Transcript Agnes Water/1770 Integrated Water Project

Agnes Water/1770
Integrated Water Project
Gladstone Regional Council
3 July 2008
Introduction
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Who’s who?
Why are we here?
What the meeting is not.
How it will work
Some history …
• Miriam Vale Shire Council’s Town Plan forecasts
future urban population of 24,500 for Agnes
Water/1770:
– Approved by State Government
– Council obliged to plan infrastructure and services for
this forecast population
– Existing water supply constrained (options reviewed)
– 1770 not sewered
– 1770 bore contamination
– AW sewerage plant at capacity and non-compliant
• MVSC determined a strategy to meet future needs:
– Fixed price DBO contract
– State approved and funded.
Some history …
• Miriam Vale Shire Council signed a contract with
United Utilities Australiaon 16 January 2008 to:
– Operate existing water and wastewater
treatment facilities in Agnes Water/1770;
– Operate and upgrade (EPA compliant) the
existing lagoon sewerage treatment plant at
Agnes Water;
– Design, construct and operate new water and
wastewater treatment facilities, including a
desalination facility;
– Design and construct all necessary
infrastructure to provide reticulated water and
sewerage to 1770; and
– Be available to undertake additional water and
wastewater related services and work for and on
behalf of Council.
Some history …
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The January 2008 contract remained conditional upon
Council securing an affordable funding solution:
– Council was required under the contract to exercise
its best endeavours to satisfy the condition.
– Three, separate extensions of time were granted by
UUA.
– Only limited additional State Government funding was
provided and only in line with standard eligibility.
– Council elected to negotiate some scope reductions
with UUA to make the project more affordable.
– State Government advised they would not approve
reduction in scope of the desalination intake/outfall
pipes.
– State subsidy remains significant and unlikely to be
repeated.
– The new Council had to make a choice on the best
available information.
Other (water) options …
• Do nothing – not really an option.
• Pipeline from Awoonga Dam –
already considered and checked
again.
• Stormwater harvesting from Baffle
Creek – no guarantees.
• Additional groundwater bores – poor
history and reliability issues.
• Still had to provide a sewerage
solution – well outside the licence.
Conclusions
• Resolution passed 1 July 2008 (refer hand-out):
– There is a problem.
– There is really only one readily available and
affordable solution.
– The IWS project meets all the necessary
standards for approvals and has attracted
substantial Government subsidy.
– Council would have preferred to have spent more
time consulting with the community.
– Council will still be looking at an overall water
supply strategy for the entire southern part of
the new region.
Where to from here …?
• Council is mailing letter and fact
sheets etc. to householders.
• A joint (UUA/Council)information
session is being planned
(nominally Sunday 20 July) to
provide detailed explanation of
the project and timing.