9 November 2009

AGM, 12 NOVEMBER
All are welcome to attend the AGM on Thursday, 12 Nov at 9:30AM in the LGSA Boardroom followed by the last Executive Committee meeting for 2009.

ANNUAL REVIEW 08/09
Thanks to Eloise Stanley for compiling the Annual Review. Copies were distributed to GMs and contacts of all member Councils in mid October.

DROUGHT UPDATE
Conditions continue to worsen with the DPI declaring in mid October that 68% of NSW was officially drought affected. The area classified as marginal increased to 27% and the area classified as satisfactory halved to only 5%. At this time last year the figures were 69%, 17% and 14% respectively.

JOINT WATER DIRECTORATE/LGSA WATER LOSS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE
The Water Directorate urges councils to take advantage of this program and join the program before the December 31 deadline by contacting Program Manager Ian Maggs on 02 9242 4127 or visit
www.waterloss.lgsa.org.au.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM & REVIEW UPDATE
In October the old DWE website has been updated to refer readers to the website for the new NSW Office of Water (NOW) at www.water.nsw.gov.au.

It is understood that the government hopes to make a response to the Independent Inquiry Report by the end of the year.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVIEW AND INTEGRATED WATER CYCLE MANAGEMENT
Member Councils can request an extension to the deadline for IWCM planning due to the uncertainty generated by the water reform process.

DRAFT REVISED AUSTRALIAN DRINKING WATER GUIDELINES 2009 - NOTICE OF PROPOSED GUIDELINES AND INVITATION TO MAKE A SUBMISSION
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in collaboration with the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council (NRMMC), has released for public comment the revised Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (summarised in the Schedule), and a discussion paper on Health Based Targets For Microbial Safety Of Drinking Water . LWUs are invited, under paragraph 13(1)(b) of the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992, to make a submission to the NHMRC about the draft guidelines. Go to www.nhmrc.gov.au and click on Public consultations in Quick Links and then click on Draft - Revised Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

PUBLICATIONS UPDATE – WIOA FIFTH PRACTICAL GUIDE TO WATER TREATMENT
In November the Water Directorate will purchase and distribute copies of WIOA’s Practical Guide to the Operation and Optimisation of Chlorine and Chloramine Disinfection to all financial member Councils.

PUBLICATIONS UPDATE - INTERIM BLUE-GREEN ALGAE MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS
The third version of the Water Directorate’s publication is planned to be issued in November to all financial member Councils. This 2009 hard copy version supersedes the 2007 draft CD Rom version containing draft B-GA alert levels. The 2009 Interim Blue-Green Algae Management Protocols will attempt to address the Draft Revised Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2009 (see earlier news item) such as the relevant proposed changes to microtoxins and Blue-Green Algae Alert Levels.

PUBLICATIONS UPDATE – REVISED BACKFLOW & CROSS CONNECTION PREVENTION GUIDELINES
The second version of the Water Directorate’s publication is planned to be issued in November to General Managers of our financial member Councils. The 2009 document is a complete rewrite of the 2002 publication and addresses risk management of contamination of water supplies. The guidelines attempt to clarify issues such as the requirements for licensed plumbers and drainers and the increased usage of rainwater tanks.

WICA - WATER INDUSTRY COMPETITION ACT 2006
Readers are reminded that IPART has several functions under this Act, which establishes a regime for third party access to certain water infrastructure services in NSW. IPART’s functions include: Making recommendations to the Minister for Water on applications for network operator and retail supplier licences; Making recommendations to the Minister for Water on applications for, or for the revocation of, coverage declarations with regard to infrastructure services; Approving access undertakings submitted by infrastructure service providers; Arbitrating access disputes with regard to infrastructure services; Conducting investigations for the purpose of enabling IPART to exercise its functions under this Act; Monitoring and reporting to the Minister with regard to licensees under this
Act. The Water Directorate suggests that member Councils monitor the IPART website to get WICA updates by going to www.ipart.nsw.gov.au and clicking on legislation.

WATERAID AUSTRALIA CHRISTMAS CARDS
Purchasing cards through WaterAid Australia will send 40 cents/card towards achieving a world where everyone has access to safe water, effective sanitation and hygiene education. To order cards go to www.christmascards4charity.com.au .

CENTENARY OF BURRINJUCK DAM
The centenary milestone of Burrinjuck Dam was celebrated with ‘Back to Burrinjuck Week’in October. The event recognised the history of the area and the people behind the structure. To mark this historic occasion, the 92m high dam wall was open to the public for the first time in 20 years.

The concrete gravity dam is situated high in the mountains of the Great Dividing Range near the headwaters of the Murrumbidgee River, 60km from Yass. Burrinjuck Dam was the first major dam built for irrigation in NSW to supply water to the MIA. When full the surface area is 5,500ha with 645km of shoreline & capacity is 1 million ML of water or 2.5 times that of Sydney Harbour. The dam is now also an award-winning hydro-electric power station.

In 1891 the drought-ravaged Murrumbidgee Valley was nominated as an ideal location for irrigation development. State Parliament approved the establishment of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Scheme in the early 1900s and when construction began in 1907, Burrinjuck Dam was the fourth largest dam in the world. Dam construction was delayed by two world wars although it was able to provide water for irrigation in 1912. The dam was finally completed in 1956.

Following flood damage in 1974, the dam wall was raised by 12 metres to 92 metres and post-tensioned ground anchor cables were installed to improve the security of the dam during major floods. At the time, the Burrinjuck Dam Flood Security Upgrading project was unprecedented in two respects; the post-tensioning force required per metre length of dam crest and, the intensity of the flood discharge over the unlined sections of the side channel spillways during the Probable Maximum Flood (PMF).The upgrading works were completed in 1999 at a cost of $79.5 million.

PUT A NOTE IN YOUR CALENDAR - OZWATER’10, BRISBANE, 8 TO 10 MARCH
Ozwater’10 is Australia’s National Water Conference and Exhibition and will be held on March 8-10, 2010 in the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Presented by the Australian Water Association, Ozwater‘10 is the largest and most important annual gathering of water professionals & practitioners in the Southern Hemisphere. For more conference and the trade exhibition info see www.ozwater10.com.au .

The Water Directorate intends to offer the conference attendance award again next year to enable a worthy water professional from a member Council to attend OzWater ‘10 - see next month’s newsletter.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING DATES
The last meeting dates in 2009 are 11 & 12 November. The two days of meetings include the Annual Planning Meeting, AGM and the sixth and final Executive Committee Meeting for 2009.

Gary Mitchell
Executive Officer
© Copyright Water Directorate October 2009

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