tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161223252011-11-24T20:03:59.655+10:00The 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.Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.comBlogger32881100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-68556182611088048502011-08-13T07:27:00.002+10:002011-08-13T15:53:08.191+10:00

5 years on: The Chronicle - Recycled water poll: five years on. The Chronicle - Photo gallery - Recycled water poll.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-32811963035083170232011-02-24T09:10:00.000+10:002011-02-24T12:17:53.996+10:00

Before and after photos ....See - Bligh under pressure after taxpayer funded trip to Brisbane for photo shoot.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-79975146044780826552011-01-10T19:04:00.000+10:002011-01-10T21:14:35.389+10:00

See - Toowoomba dam levels - 99.8%.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-24628176560051929902011-01-08T09:16:00.001+10:002011-01-08T16:20:41.377+10:00

See - WIN News - Toowoomba dam levels reach 70%.See - The Chronicle - Perseverance dam overflows.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-46965415085879781722010-12-22T20:50:00.001+10:002010-12-23T03:09:02.480+10:00

On the first day of Christmasthe rain Gods gave to meAn overflowing Wivenhoe DamOn the second day of Christmasthe environment gave to meA couple of happy LungfishAnd an overflowing Wivenhoe Dam On the third day of Christmasthe Council gave to me$320 water access charge staying A couple of happy LungfishAnd an overflowing Wivenhoe Dam On the fourth day of Christmasthe weather gave to meNo more

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-10635329044933441862010-12-20T09:22:00.000+10:002010-12-20T10:13:39.681+10:00

See - Toowoomba dam levels at 42.1%.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-14050909189686131972010-12-14T05:43:00.000+10:002010-12-14T05:43:00.388+10:00

Excerpt from Courier Mail:14 December 2010ESTIMATES PREPARATION 2010, POSSIBLE QUESTIONSFunding and staffingWhat were staff levels last year?What are staffing levels this year?How much is staffing to cost the taxpayer this financial year and what is the difference between this and last financial year figures?What is the difference in total funding between this year and last year?Why do you need

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-42730958187368170182010-12-06T08:00:00.000+10:002010-12-07T00:04:08.706+10:00

5 December 2010The troubled Tugan Desalination Plant is now a $1.2 billion white elephant, with the Bligh Government also forced to mothball hundreds of millions of dollars worth of other plants in a desperate bid to cut water bills....The desal plant on the Gold Coast, which has been plagued by rusting and cracking problems since it opened last year, will be shut down early next year, along with

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-15859185039514650572010-11-08T05:27:00.000+10:002010-11-08T05:27:00.631+10:00

See - Courier Mail - Illegal dumping of oils and chemicals down city sewers causes major network blockages.So much for 'we can stop chemicals and other harmful products entering the sewage system' ...

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-66366463110143411002010-10-24T09:33:00.002+10:002010-10-24T11:47:16.090+10:00

See - Toowoomba Regional Council - Medium Level water restrictions - 21 October 2010.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-54922499653143273942010-10-19T06:25:00.001+10:002010-10-19T10:37:03.162+10:00

Excerpt from the Chronicle:19 October 2010Toowoomba Regional Council failed to ask the State Government to waive water charges for the excess water it wanted to pump to Toowoomba when Wivenhoe Dam began overflowing.Minister for Natural Resources Stephen Robertson said council last week only asked to increase the volume of water that could be pumped to Cressbrook Dam through the Wivenhoe Pipeline.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-1410033153186414762010-10-11T23:42:00.005+10:002010-10-16T15:26:30.656+10:00

Faced with growing opposition to their refusal to allow Toowoomba access to excess Wivenhoe Dam water, the Bligh government has quickly relented. Toowoomba will now be granted access to additional water beyond the current 10,000ML annual limit.SEQ's Grid Twelve dams are now shown on the SEQ Water website as being 100% full. Bligh's refusal to allow Toowoomba access to this water meant that it

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-7326092836725580872010-10-09T12:15:00.000+10:002010-10-09T14:18:00.109+10:00

... than give it to Toowoomba.See - Win News - Fight for free water.Also see - WIN News - Dam anger.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-87381286925845690872010-10-03T14:18:00.000+10:002010-10-03T18:00:20.345+10:00

Excerpt from Sunday MailQueensland Government's PR bill for recycled water hard to swallowSunday Mail3 October 2010It is the $1 million taxpayer-funded shopping list that could be mistaken for a party planner's inventory rather than a government PR campaign.Queensland Water Commission staff forked out more than $1.15 million in a futile bid to convince southeast Queenslanders to drink recycled

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-29072487439647706752010-08-23T06:06:00.000+10:002010-08-23T06:06:00.210+10:00

Excerpt from Sunday Mail:22 August 2010Tens of thousands of bottles of purified recycled water from Queensland's mothballed recycled water pipeline have been secretly destroyed by the Bligh Government.The Sunday Mail can reveal the State Government had planned a taxpayer-funded publicity campaign centred on handing out thousands of bottles of water from the largely idle $1.5 billion Western

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-87214452896080928672010-08-14T06:40:00.000+10:002010-08-14T06:40:00.214+10:00

Excerpt from Courier Mail:14 August 2010Almost $40,000 worth of water a day is being flushed by the State Government as it refuses to use its flagship recycling pipeline to supply households.The Courier-Mail can reveal 33 million litres of water a day are being passed through the high-priced purification process and then ditched in the Brisbane River.The 33ML would be valued at nearly $15 million

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-14228762206534665332010-08-12T07:29:00.001+10:002010-08-12T13:35:42.642+10:00

Excerpt from Courier Mail:12 August 2010In a bizarre response to revelations the vulnerable species has emerged in Brisbane's main water supply, Mr Robertson insisted the lungfish could push off elsewhere if they didn't like recycled water.But Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett yesterday revealed the Commonwealth would now have to consider the impacts on the lungfish and warned the

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-2737856103730722912010-08-12T05:38:00.001+10:002010-08-12T13:41:03.899+10:00

... Toowoomba's water woes must be over ...See - The Chronicle - Fountains to flow again.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-74713137127452898452010-08-11T05:43:00.000+10:002010-08-11T05:43:00.113+10:00

Excerpt from Courier Mail:11 August 2010The secret discovery of lungfish in the Wivenhoe Dam has cast grave doubt over the Bligh Government's ability to ever switch on the $2 billion recycled water pipeline without harming the vulnerable species.The Courier-Mail has learnt that lungfish eggs and fingerlings were discovered in the dam in September last year just a short distance from the recycled

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-85722096685803726622010-08-04T07:18:00.000+10:002010-08-07T15:12:20.944+10:00

The Queensland Government has announced that up to 32 000 megalitres per year of additional water supplies will be made available for rural production from the Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme, outside times of severe drought.July 2010 - read it here - QWC Water Strategy.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-72675123287748542602010-06-12T08:51:00.000+10:002010-06-12T13:54:06.966+10:00

Coal Seam Gas Water Management PolicyThe purpose of the Coal Seam Gas Water Management Policy is to prevent salt produced through coal seam gas (CSG) activities from contaminating the environment and encourage the beneficial use of treated CSG water.The policy deals with:- use of CSG water - evaporation dams - design standards for CSG water aggregation and brine dams - transitional arrangements

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-50872584973680926772010-06-12T08:27:00.000+10:002010-06-12T13:51:26.992+10:00

Ministerial Press Release:Friday, June 11, 2010GAS COMPANIES COMPELLED TO CHANGE WATER STORAGE PRACTICESThe State Government has moved to further tighten restrictions on the storage and handling of coal seam gas water.Acting Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk today released a new policy that will ensure that dams used to aggregate and store CSG water or brine are

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-35764218168526234602010-06-12T07:43:00.000+10:002010-06-12T13:46:11.764+10:00

Excerpt from Hansard - 11 June 2010Coal Seam Gas WaterHon. A PALASZCZUK (Inala--ALP) (Minister for Disability Services and Multicultural Affairs) (9.54 am):Last week I travelled to Roma for a firsthand look at Queensland’s emerging coal seam gas industry and to better understand the potential environmental impacts that need to be avoided and minimised. During my visit the management of water from

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-67705397538598079222010-03-27T06:51:00.000+10:002010-03-27T13:52:29.269+10:00

4350water blog updates are also on Twitter - 4350water - Twitter.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-46419651216180459852010-03-13T08:07:00.001+10:002010-03-13T12:58:29.479+10:00

UPDATED:The Wivenhoe pipeline water is flowing and replenishing one of Toowoomba's three dams.It's been an arduous (almost) five years since the debate over Toowoomba's water sources began. A failed attempt to construct a recycled water plant for Toowoomba. A referendum which overwhelmingly defeated the proposal. A former Mayor who went to hide in Tasmania. Political buck passing and hidden

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-51198526993207608732010-03-13T06:10:00.001+10:002010-03-13T12:59:38.705+10:00

As at 12 March 2010 - 96.9%.See - SEQwater - dam levels.Time to get the Wivenhoe-Toowoomba pipeline working again ...

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-51233480957244075042010-03-07T08:47:00.001+10:002010-03-07T13:50:50.679+10:00

6 March 2010Toowoomba's pipeline has not been working for 10 days, but ratepayers won’t have to cover the cost to fix it.Toowoomba Regional Council director of water and wastewater services Kevin Flanagan said the closure was due to a flow issue at the Wivenhoe pump station.“There was a failure in the flow meter and all repairs are being done by the Toowoomba Pipeline Alliance,” he said. “It is

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-56017552960284790792010-03-07T07:45:00.001+10:002010-03-07T13:50:38.498+10:00

7 March 2010Despite serious flooding in much of Queensland last week the state’s desalination plants are still pumping out water, under construction, or on the drawing board.The combined Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pine dam levels in the Greater Brisbane area reached more than 85 per cent capacity during the deluge. Flooding occurred in parts of South-East Queensland and the Hinze Dam in the

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-18460971416394973992010-03-07T07:42:00.000+10:002010-03-07T13:43:22.001+10:00

See - Toowoomba Regional Council - latest dam levels.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-83787308006092416112010-03-07T06:41:00.001+10:002010-03-07T13:42:00.155+10:00

See - SEQWater - dam levels.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-90839659989676167462010-02-20T18:12:00.002+10:002010-02-20T23:13:13.607+10:00

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-69976342805745092092010-02-20T07:09:00.001+10:002010-02-20T07:09:00.344+10:00

CSIRO scientists have bottled ‘Recharge’ , pure drinking water that was once stormwater.“This is an exciting demonstration of the value of stormwater and the drinking water that can be produced from it by using a combination of natural treatment processes and engineered methods,” CSIRO’s Water for a Healthy Country Flagship Urban Water Stream Leader Dr Peter Dillon said.See - CSIRO - Turning

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-43419599814529732010-02-19T06:03:00.001+10:002010-02-19T06:03:00.273+10:00

Letter to the Editor, The ChronicleWater prices punish Toowoomba8 February 2010Yet again Kerry Shine (TC, 1/02) beats up the voters of Toowoomba who wisely said they did not want to be the 'living laboratory' for a sewage water source still not adopted by any community anywhere in the world, not even Brisbane.Kerry Shine's State Government has spent $2 billion on the Bundamba recycled water plant

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-22446662453551982762010-02-18T06:58:00.000+10:002010-02-18T06:58:00.119+10:00

The Chronicle:Downpour flows into dams16 February 2010Almost five days supply flowed into Toowoomba’s dams thanks to last night’s heavy downpour.Deputy Mayor and water services portfolio leader Paul Antonio said about 120 megalitres was delivered to Toowoomba’s dams overnight.The wet weather comes on the back of news that the Wivenhoe pipeline is performing better than its designers

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-8724568862166160842010-02-18T06:53:00.000+10:002010-02-18T06:53:00.643+10:00

ABC News:Treated waste still hard to swallow1 February 2010Scientists are questioning the long-term effects of desalination plants, even though they are seen as a 'quick fix' for water shortages in many areas of Australia.They argue there are financial and environmental costs and one prominent water supply expert says the future lies in Australians putting their fears aside and embracing use of

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-34479408290403393222010-02-17T18:01:00.000+10:002010-02-18T02:03:42.049+10:00

... as at 17 February 2010.See - SEQwater - Brisbane dam levels.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-83148037499365740702010-02-03T07:08:00.000+10:002010-02-03T11:11:55.205+10:00

3 February 2010Toowoomba's regional councillors have joined forces to isolate maverick councillor Bill Cahill over last week’s pay rise furore.Cr Cahill said he had not been spoken to by Mayor Peter Taylor or his fellow councillors since his decision to oppose the three per cent pay rise.The Chronicle has been inundated with letters and text messages in support of Cr Cahill’s stand and critical

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-31992713843613060652010-02-03T06:12:00.001+10:002010-02-03T11:28:22.770+10:00

3 February 2010Toowoomba's “purple pipe” recycled water system looks set to be revived from the scrapheap after it was abandoned last year.Cr Bill Cahill, environment and services portfolio leader, said Toowoomba could not rely on the Wivenhoe Dam pipeline for its long-term water needs.He admitted he made a mistake voting to scrap the purple pipes and wanted to reignite the debate when council

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-74624571277012756972010-01-30T06:50:00.002+10:002010-01-30T12:24:30.904+10:00

What a difference a month or so makes:12 December 2009:Earlier this week, the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal announced its decision to recommend an increase in pay levels of local representatives from January 1, 2010.Councillors Joe Ramia, Ros Scotney, Bill Cahill, Mike Williams and Mayor Peter Taylor said they would vote against accepting the pay rise.See - The Chronicle - Councillors

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-41501970685047432482010-01-29T06:30:00.001+10:002010-01-29T06:30:00.469+10:00

ABC's PM (annotated):Toowoomba a step closer to drinking treated sewerage (sic)28 January 2010SHANE MCLEOD: The Queensland city of Toowoomba found itself catapulted onto the national stage in 2006 when local residents fought and won a battle over the introduction of recycled treated sewage into their water supply.And today, a pipeline was opened that connects the regional centre to Brisbane's

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-50979917788620961942010-01-29T06:14:00.000+10:002010-01-29T06:14:00.156+10:00

28 January 2010Brisbane's Wivenhoe Dam has come to the rescue of the parched southern Queensland city of Toowoomba.Queensland Premier Anna Bligh on Thursday was on hand to witness the first flow of water from a $187 million, 38km pipeline connecting Wivenhoe Dam to Toowoomba. The Cressbrook Dam, which is receiving the water, is currently at 7.4 per cent capacity - the lowest of the three dams

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-40636156037680165702010-01-29T05:41:00.000+10:002010-01-29T05:41:00.203+10:00

Sydney's controversial desalination plant has been switched on and is pumping purified sea water into the city's drinking supply.NSW Premier Kristina Keneally pushed the button on the $1.9 billion plant, at Kurnell in Sydney's south, this morning.At capacity, the plant will generate 250 million litres of water a day, providing around 15 per cent of Sydney's water supply.Ms Keneally said the cost

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-41623592485337385772010-01-28T17:28:00.003+10:002010-01-29T01:02:49.973+10:00

Easing of water restrictions due to pipeline 28 January 2010People on properties connected to Toowoomba’s bulk water supply can now use buckets to water their gardens on a restricted basis.Water Services portfolio leader Cr Paul Antonio said with water now pumping from Wivenhoe Dam into Lake Cressbrook, council could afford to relax water restrictions for certain outside uses. “The Wivenhoe

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-35216523189711033972010-01-28T07:48:00.001+10:002010-01-28T10:51:27.587+10:00

Water will flow today from the $187 million pipeline connecting Wivenhoe Dam to drought-stricken Toowoomba.The 38km State Government-subsidised Wivenhoe-Cressbrook Dam pipeline has secured the long-term water supply for the Garden City's 121,000 residents through connection to the South East Queensland Water Grid.Cressbrook Dam is currently hovering at 7.4 per cent capacity - the lowest of the

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-53749024620009028992010-01-28T06:43:00.001+10:002010-01-28T10:47:32.580+10:00

Mayor Peter Taylor and three councillors have voted in favour of the three per cent pay rise they told Toowoomba residents last year they would not support.Cr Bill Cahill was the only one who stood by his statement in The Chronicle in December when he, along with councillors Joe Ramia, Ros Scotney, Mike Williams and Peter Taylor, said they would vote against the increase.While he did not have a

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-58373197838712708742010-01-28T05:45:00.000+10:002010-01-28T05:45:00.362+10:00

The Chronicle:Council wins in water deal27 January 2010Toowoomba ratepayers won’t pay any extra for water over the next three years in a deal expected to be sealed between the State Government and Toowoomba Regional Council tomorrow.Mayor Peter Taylor told The Chronicle yesterday the council had all but secured a three-year reprieve for ratepayers that prevented further increases to water

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-61648916412636846152010-01-24T07:33:00.000+10:002010-01-24T10:38:17.135+10:00

Courier Mail:Water, water everywhere, but still the dams did shrink23 January 2010The arrival of Queensland's coal-seam gas boom poses one of the biggest environmental challenges in the state's history.I wonder whether the State Government has the backbone or the skills to capitalise on the flood of water that will come with the gas. Or will it be another opportunity lost?Soon there will be

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-79137644804187054742010-01-24T06:38:00.000+10:002010-01-24T10:44:24.686+10:00

In three years, the volume of desalinated water used in Australia's capital cities will have risen tenfold - to more than 450GL a year - since Perth opened the first big plant in 2006. Australia-wide, once smaller industrial and bore-water purification plants are counted, 294 desalination plants are already in operation, with 976 more under construction and another 925 in planning. By 2013, the

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-89275809162047271582010-01-23T05:58:00.000+10:002010-01-23T05:58:00.426+10:00

Within two years, 30 per cent of the water supplied to Australia's capital cities will flow from the ocean, as water utilities in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Perth splash $9bn of taxpayers' money on new desalination plants.By 2013, desalination will be producing more than 450 gigalitres of drinking water - almost the volume of Sydney Harbour - every year....See - The Australian - Water's

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-67438705939048953552010-01-23T05:43:00.002+10:002010-01-23T05:43:00.093+10:00

Rusting in sea water, the $1.2 billion Gold Coast desalination plant required repairs soon after it opened. The showpiece of a Queensland government strategy to drought-proof the state's booming southeast, the project has been plagued by so many construction flaws and unscheduled shut-downs that the government is still refusing to take possession from the contractors who built it....In Brisbane,

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-66848902620271371182010-01-18T06:19:00.000+10:002010-01-18T09:58:24.503+10:00

17 January 2010Former Queensland government minister Gordon Nuttall will face a committal hearing on Monday into corruption and fraud charges....It is alleged that Nuttall received payments from Mr McKennariey when the businessman was receiving funds, as a subcontractor, from two projects being undertaken with the government. The projects included a Workplace Health and Safety training program in

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-71541369023167473202010-01-14T06:18:00.000+10:002010-01-14T06:18:00.142+10:00

The Chronicle:Council close to pipeline deal14 January 2010The State Government and Toowoomba Regional Council are on the verge of sealing a deal on the cost of water that will flow through the Wivenhoe pipeline.The project is only weeks from completion.The cost of the water could cause a dramatic rise in the already significant water charges to ratepayers.Minister for Infrastructure and Planning

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-10546136321514139432010-01-11T06:46:00.001+10:002010-01-11T06:46:00.434+10:00

For more information see - Toowoomba Pipeline update.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-19218189145593251942009-12-30T06:32:00.000+10:002009-12-30T08:35:06.528+10:00

The Australian:Toowoomba water worries washed away by new pipeline30 December 2009After a divisive debate over recycled water and years of watching its dam levels dwindle, Toowoomba will soon have what it has been desperate for: water security.With its three dams at their lowest levels -- just under 8 per cent full -- the ever-expanding regional Queensland city's water woes will be alleviated

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-79603448224632391732009-12-23T18:30:00.000+10:002009-12-23T18:30:00.563+10:00

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-45549537834677385212009-12-22T07:10:00.001+10:002009-12-22T07:10:00.269+10:00

When it comes to the cars parked in the garages of our Federal parliamentarians, saving the planet for the kids and grandkids doesn’t get a look-in....A complete list of every one of the 243 vehicles selected by our Federal Parliamentarians obtained under the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act reveals a car fleet as close to rev head heaven as the bureaucracy will allow. When our Federal MPs

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-32589563441602181322009-12-19T06:02:00.001+10:002009-12-19T10:24:08.288+10:00

19 December 2009A decision on what Toowoomba ratepayers would have to pay for the water that will flow through the Wivenhoe Pipeline was imminent, Premier Anna Bligh said yesterday.Ms Bligh said the Government was in close talks with the Toowoomba Regional Council, however, she could not specify when the negotiations would finish.“I know that people are impatient, but getting this right is really

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-84575916173430459302009-12-16T07:11:00.001+10:002009-12-16T07:11:00.493+10:00

11 December 2009Council workers and contractors were refused compensation after drinking contaminated recycled water at the controversial $80 million Pimpama Wastewater Treatment Plant.Workers, who also showered at the plant, were exposed to the dirty recycled water for nine weeks and were at high risk of contracting hepatitis A and giardia.In the second incident of water contamination on the

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-53763148665786123242009-12-15T06:06:00.001+10:002009-12-15T06:06:00.556+10:00

Replacement of Toilet Suite rebate 27 October 2009Council provides a $100 rebate towards the purchase and installation of a 4.5 litre / 3 litre dual flush toilet suite for residential properties supplied by a reticulated water supply within the Toowoomba Regional Council boundaries.From the 1st November 2009, the eligibility requirements for the dual flush toilet rebate have been expanded to

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-56565533856938770412009-12-14T06:59:00.000+10:002009-12-14T06:59:00.234+10:00

New water restriction regime once pipeline operational 8 December 2009Toowoomba water consumers can expect a slight easing of water restrictions when the Wivenhoe pipeline becomes fully operational early next year.Residents will go from no outdoor watering to bucket watering of gardens for three hours, three afternoons a week once the pipeline is fully functioning in late January, early February

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-80422570670634785582009-12-10T22:01:00.000+10:002009-12-10T23:01:55.973+10:00

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-70277153688802384132009-12-07T06:40:00.002+10:002009-12-07T09:38:02.863+10:00

Health fears over dirty home water5 December 2009Residents in more than 630 homes at Coomera have been told not to drink tap water after recycled water was mistakenly piped to them.The Gold Coast City Council has issued notices to the homeowners after a resident reported a 'funny taste' in the drinking water.A council spokeswoman last night confirmed 'diluted recycled water' had found its way

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-63171908816781561752009-11-30T05:34:00.000+10:002009-11-30T05:34:00.466+10:00

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-22583636332852289582009-11-29T05:53:00.003+10:002009-11-29T10:47:20.717+10:00

Sunday Mail:Queensland Water Commission recycles water plan29 November 2009Queensland Water Commission is urging the Government to look at spending billions of dollars on two more purified recycled water schemes despite barely using the existing one.The State Government has spent $2.4 billion on the Western Corridor project, one of the largest recycled water schemes in the world.But it has been

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-30614960558533623132009-11-24T07:04:00.001+10:002009-11-24T11:08:13.875+10:00

Due to an increasing amount of comment spam (which never reaches the blog due to comment moderation), comments will be locked for a bit.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-41179518712979195532009-11-22T06:26:00.001+10:002009-11-22T06:26:00.068+10:00

Brisbane Times:20 November 2009Water Commissioner Mary Boydell tried not to wade into the debate, but said the decision not to use recycled water as a permanent water source brought forward the need for other water infrastructure by one to two years.See - Brisbane Times - Don't like desal? Then don't splash out.At best it postpones the need for another water source. Recycled water is not a rain

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-47459837556502805142009-11-21T06:15:00.002+10:002009-11-21T06:15:00.137+10:00

It's simple really.Tell people not to use water and then wait until the next crisis so you can try once again to force recycled water down people's throats ...Brisbane Times:20 November 2009Premier Anna Bligh's plan to build two new desalination plants by 2017 could be delayed for a further five years if existing water usage limits stay in place in the long term. The State Government today

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-39586146294839336922009-11-20T06:36:00.000+10:002009-11-20T06:36:00.809+10:00

6. Guiyu, Guangdong province, (广东省贵屿镇) rivers and reservoirs have been contaminated, the villager is washing in a seriously polluted pond. November 25, 2005See the whole photo series - Pollution in China.Is China really serious about environmental reform ...

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-4762335863708032442009-11-19T06:23:00.000+10:002009-11-19T06:23:00.353+10:00

Coalworks Ltd - Quarterly ReportActivities Report for the Quarter ended 30 September 2009Hodgson Vale EPC 1145An internal review has been conducted on this project in view of its possible divestment into a separate listed company which is under consideration. Work conducted during the quarter was limited to a site reconnaissance visit to assess the suitability of areas for future exploration.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-25487928468941882582009-11-17T06:37:00.001+10:002009-11-17T09:46:15.594+10:00

View Larger MapHead south from Andrews Court (marked "A") and after 250 metres or so you're pretty much standing on EPC 1145.While EPC 1145 covers 51 sq. kms, any coal that might be there is apparently in the northern part of the EPC towards Andrews Court, also traversing the New England Highway.You won't find a Google map on their website showing the streets. One of their maps appears on page

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-61142654109866739762009-11-16T07:04:00.000+10:002009-11-16T10:08:51.331+10:00

16 November 2009Nearly 80 per cent of the Toowoomba Regional Council area is covered by coal exploration permits, consultants have told the council.See- The Chronicle - Our region could be one big hole.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-51713775519934547072009-11-16T06:33:00.001+10:002009-11-16T06:33:00.420+10:00

16 November 2009Water Services portfolio leader Paul Antonio, who left the country for New Zealand the day after notices went out, also said pensioners and low income earners are his greatest concern with a water connection fee that has increased by 100 per cent.See - The Chronicle - Ratepayers see red over water.A concern - but nothing they will do anything about ...

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-66843176093200212102009-11-16T06:15:00.000+10:002009-11-16T06:15:00.202+10:00

16 November 2009Senior Labor figures - including members of both the Right and Left factions - are agitating for Premier Anna Bligh to be dumped early in the new year.The Courier-Mail has learnt powerful factional players are convinced Ms Bligh cannot recover strong support and want an alternative installed before the party's position becomes terminal.It is believed senior figures of the Right,

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-3808659823442945592009-11-16T06:07:00.002+10:002009-11-16T06:07:00.413+10:00

November 12, 2009Infrastructure and Planning Minister Stirling Hinchliffe marked a major milestone for Toowoomba today as workers connected the last piece of pipe for the $187 million Toowoomba Pipeline project.Mr Hinchliffe said pipe laying for the 38km project linking Wivenhoe Dam to Cressbrook Dam was completed almost two months ahead of schedule."This vital piece of infrastructure will

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-61396552936191983902009-11-14T06:34:00.001+10:002009-11-14T06:34:00.222+10:00

14 November 2009The Queensland government has decided against declaring that a set percentage of the natural gas to be produced in the state must be dedicated for domestic use, deciding instead that whole gasfields are likely to be reserved for such usage.Western Australia has reserved 10 per cent of the liquid natural gas output of the North West Shelf for domestic use, and the Bligh government

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-3432915617359345432009-11-14T06:26:00.001+10:002009-11-14T06:26:00.986+10:00

13 November 2009Anna Bligh's chief-of-staff Mike Kaiser has quit, sparking fresh speculation about the Premier's leadership.Mr Kaiser will join the Federal Government's National Broadband Network from next month as head of government relations and external affairs.The announcement yesterday came a day after Ms Bligh's office denied Mr Kaiser had quit when questioned by The Courier-Mail.See -

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-34611291419314747952009-11-13T07:01:00.000+10:002009-11-13T10:03:23.896+10:00

But worries over costs continue ...See - The Chronicle - Dam decision may have water impact.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-45801124245319853732009-11-13T06:18:00.000+10:002009-11-13T06:18:00.061+10:00

13 November 2009The Government yesterday reinforced its decision not to crank up the recycled water grid because it said the public had spoken against the water.See - Courier Mail - Anna Bligh's $3bn water blowout after Traveston decision.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-90590667865832353062009-11-13T06:06:00.000+10:002009-11-13T06:06:00.935+10:00

13 November 2009Taxpayers must fork out more than $3 billion because the State Government refuses to pump recycled water into southeast Queensland dams.Premier Anna Bligh's decision to replace the failed Traveston Crossing Dam project with energy-hungry desalination plants – while leaving the $2.4 billion recycled water pipeline network largely idle – will add to the state's budget woes.Analysis

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-75355835275233260822009-11-12T06:15:00.000+10:002009-11-12T06:15:00.608+10:00

12 November 2009Anna Bligh's water policy consists of a rusting desalination plant, a recycled water facility not being used properly and plans for a dam that will never get built.The ad hocery that has afflicted the Government's approach to meeting the region's water needs was exposed for all to see yesterday. It has spent six years drawing up a regional water supply strategy and billions of

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-86342295592237760082009-11-11T14:08:00.000+10:002009-11-11T16:13:55.018+10:00

11 November 2009Premier Anna Bligh says she has no choice but to accept the Federal Government's decision to scrap plans for the controversial Traveston dam.Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett today announced an interim decision to reject plans to dam the Mary River after evidence revealed it could kill off endangered species.The decision means bringing forwards desalination plans, she

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-15368731033935049882009-11-11T06:36:00.001+10:002009-11-11T06:36:00.172+10:00

2008 Coalworks Ltd Prospectus - Page 55Coalworks Ltd holds the Hodgson Vale project area under Exploration Permit EPC 1145. The licence covers 51 [square kms] and is located approximately 10 kms south of Toowoomba in southeast Queensland.Coalworks Ltd Prospectus - Page 42The EPC contains an exploration target of 5 to 20 million tonnes of thermal coal in the northern part of the tenure. The area

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-42630416873334331652009-11-11T05:49:00.001+10:002009-11-11T05:49:00.224+10:00

10 November 2009John McVeigh is prepared to do what few politicians would — risk his popularity.The Toowoomba Regional councillor wants the council to have a say on new mining applications without regard for the consequences.“No matter how unpopular or contentious that makes us, we want a seat at the table,” he said in a committee meeting yesterday.The council is currently a bystander to the

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-6197338964317868162009-11-10T06:47:00.000+10:002009-11-10T06:47:00.087+10:00

10 November 2009Fears the $1.2 billion Gold Coast desalination plant was rushed, compromising its quality, have been raised by officials overseeing the troubled project.The Tugun plant, meant to be a showpiece of the State Government's $9 billion water grid, has been plagued by problems including rusting pipes, cracking concrete, faulty valves and leaching of contaminants from a rubbish dump.The

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-88308111328925428772009-11-10T06:27:00.001+10:002009-11-10T06:27:00.044+10:00

29 October 2009Capturing rain water and storing it under Brisbane's suburban streets could be the answer to South-East Queensland's water security, doing away with the need for large-scale dams such as Traveston Crossing, experts say.Scientists hope a storm water harvesting trial on Brisbane's northside will help them work out how to capture some of the 500 billion litres of rain water -

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-76922992277483064522009-11-08T07:05:00.000+10:002009-11-08T07:05:00.420+10:00

21 October 2009Google Hodgson Vale and, alongside real estate ads featuring green valley vistas, is a website boasting the area's coal gasification potential.The New South Wales-based Coalworks has a 51 square kilometre exploration lease over the area, a fact which Councillor Mike Williams said had made some potential buyers wary about investing.He has gathered anecdotal evidence investors had

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-38804870136869088972009-11-07T08:20:00.000+10:002009-11-07T09:22:32.237+10:00

6 November 2009The connection of the final pipe between Wivenhoe and Cressbrook Dams to supply urgently needed water to Toowoomba has been delayed.It was meant to be connected today but overnight storms dumped more than 30 millimetres on the site.The rain has made the ground too soggy to complete the connection.See - ABC News - Rain delays drought connection.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-80431237643482277232009-11-07T08:10:00.001+10:002009-11-07T17:53:50.663+10:00

6 November 2009The State Government says Toowoomba would be in total drought next year without water from Wivenhoe Dam.Workers today will complete a 38-kilometre pipeline from the dam to Toowoomba, before moving on to finish the pump station.See - ABC News - Pipe completed to drought-striken city.Anna Bligh - 'I may have saved you but you'll pay for it' ...

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-16255686395428422242009-11-07T07:59:00.000+10:002009-11-07T09:04:53.310+10:00

A Queensland company is piloting technology which will generate power from coal without having to dig it up and with 25 per cent fewer emissions than a traditional black-coal power station.Cougar Energy is developing an underground coal gasification (UCG) project 10km south of Kingaroy, in southern Queensland.UCG is the process of extracting coal from the ground through its transformation into a

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-33198776509116445152009-11-07T06:43:00.000+10:002009-11-07T06:43:00.211+10:00

AquaSure, a group of investors building Australia's biggest water desalination plant, agreed to a $1.7 billion loan to help fund the project, according to two people familiar with the matter.Banks offered to lend more than AquaSure sought, meaning the Victoria state government won't need to make up a shortfall, said the people, who asked not to be identified as they're not authorized to discuss

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-85542491422431981832009-11-07T06:14:00.000+10:002009-11-07T09:17:10.428+10:00

... according to SEQwater.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-81303145506677536812009-11-07T05:33:00.000+10:002009-11-07T09:36:36.714+10:00

7 November 2009The State Government must consider curbing population growth in western Sydney because there will not be enough water to sustain agriculture, recreation and environmental flows in the region, scientists say.More than 600,000 extra residents will live in western Sydney by 2031, according to the State Government's Metropolitan Strategy.But scientists working for the water strategy

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-11308628817472113622009-11-04T06:21:00.001+10:002009-11-04T06:21:00.197+10:00

The Bligh Government is sitting on a high-level report identifying the location of the second-wave of desalination plants planned for Queensland.The report, completed months ago, reveals which of two environmentally sensitive sites at Bribie Island or Marcoola on the Sunshine Coast will host a proposed new desalination plant.A site at bayside Lytton in Brisbane and either the Bribie or Marcoola

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-57568806396952964952009-11-03T06:42:00.000+10:002009-11-03T06:42:00.241+10:00

Southeast Queenslanders can finally get the hose out of the shed as tough drought-induced water restrictions are lifted from next month.The changes mean some households could use up to 80 litres more water a day per person.They also allow residents to water their lawns and gardens and wash their cars with hoses before 10am and after 4pm on any day except Mondays.The changes, to be introduced on

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-52151547417844511912009-11-01T07:50:00.000+10:002009-11-01T10:52:51.325+10:00

The threat of a stormy and wet summer has pushed the $395 million project to double the capacity of the Hinze Dam on the Gold Coast to crisis point.See - Sunday Mail - Weather threatens Hinze Dam project on the Gold Coast.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-23341781547574340812009-11-01T06:37:00.002+10:002009-11-01T10:52:59.682+10:00

People trust scientists. But they also trust celebrities, sports figures, and others. Go out and recruit a bunch of Chargers and Padres to start drinking the Orange County water which is augmented from re-purified sources. Get a panel of local doctors to endorse (and drink) recycled water.See - Voice of San Diego - Win the Hearts and Minds to Get Recycled Water.This was suggested (!) during the

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-48684432368191343892009-10-31T06:32:00.002+10:002009-10-31T09:59:05.231+10:00

Brisbane City residents pay just $155 per annum to access water, $480 less than what Toowoomba residents will pay under the new access charges.Brisbane ratepayers are charged $1.84 for every kilo-litre, Toowoomba city residents $1.50.See - WIN News - Water charges.Council is blaming the rate rise on the $187m Wivenhoe pipeline, the cost to maintain it, and the State government's withdrawal of the

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-73081361167317942972009-10-30T06:31:00.000+10:002009-10-30T06:31:00.146+10:00

Toowoomba Regional Council - water charges:Toowoomba Bulk Water SupplyAccess charge - $320 per half year ($640 per annum)First Tier - $1.50/kL (First Tier max. consumption limit - 100kL)Second Tier - $2.80/kLHalf yearly water rates notice - to be sent in November and May.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-47153455968435312372009-10-23T07:44:00.000+10:002009-10-24T10:47:26.745+10:00

Courier Mail:Water supply merger to lead to separate bills23 October 2009Brisbane ratepayers will receive a separate water bill from January, following the formation of a huge council-owned water distribution company.The change is likely to coincide with another hike in water charges, expected to push the average Brisbane household water bill above $600 a year, nearly double what it was five

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16122325.post-15170154387419926912009-10-18T06:02:00.001+10:002009-10-18T11:11:20.564+10:00

Ivor Ries argues in the Eureka Report that Qld reserving 20% of CSG for domestic use is "so mind-bogglingly stupid" that it may just stop all development.See - The Eureka Report (subscription required).See - Qld Government report - Blueprint for Qld's LNG Industry.

Concerned Ratepayerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17135316356520915179noreply@blogger.com0