HAPPY NEW YEAR
Welcome to our first newsletter for 2003 and to the commencement of the Water Directorate's fifth year since being established. 2002 was a very successful year with six documents produced (including 4 of our own and involvement in 2 others), five workshops held, the Power of Entry provisions amended and 13 new member councils joined. We are committed to providing technical advice and a range of practical management tools to member councils throughout 2003.

EVENTS IN JANUARY 2003
The Water Directorate is a voluntary association of councils and county councils that operate water and/or sewer businesses in regional NSW. Our monthly newsletter seeks to inform member councils and all sectors of the NSW Local Government Water Industry of the developments that have taken place regarding technical issues and networking during January 2003 and of coming events. This newsletter is sent to General Managers and to Water and Sewer Managers in 121 regional councils in NSW and also to approximately 100 contacts in government departments, councils and private industry across Australia. We hope you enjoy this newsletter.

INCORPORATION
As mentioned in last month's newsletter, the Water Directorate officially became an incorporated association in December 2002. The Water Directorate will operate similarly as we have for the past four years as an unincorporated association however we will be more accountable and have to comply with the Associations Incorporation Act 1984 which requires additional responsibilities such as the holding of an AGM and the lodging of a statement of accounts.

BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR CUTTING, HANDLING AND DISPOSAL OF ASBESTOS CEMENT PIPES
This is the title of the Executive Committee's latest high priority action which commenced in December 2002 with the engagement of Jeff Austin of Scarabworks P/L. The document is expected to be reviewed and finalised by our Technical Sub-committee in March 2003. The project has a similar format to the Backflow and Cross Connection Prevention Guidelines that the Water Directorate commissioned and distributed to member councils in November 2002. The project addresses Workcover requirements and collates policies, practices and procedures from member councils into a concise and consistent document that can be recommended to your council for adoption. This project was initiated in mid 2002 by Gunnedah Shire Council seeking advice from other member councils and is a good example of sharing industry knowledge and reducing duplication. Many thanks to the councils that responded to the initial request for information on behalf of Gunnedah Shire Council which then provided an excellent starting point for this project.

PROJECT SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS
Like the project above, the Water Directorate is keen to know of member councils' issues that the Executive Committee may deem to be of importance across NSW and take the opportunity to provide advice on. Although the Executive Committee will be considering high priority actions to be undertaken in 2003 at the next Executive Committee planning meeting on 6 February 2003, please note that new project suggestions are welcome at any time through the year.

REVISED OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE MANUALS
Albury Water was recently engaged to review the seven O&M Manuals that they developed over the past two years for the Water Directorate. The O&M Manual for Submersible SPSs was initially released in December 2000 and a comprehensive review of this manual has now been undertaken and a completely new version of this manual was distributed in late January 2003 to member councils and other organisations that have purchased a copy. The O&M Manual for Chlorination Installations was initially released in April 2001 and is currently under review and an addendum to this manual will be distributed shortly. The Water Directorate believes that regular revision of the O&M Manuals will assist councils to keep up to date with changes in legislation as well as maintain the longevity of the manual template format. All seven O&M Manuals will be revised and distributed to member councils by the end of 2003.

FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT AUTHORITIES OF NSW ANNUAL CONFERENCE, 25 - 28 FEBRUARY 2003
Forbes Shire Council is host to the Floodplain Management Authorities of NSW 43rd Annual Conference. The conference will be held in Forbes from 25 February to 28 February 2003. Registration forms and/or information available by contacting Carolyn Cornell on 6850 1333 or carolync@forbes.nsw.gov.au

WATER CARTERS
The NSW Department of Health has issued a circular titled NSW Health Guidelines for Water Carters 2002/111. The circular lists the legislation that applies to water carters; the water quality guidelines that apply if the water is sold as a potable supply; appropriate treatment of the water; requirements for the water tank and vehicle; and the need for log books and a register. The circular is on the internet at the site www.health.nsw.gov.au/fcsd/rmc/cib/circulars/2002/cir2002-111.pdf. For further information, please contact the Senior Environmental Health Officer in your local public health unit.

CAPACITY TO TRADE SURPLUS WATER
Further to a news item in our April 2002 Newsletter clarifying trading of surplus town water entitlements, Quirindi Shire Council is seeking additional information from other rural councils on this issue. It appears that in the Namoi Groundwater Sharing Plan, councils are unable to trade their surplus water. In Quirindi's case it appears that the DLWC will transfer surplus town water to all licence holders in Zone 1, even if the licence holders do not use their existing entitlement. This gives licence holders in Zone 1 a bonus water allocation which they can then trade to those irrigators who need the water but it also deprives Quirindi Shire Council, and hence ratepayers, of the ability to trade excess water.

It is unclear as to whether this situation is generic across the state or peculiar to the Namoi Water Sharing Plan. Quirindi Shire Council is interested to find out whether councils that manage water supplies are able to trade their surplus water under other proposed Water Sharing Plans in other parts of NSW. Please respond to Robert Hunt, General Manager, Quirindi Shire Council, on phone 6746 1755.

DROUGHT MANAGEMENT
NSW Health advises councils seeking alternate water sources that all new water sources should be tested in accordance with ADWGs before being approved for use. For more details please contact your local Public Health Unit.

CivEnEx 2003, SYDNEY SHOWGROUND 4 - 5 JUNE 2003
A brochure for CivEnEx 2003 is included with the hardcopy version of this newsletter. Please put a note in your diary that Australia's premier local government and public works market place for contractors, builders, engineers and suppliers will be held on Tuesday, 4 June and Wednesday, 5 June 2003 at the Sydney Showground at Homebush Bay. For more information, please contact Events Manager Frank Sticka, on 02 9716 7391, 0411 890 381 or on frank@sydney.net

SUBMISSION OF SYNOPSES FOR IPWEA ANNUAL CONFERENCE, HOMEBUSH BAY 1 - 4 JUNE 2003
Please also note that the next IPWEA Annual Conference will be held on Sunday, 1 to Tuesday, 4 June 2003 at the Novotel Hotel at Homebush Bay in conjunction with CivEnEx 2003. Submission of synopses for all papers has been extended to Monday, 17 February 2003. A 'Call for Papers' will be emailed to member council contacts on 1 February 2003. For details please contact IPWEA's Conference Manager Janice Parker, on 02 9943 6564, 0411 103 069 or on conference2003@ipwea.org.au

CRC FOR WATER QUALITY & TREATMENT WORKSHOP, PORT MACQUARIE 24 -25 FEBRUARY 2003
The Co-operative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment, in conjunction with AWA, DLWC, DPWS and NSW Health are holding a 2 day workshop on "Drought and blue-green algae in drinking-water sources: managing the multiple barriers" at Port Macquarie on the 24th & 25th February 2003. For the full program and registration details please contact Rob Craig on 02 9495 9914 or email rcraig@awa.asn.au. I will represent the Water Directorate at the workshop and give a brief presentation on the Blue-Green Algae Management Protocols document that was produced for member councils in November 2001.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
For further information about membership or any water related issue, please contact Gary Mitchell on 02 8267 3010, or garymi@bigpond.com or visit the website at http://wd.ipwea.org.au. If you would like any issue to be discussed by the Executive Committee, please contact your local representative or refer it to me. The meeting dates for 2003 are 6 February, 13 March, 8 May, 3 July, 4 September and 6 November. The meeting on 6 February will be specifically for planning the year's high priority actions and projects - see request for suggestions on page 1.

For more information contact: