5 October 2007

EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER 2007
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 has endeavours to inform our 95 member councils and all sectors of the NSW Local Government Water Industry of the relevant developments that have taken place regarding technical issues, networking and of coming events. This newsletter is sent to GMs and to Water and Sewer Managers in 105 regional councils in NSW and also to approximately 140 contacts in government departments and private industry across Australia. We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter.

MEMBERSHIP
About a dozen member councils are still unfinancial. Many thanks to the councils that have renewed their membership and supported the Water Directorate as we move closer to the commencement of our tenth year. Our 06/07 Annual Review will be mailed out in early October and is available on the website. AGM notices and proxy forms for General Managers will be sent with the Annual Review.

JOINT WATER DIRECTORATE/LGSA WATER LOSS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE
In September, Marko Petkovic became the newest member of the Water Loss Management team. Marko‘s background is with project management in Sydney Water, private consulting and Agility (water & gas). Marko will help accelerate the pace of the program and strengthen the water saving project delivery phase of the program. Also in September a workshop was held in Kempsey and was well attended. For information about workshops and application forms visit www.WaterLoss.lgsa.org.au or Mirko Sramek on 9242 4127.

UPDATE ON NSW DROUGHT CONDITIONS
Conditions improved negligibly with the DPI declaring that as at September, 71.1% of the area of NSW was officially drought affected. The area classified as marginal improved slightly to 15.7% and the area classified as satisfactory also improved slightly to 13.3%. DWE advised that water was carted to the villages of Bimbi, Caragabal and Nymsgee in September.

WIOA PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE OPERATION AND OPTIMISATION OF DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
Last year we advised that the Water Industry Operators Association (WIOA) had taken the initiative to produce and distribute nationally a set of four practical guides to water treatment specifically aimed at the operator level. The first of the guides titled Practical Guide to the Operation and Optimisation of Media Filters was released in November 2006. We are pleased to confirm that the Water Directorate distributed the second guide titled Practical Guide to the Operation and Optimisation of Distribution Systems on behalf of WIOA to General Managers of all local water utilities in September 2007. The Water Directorate is one of six water related associations and organisations from around Australia invited to assist WIOA with funding this commendable project. The Water Directorate applauds the WIOA’s efforts from a technical and reduction of duplication perspective and we look forward to distributing the third and fourth guides to all NSW local water utilities when finalised.

PIPES WAGGA WAGGA CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION, BOLTON PARK STADIUM, WAGGA WAGGA, OCTOBER 15-18
This year’s Pipes Wagga Wagga Conference & Exhibition is on from October 15-18 at Bolton Park Stadium, Wagga Wagga. The IPWEA (Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia) are an official sponsor of this year’s event. The Conference will showcase quality presentations relevant to the industry. This will include live demonstrations of reliners, pipe crackers, data equipment, pipe location experts, pipe inspection equipment, suppliers, contractors and pipe cleaners are all incorporated in the Conference. To coincide with the Conference, the October issue of Public Works Engineering will contain a special feature on Pipes & Pipeline Technology as well as new innovations in Pipeline Rehabilitation. The October issue will be handed out to all delegates and attendees of the Pipes Wagga Wagga Conference so therefore will be a valuable opportunity to present your company's leading products to this informed market. Both advertising and editorial opportunities are available. Inquiries should be directed to yuri@halledit.com.au or 03 8534 5008.

DWE WATER TREATMENT OPERATOR TRAINING COURSE, BATHURST, 8-12 OCTOBER AND WATER TREATMENT OPERATOR’S UPDATE SEMINAR, WAGGA WAGGA, 18-19 OCTOBER
For more information on Part 2: Water Treatment Operation Course No. WT20 and on Water Treatment Operator’s Update Seminar WS21 please contact Pradeep Kumar on 02 8281 7777.

LAST CALL FOR AWA NSW LIQUID TRADE WASTE CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION, SYDNEY, 25-26 OCTOBER
The AWA NSW Branch, in conjunction with the Liquid Trade Waste Specialist Network, invites you to participate in their annual workshop and exhibition Liquid Trade Waste Conference & Exhibition "Trade Waste Officers - Issues, Training and Practicalities" at the Menzies Hotel, Sydney on 25 & 26 October. The conference program will focus on the world of the Trade Waste Officer, specifically training and practical applications. The two day conference also offers an optional full day training course on Wednesday, 24 October at Sydney Water. Facilitated by AJM Environmental, the course is designed to educate trade waste officers on the types of equipment and processes appropriate to the most common industrial sectors. For further details and registration forms, etc go to this link

NATIONAL WATER WEEK, 21–27 OCTOBER 2007
Water’s national and international profile has never been higher due to the prolonged drought, climate change and population growth and National Water Week (NWW) is more significant and appropriate than ever. The website advises that NWW was first held in 1993 and the initiative is designed to assist the community to understand and take action to protect and conserve our precious water resources and habitats. NWW creates a large scale local awareness of community initiatives that generate long-term behaviour change for the protection, rehabilitation and improvement of streams, wetlands, waterways, beaches, and estuaries. In addition, water conservation campaigns are launched, highlighted or reinforced during the week to promote water saving in the community. During NWW Australians are encouraged to "Protect, Conserve and Get Involved" in water-related activities and celebrations around the country. The third week in October is designated as 'National Water Week' each year. In 2007, National Water Week will run from 21-27 October and provide the opportunity to focus on water in the media through community, regional and national events. NWW is an event that galvanises the actions of current and future decision makers across Australia. It delivers a strong focus on the national priority to protect, conserve and become involved in water management and is the only event that provides a national focus for the achievement of this goal. Participation in the sustainable management of water is a social priority that is here to stay, crossing generations and the boundaries of metropolitan and regional interests. The nature of the issue provides a broad demographic to target for attitude and behaviour change, which includes all sectors of the community within the metropolitan and regional areas of Australia, and particularly primary and secondary schools. The NWW theme and logo - 'Water for Life' - remains the same each year. Organisers of events to celebrate NWW are encouraged to use the NWW logo. Go to http://www.nationalwaterweek.org.au/about/about.html

STEVE POSSELT & KAYAK4EARTH, RENMARK TO ADELAIDE
Congratulations to adventurer Steve Posselt, who on 25 September after 122 days and 3,250 kilometres on the river and road from Brisbane to Adelaide, finished his ‘paddling’ trip in the manner that it started by meeting the Lord Mayor at the City Hall. In September Steve reached the mouth of the Murray and attempted to paddle his sea kayak into the Southern Ocean from Lake Alexandrina. Despite getting into difficulties crossing the sandbar, Steve paddled across Encounter Bay and then north into the St Vincent Gulf to land at Glenelg beach. Steve walked into Adelaide almost 4 months to the day after starting. Go to Steve’s website www.kayak4earth.com to listen to a good interview that explains Steve’s aims. Steve says he will write a book and possibly make a documentary. I think Steve has a birthday coming up in October so will be able to celebrate that in the comfort of home. Steve told me he lost just over 10kg on the way which included 1,080 kilometres of walking. Steve is bit of a character and likes a beer and motorbikes and being from the country, he would not have been out of place with the characters that he met on the way. I hope you’ve enjoyed following Steve’s journey which is even more remarkable considering that he injured himself seriously in a motorbike accident in 2006. But wait – there’s more! Finishing appears to be just the beginning for Steve and his website now includes a major announcement on his future. He believes that politicians so far have failed us in crucial areas and we need to make major changes and there has not been one politician that he has seen who understands water, the technology and the decisions that have to be made in anything like the detail he believes is necessary. He will therefore nominate for the Senate in the coming election and see if Queenslanders would prefer a professional who is prepared to speak the truth, who is above party politics who has no obligations to anyone except all Australians and Queenslanders in particular.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING DATES
Meeting dates remaining in 2007 are the Annual Planning Meeting, AGM and Executive Committee Meeting on 7 & 8 November. Member councils are welcome to forward potential projects to me for consideration at the November Planning Meetings. For further information about any water related issue, please contact me on 02 8267 3010 or gmitchell@waterdirectorate.asn.au.

For more information contact: