate on the benefits and risks of potable reuse and long-term studies on the effects on humans of drinking recycled water. Coal seam gas water is emerging as a possible alternate water source for some uses for the region. The 4350water blog is a collective effort and thanks go to its many contributors.
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5 Comments:
The community needs to ask questions of the Mayor and CEO and find out if there is another supplier of water to our region.
If they have a monopoly on the water supply then it would seem grossly unfair that they can just double the charges.
They also need to make it clear what this extra money is for.
I believe that every-one should ask these questions and see what the answer is.
7:23 AM, November 18, 2009
That's funny. You know there isn't. Unfair is unfair - live with it.
9:22 AM, November 18, 2009
The Chronicle:
Water charges complaints a dribble
18th November 2009
MAYOR Peter Taylor said yesterday he had not been inundated with a flood of complaints over the doubling of water rates.
He might have been expecting to deal with angry ratepayers after they received bills with a $320 access charge (up from $160) and consumption at $1.50 a kilolitre (up from 80 cents).
He would be the first in line to cop abuse after Water Services portfolio leader Paul Antonio left the country for a New Zealand holiday the day after notices were sent.
“People need to ring us up and come and see us if they have difficulty paying their bill,” he said.
“I’ve gone to a pensioner’s house and sat in her living room and worked out how she can pay her rates.”
But Cr Taylor said he hadn’t been inundated with complaints.
“I haven’t had a mass flood,” he said.
It seems The Chronicle has been inundated instead with angry SMSers, letter writers and callers upset about the large fee hikes.
Self-funded retiree Tony Jarrett, who spoke out against his water rates bill in The Chronicle on Monday, has become somewhat of a celebrity.
He has been charged a total of $1000 — including $320 access charges for two houses and a vacant block he owns, which has no means of drawing water.
He said he had received many pats on the back and phone calls after the story appeared.
He has been asked by the Independent Retirees Association to present a talk on the charges and why he is standing up for himself with regard to the vacant block.
The fee hike comes as dam levels reach 8.5 per cent. Divers have been hired to take advantage of the low levels.
They have inspected the underwater workings of the city’s three dams so the council can carry out repair work.
Meanwhile, the day use area at Cooby Dam wall has been closed to the public until further notice.
9:52 AM, November 18, 2009
Anon1, the Qld Comp Auth doesn't have the powers you think it does.
10:44 AM, November 18, 2009
Interesting comment 10.44am.
The proper comment would be "TRC has no concern about the QCA as it's water pricing is properly done."
Someone from the TRC who duped the silly Councillors and knew the pricing was improper might be relying on the impotency of the QCA and an uninformed community.
11:32 PM, November 18, 2009
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