2 December 2004

EVENTS IN NOVEMBER 2004
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 November 2004 and of coming events. This newsletter is sent to General Managers and to Water and Sewer Managers in approximately 104 regional councils in NSW and also to approximately 110 contacts in government departments, councils and private industry across Australia . We hope you enjoy this newsletter.

WATER AND WASTEWATER AWARDS AND PAPERS FOR IPWEA
NSW CONFERENCE 2005
Thankyou to the member councils that submitted 13 nominations for the Innovation in Water and Wastewater Awards. Submissions for presentations at the conference are disappointingly low at the moment and synopses are still welcome. Good luck to all the submissions and may the best project and paper win. Please note that consideration is being given to the introduction of a discussion session similar to the popular Water Managers Forum at the LGSA Water Management Conference where water managers can openly discuss important issues. Mark your diaries that next year’s IPWEA NSW Annual Conference will be held again at the Sydney SuperDome, Sydney Olympic Park on 22-25 May.

COUNTRY TOWNS PROGRAM
Thanks also to member councils that have responded to our requests to gather details about the CTWS&SP. It is a difficult task to piece together financial data and rankings pertaining to hundreds of projects, however your assistance is appreciated and the information will be used in discussions with DEUS for the review of the prioritisation process.

UPDATE ON s64/DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTION USER CATEGORIES AND METHODOLOGY FOR ET DESIGN FIGURES
The Water Directorate ’s latest guidelines have been prepared by Hunter Water Australia under supervision of the Policy Sub-committee. These guidelines are for use by local government water authorities in regional NSW to aid in the determination of water and sewer equivalent tenement (ET) figures for input into the process of calculating developer contributions under section 64 of the Local Government Act 1993 . The guidelines include advice on establishing water and sewer ET figures based on current figures used by a sample of water authorities across NSW. These figures have been presented with the units of ‘Standard ET’ and are considered state-wide averages. The guidelines also include advice on establishing ET figures based on state-wide data and local data. The final report was received in November and is undergoing a final review before being sent to the printers in December. Due to the hectic nature of the Christmas period, this guideline will be distributed to member councils in early 2005.

UPDATE ON O&M MANUAL TEMPLATE FOR STPs
The Department of Commerce has delivered five processes/components since September for review by the Water Directorate 's Sewer Sub-committee. The format has recently evolved to reduce duplication within the planned 14 processes/components. Due to the relatively large and ongoing amount of material, the components will be reviewed over approximately the next 5 months.

WATER DIRECTORATE YOUNG ENGINEER AWARD
The Executive Committee are again offering an award and funding, to assist a worthy engineer with up to 5 years experience from a member council water business, to attend AWA’s national water conference next year. Details have now been finalised and are publicised in the nomination form which has been sent with this newsletter to 94 member councils only. Young water industry professionals are urged to state why they would like to attend a national water industry conference and must seek their manager’s approval. The Water Directorate will provide up to $1,500 towards the cost of travel and accommodation and AWA has kindly donated a gratis conference registration for Ozwater05 in Brisbane , from 8 to 12 May 2005 also valued at approximately $1,500. Please fax your nomination form to me by 10 February 2005 .

INTEGRATED WATER CYCLE MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP, COFFS HARBOUR, 2005
The second AWA/ Water Directorate /LGSA/DEUS IWCM workshop has been postponed to a date in 2005. Details will be publicised in this newsletter when finalised or contact Lee Devereux on 9495 9908 or email ldevereux@awa.asn.au PIPELINES UNDER RAILWAYS
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) leases and manages major rail lines in a number of states. Interested member councils are advised that a draft ARTC Access Agreement document titled Works within Railway Corridors is available by emailing Eloise Stanley on estanley@waterdirectorate.asn.au See www.artc.com.au for more information on the ARTC.

WATER RECLAMATION APPROVED FROM WATERVIEW STP
The Border Mail reports that the NSW Government has given permission for Albury City Council to use reclaimed water from the Waterview STP to irrigate certain golf courses and a residential estate. According to the Border Mail, the reclaimed water is treated by ultraviolet and chlorination and regular ongoing testing will be carried out to ensure the reclaimed water quality is maintained. The Border Mail also reports that the golf course and housing estate would take up to 300ML/year of water, potentially rising up to 900 ML/year over the next five years, which represents 10% of the city’s water consumption. Source: The Border Mail 30/10/04 courtesy Lawlex Newsfeed 10/11/04 .
 
NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION
The National Water Bill 2004 (Cth) was introduced into the House of Reps and received its second reading speech on 18 November. The objective of the Bill is to implement the national water reform agenda. The Bill proposes to establish the National Water Commission as an independent statutory body responsible for the implementation of the National Water Initiative Intergovernmental Agreement (NWI) of the Commonwealth and all State and Territory Governments except WA and Tasmania . Specifically, the NWI seeks to improve the efficiency of water use in Australia and to ensure the health of both river and groundwater systems. Commissioners will be nominated by the Commonwealth and States and Territories. Source: The Age 18/11/04 courtesy Lawlex Newsfeed 23/11/04 .
 
NSW LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
The NSW Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Natural Resource Management (SCNRM) released the Impact of Water Management Arrangements on Salinity Management. A CSIRO evaluation of a pilot trading scheme in the Murray-Darling indicated that water trading resulted indefinite salinity impacts. The committee has made a number of recommendations including: tabling a study by the Living Murray Scientific Reference Group in NSW Parliament; reporting publicly on the impacts of interstate water trading and the National Water Initiative on salinity in the M-D Basin by the National Water Commission; that DIPNR establish a Working Group to produce guidelines for the Minister when making decisions about water trades; DIPNR report annually to Parliament; DIPNR report in its annual report on relevant studies; DIPNR develop community education and decision making workshops under the CMAs; conduct further research; and Minister report annually to Parliament on environmental and socio-economic issues arising from audits. Source: NSW (SCRNM), October 2004 courtesy PwC Legal’s newsletter eNNa vol 43. To subscribe contact Jane.Wild@pwclegal.com.au
 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELECTION FOR TERM 2005 AND 2006
The Water Directorate Executive Committee ’s two year term ceases at the end of 2004. Elections are being conducted over November and December in which GMs of member councils may nominate a representative from their council if they wish and vote if necessary to determine the committee membership. The Executive Committee is made up of 17 elected members representing nine IPWEA Groups of councils in regional NSW. To ensure that the new Executive Committee is comprised of experienced and capable members that are committed to the local government water industry in NSW, GMs of member councils received a fax on 26 November inviting them to nominate a representative from their council. GMs are requested to fax back their nominations by Friday, 3 December.

Where more than the designated number of nominations is received for any IPWEA group of councils, then an election will be necessary and a second fax will be sent to GMs on Monday, 6 December inviting them to vote. Thanks to GMs and nominees for your assistance and participation. The new Executive Committee will be finalised in December and announced in the December newsletter.
 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The meeting dates in 2005 are 4 February, 3 March, 5 May, 7 July, 13 September and 10 November. The first meeting will be the Project Planning Meeting and member councils are invited to submit suggestions for projects. Member councils are reminded that they are welcome to forward water issues to me for referral to the Executive Committee meetings. For further information about membership or any water related issue, please contact me on 8267 3010, or gmitchell@waterdirectorate.asn.au.

For more information contact: