Archived Industry News for Water Professionals - February, 2012
Legislation passed in the Queensland Parliament will mean that from 1 July 2012, Allconnex customers will receive water and wastewater services from their local council.
Minister for Water Utilities Stephen Robertson said the South-East Queensland Water (Distribution and Retail restructuring) and Other Legislation Amendment Act would allow the Gold Coast, Redland and Logan City councils to withdraw their business from Allconnex and establish their own Council water businesses.
“The Act also requires Gold Coast City Council to bear the consequential costs incurred by the Redland and Logan City councils in withdrawing from Allconnex,” Mr Robertson said.
“Last year South East Queensland councils were given a once-only opportunity to opt out of their distributor-retailer and re-establish council-owned and operated water and waste water businesses.
"The Gold Coast City Council decided to withdraw from Allconnex and in doing so agreed to pay the consequential costs of disestablishment to Redland and Logan Councils.
“Gold Coast City Council knew this was a condition when they voted not once but twice to opt out.
“That decision left Redland and Logan City councils no option but to also leave Allconnex as it was not commercially viable to remain with the company.”
Mr Robertson said the three councils are responsible for setting and agreeing to these costs and Allconnex and the Redland and Logan City councils are required to keep these costs to a minimum.
“Should there be disputes the matter can be referred to an independent arbitrator for a binding determination,” he said.
“The Gold Coast, Redland and Logan City councils must deliver affordable, high standard water and waste water services to their community.
“Like the distributor-retailers, the councils will be subject to a Consumer Price Index (CPI) cap until 30 June 2013 on the annual distribution and retail water and waste water prices for households and small businesses.
“All South East Queensland councils must also have a price mitigation plan showing how they intend to moderate the impact of price increases, assist vulnerable customers and inform the community about price increases after the conclusion of the CPI cap. The Councils are to have and implement at least a five year price path which moderates any price increases.
“Councils need to be clear to their community about water and wastewater prices.
“The three councils – Gold Coast, Logan and Redland, will also be required - like the two remaining distributor-retailers, Unitywater and Queensland Urban Utilities - to participate in the Energy and Water Ombudsman Scheme to ensure all residents and small business in the south-east have access to the free dispute resolution and mediation service provided by the Ombudsman.”
Mr Robertson said the Government is also doing everything in its power to minimise the impact on Allconnex staff and uncertainty for employees.
“The State Government recognised the need to help Allconnex Water workers with the most orderly transition possible and do everything in our power to minimise the impact on jobs and uncertainty for employees,” he said.
“This legislation enables the establishment of a Retransfer Workforce Framework to allow Allconnex staff to transition back to the council water businesses, protecting work entitlements and ensuring job security.”
Water expert wins visiting Harvard professorship
One of Australia's foremost water policy experts, the University of Adelaide's Professor Mike Young, has been appointed to the Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser Chair of Australian Studies, a visiting professorship at Harvard University.
Mike Young is Professor of Water Economics and Management at the University of Adelaide and was founding Executive Director of the University's Environment Institute.
After three years leading the Environment Institute, Professor Young has stepped down from that role to continue his research, based in the University's Faculty of the Professions.
He will take up his visiting professorship at Harvard in 2013 where he will work in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences for one year.
"Establishing the Environment Institute at the University of Adelaide has been a rewarding experience. I'm now looking forward to focusing on my main research interests - water, climate change and resource management issues," Professor Young says.
"Fresh water is one of the world's scarcest resources. By 2030, the OECD predicts that more than half of the world's population will have experienced water scarcity challenges similar to those experienced by Australians over the last decade.
"Australia is recognised as an international leader in water management. We've made many mistakes but we've learned some valuable lessons as well. We have a lot to offer.
"At Harvard, I'll be aiming to translate the Australian experience in water management into recommendations that are internationally applicable," he says.
Professor Young is a Member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists. He was 2008 South Australian of the Year (Environment), is a winner of the Land and Water Australia Eureka Prize for Water Research, received a Centenary Medal for contributions to environmental economics, and established CSIRO's Policy and Economic Research Unit with offices in Adelaide, Canberra and Perth.
Media claims that NSW will extract more from the MDB wrong: Minister
The NSW Water Commissioner, David Harriss, has stated that stories circulating in South Australian media claiming NSW irrigators would be allowed more water from the Murray-Darling Basin are misleading and wrong.
Study shows importance of vegetation for freshwater streams
More than twenty years of biological monitoring have confirmed the importance of vegetation for protecting Australia's freshwater streams and rivers against the ravages of drought and climate change.
Irrigators call for MDBA to udate average annual inflow figures
The New South Wales Irrigators Council has called on the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to recalculate and republish figures determining the average annual inflow to the Basin in light of the past two years of high water availability.
Coliban draft 50-year water security strategy released for comment
Coliban Water has released its 50-year water security strategy, outlining water supply initiatives to meet the region’s residential, business and community urban water needs in the future.
Project to overhaul Albany groundwater system
The WA Water Corporation has embarked on a $24 million project to upgrade or replace dozens of bores and install six new bores in Albany.
WA Water Minister Bill Marmion said the project would help secure the town's mid-term water supply and allow greater flexibility to meet the seasonal water demands of Albany's growing population.
"A series of new bores will be installed to increase the spread of withdrawal points and minimise the impact on the groundwater environment," Mr Marmion said.
"The new bores will be fitted with equipment to measure water levels, assess the level of salinity and determine water quality.
"A magnetic flow meter will also measure the amount of water being drawn from each production bore."
The Minister said due to clogging and deterioration, up to 25 existing bores could be replaced as part of the project.
"Replacement of the existing bores will start early this year and continue for about four years," he said.
The works are being undertaken by the Water Corporation.
Sydney Catchment Authority seeks new CEO
The Sydney Catchment Authority is seeking a Chief Executive Officer following the resignation of Michael Bullen to take up the position of Deputy Director-General Agriculture with the Department of Primary Industries, located in Orange.
WA announces unrestricted pumping for Gascoyne River
The Western Australian Department of Water has declared unrestricted pumping from the Gascoyne River beds for all bores during February.
NSW to increase releases from Menindee Lakes
In a bid to mitigate the worst effects of the flooding in Queensland, the New South Wales Government has announced plans to increase releases from Menindee Lakes to manage the forecasted inflows.
Bathurst upgrade completed
Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water Senator Don Farrell has officially opened the $1.3 million upgrade to the Bathurst Water Filtration Plant that will save up to 192 million litres of drinking water each year.
Wivenhoe engineers step down as pressure builds
Seqwater has advised the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management that two of its senior flood engineers involved in the operations of the Wivenhoe Dam during the 2011 flood.
NT opens Water Allocation Planning for Oolloo
The Northern Territory Government has announced that Water Allocation Planning (WAP) has commenced for the Oolloo Aquifer, an underground geological formation with a number of large cavities filled with fresh water.
Work starts on Albany borefield upgrades
The Western Australian Government has announced dozens of bores will be upgraded or replaced and six new bores installed as part of a $24 million water source project in Albany.
Work starts on artificial wetlands
The South Australian Government has announced work has started on the $30 million wetlands project in Adelaide’s South that will, at capacity, capture 2.8 billion litres of stormwater each year.
WA announces wastewater contract shortlist
The Western Australian Government has announced two shortlisted proponents to deliver a suite of major projects to improve and secure vital wastewater infrastructure in the Pilbara region.
SA Health pushes for wastewater action
The South Australian Department of Health has announced it has given the Copper Coast Council until February 13 to show it will connect several wastewater areas to prevent potential health problems.