7 July 2003

EVENTS IN JUNE

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 June 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 OF THE WATER DIRECTORATE

The Water Directorate has adopted a more appropriate website address in keeping with becoming an incorporated association. The new website address is www.waterdirectorate.asn.au - please amend your records.

MEMBERSHIP FEES DUE

Member councils are advised that membership fees are now due for the 12 month period from 1/7/03 to 30/6/04 and invoices will be sent out in early July. Please make cheques payable to Water Directorate . The Water Directorate aims to be of assistance to all member councils however it is clearly of particular benefit to small councils by providing documents of far higher value than the membership fee in addition to technical support and networking opportunities with all the 102 member councils. Documents planned for 2003/2004 include Guidelines for Reuse of Sludge & Return Wastewater from Water Treatment Plants, Guidelines for Drought Management, Guidelines for Water & Sewer Meter Reading Technologies, Guidelines for Routine Service Contracts for Mechanical, Electrical & Electronic Equipment, Guidelines for Impacts Beyond the Boundaries of Sewerage Treatment Plants, and revision & update of the remaining five O&M Manuals. The Executive Committee hopes to increase membership to 110 councils in 2003/2004.

IPWEA ANNUAL CONFERENCE & CIVENEX

In June 2003, the IPWEA combined its Annual Conference with CivEnEx for the first time since Penrith in 2000. The combined events held at Olympic Park, Homebush has proved to be the preferred option with attendance numbers up on last year. The winning formula for a successful Annual Conference has also proved again to be a good mix of papers, fun and motivational speakers. Congratulations to Chris Little , Caitlin Williams , Angela Delli-pizzi, Janice Parker and Frank Sticka for their teamwork.

REFORM UPDATE

Our April 2003 newsletter advised that the DLWC had been abolished and split into the Ministry of Energy and Utilities (MEU) responsible to Minister Sartor, into the newly created Department of Sustainable Natural Resources (DSNR) responsible to Minister Knowles, and into the newly created Department of Lands responsible to Minister Kelly. The newsletter also advised that the Department of Planning (Planning NSW) has been abolished and its branches transferred to the newly created Department of Urban and Transport Planning.

Since that news item was issued, the DSNR has been renamed the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources (DIPNR) and it appears that it has absorbed the above mentioned Department of Urban and Transport Planning. (The MEU and the DIPNR are jointly developing a new regulation to consolidate six existing Water Management Act regulations into a single regulation called the Water Supply Authorities Regulation.) Also further to the advice in the April 2003 newsletter that the DLWC Town Water Treatment and Recycling Branch had been transferred into the MEU, please note that this branch has been renamed the Water Policy and Reform Branch and some staff have transferred to the Industry, Regulation and Performance Branch.

DEPT OF STATE & REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT WATER SEMINAR, 5 AUGUST 2003

The NSW DSRD in conjunction with the Israel Trade Commission, will be holding a Water Seminar on Tuesday, 5th August at the NSW DSRD office, level 45 Grosvenor Place , 225 George St , Sydney . The seminar will give you the opportunity to inform yourself about cutting-edge water technologies, with presentations by five companies with a connection to Israel . Israel is world-famous for its achievements against all odds in fields such as desalination, water usage and agrotechnology. There is no charge for the seminar, and lunch will be provided. Places are strictly limited, however, so please RSVP by fax or email as soon as possible. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact the Israel Trade Commission at 6/37 York St , Sydney 2000 on ph (02) 9262 3943, fax (02) 9262 5242, email info@israeltrade.org.au or web www.israeltrade.org.au

LOCAL GOVERNMENT WATER MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, 30 JULY - 1 AUGUST 2003

In keeping with the Water Directorate 's close partnership with the Lgov NSW Water Management Committee, we are pleased to co-ordinate a forum for local government water managers on Thursday afternoon, 31 July to discuss current issues in the water industry. It is proposed that the forum will be an opportunity for water managers to explore the water sharing planning process and the impact of environmental flows, drought management strategies and the restructure of the former DLWC. We look forward to your input at the forum. As in the past three years, there will be a Water Directorate Status Report given on Friday afternoon, 1 August.

Registration for the 2003 Local Government Water Management Conference is now open. Information on the conference program, registration and accommodation options is available on the Associations' website. The NSW Local Government Water Management Conference is being held at the Taree Racecourse, Wednesday evening, 30 July to Friday, 1 August. This information can also be downloaded from the Associations' website http://www.lgov.org.au/site/policy/1000167/1000242.html The annual Local Government Water Management conference is of interest to councillors, managers of water authorities, council staff and industry that work in partnership with Local Government. This year's conference is being hosted by Mid Coast Water. The conference agenda will explore: Implementation process of the NSW Water Management Act 2000; Implications of the Wentworth Group report: A new model for Landscape Conservation in NSW; Impact of water trading on the socio/economic sustainability of local communities, cross state boundary coordination and Local Govt rating. The Hon Craig Knowles MP, the right Hon Ian Sinclair AC, Chairperson, Native Vegetation Reform Implementation Group and Tony Mowbray, Australia 's record breaking solo yachtsman, have been invited to deliver key note addresses.

The Conference will feature a panel exploring some of the unanswered questions about the NSW Water Reform process, implications for local government and their communities; a forum for Local Government Water Managers, coordinated by the Water Directorate , as mentioned in the opening paragraph above. A tour of Wallis Lakes; three Workshop streams that explore how water authorities are practically addressing environmental concerns, ensuring sound operational practices and developing and implementing innovative means to address local issues. Topics will include risk management, drinking water guidelines, the cost effectiveness of water tanks, integrated water cycle management and public/private partnerships; presentations by key industry partners and trade displays of industry products and government agencies. Registration is $330 per person (inclusive of GST) and a discounted rate of $300 is offered for early bird registrations. For further information please contact Stephanie Smith, Water Policy Officer, at the Local Government Centre, phone (02) 9242 4070 or Stephanie.Smith@lgov.org.au

6TH INTERNATIONAL RIVER MANAGEMENT SYMPOSIUM, 2-5 SEPTEMBER 2003, BRISBANE

The Riversymposium aims to make a difference to the declining state of rivers and waterways globally. It is an interactive forum focusing world attention on the many pressing crises that our rivers are facing and the critical importance of healthy waterways and sound management practices to the sustainability of our most precious and finite resource. The Riversymposium brings together world authorities to share world's best practice in river management issues including river ecology, land use planning, community partnerships, institutional arrangements, economics, coastal systems, engineering and technology. The Riversymposium takes a unique, holistic approach to the many facets of river management and attracts speakers from around the world to share their experiences, skills and knowledge. Several Case Studies shall be presented from North America , Middle East , Europe , Asia , Africa , China and Australia . 

Riversymposium is made unique via the prestigious Thiess Services Riverprize, now in its fifth year. The AUD$125,000 International and AUD$25,000 National Riverprize 2003 awards will be presented in Brisbane City Hall on Wednesday 4. Riversymposium takes place within Riverfestival, Brisbane 's largest celebratory event: delegates are able to access Riverfestival events during Riversymposium, which also contains a dedicated social program plus pre-event field trips. For more information, please ring (07) 3846 7444; fax (07) 3846 7660; symposium@riverfestival.com.au ; http://www.riverfestival.com.au/symposium

For more information contact: