3 September 2009

MEMBERSHIP FEES DUE
A handful of member Councils are still unfinancial. Many thanks to the 88 member Councils that have renewed their membership and supported the Water Directorate.

DROUGHT UPDATE
Conditions continue to worsen with the DPI declaring in mid September that 66% of NSW was officially drought affected. The area classified as marginal increased to 24% and the area classified as satisfactory more than halved to 10%. At this time last year the figures were 72%, 17% and 11% respectively.

JOINT WATER DIRECTORATE/LGSA WATER LOSS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE
It is very pleasing to advise that the 12 month extension to the Joint Water Loss Management Program was formally announced in September at the LGSA Water Management Conference at Deniliquin. The goal of saving up to 10,000 megalitres of water per year is closer to becoming a reality for at least 66 local Councils thanks to the extension of the WLMP until June 2011. The Federal Govt, Water Directorate and LGSA are very happy with the spread of the program and all 3 parties are certain that an extra 12 months will draw it to a more successful completion. The time extension opens a very limited window of opportunity for some additional Councils to join the program up until Dec. 31 - so act quickly!

Please note that only time has been extended and the Commonwealth funding of $7.4m from the Water Smart Aust. Program is unchanged. For more information please contact Program Manager Ian Maggs on 02 9242 4127 or visit www.waterloss.lgsa.org.au.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVIEW UPDATE
In September the DWE website still exists unchanged and advises that relevant NSW Govt agencies are considering the submissions to the Independent Inquiry Report and undertaking further analysis of the report recommendations. The Govt expected it could release its response to the Independent Inquiry Report in mid 2009. At a Sep. meeting, there was a hint that the Govt response might be handed to the Minister in Oct. and if so, we hope it could be made public soon after.

WRAP UP FROM THE 2009 LGSA WATER MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
Congratulations to the LGSA, hosts Deniliquin Shire Council and sponsors for holding a very informative and successful conference. Conference presentations are available at www.WaterConference.lgsa.org.au. Congratulations also to MC Ian Law, LGSA’s Sascha Moege and Meg Fisher, Mayor Lindsay Renwick and all others involved. The Water Directorate thanks the LGSA for inviting us to organise the Water Managers’ Forum for the seventh year. The Forum topics included Pressure Sewerage Systems, Bureau of Meteorology data reporting, and IWCM. Thanks also to the seven panellists - Stewart McLeod, Carmel Krogh, John Maxwell and Greg Searle from the Water Directorate Executive Committee, Brendan Moran from the Bureau of Meteorology, Emma Pryor from MWH and George Freeman from the NSW Office of Water (NOW) formerly DWE. Forum notes will be available in early October at www.waterdirectorate.asn.au . We look forward to next year’s conference in Orange.

NATIONAL 09 SAVEWATER!® AWARD WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED AT GALA DINNER CEREMONY IN SYDNEY ON 9 OCTOBER
As reported last month, good luck to Pt Macquarie-Hastings Council and MidCoast Water when the winners are announced at the prestigious savewater!® sustainability awards at the Gala Dinner on 9 October.

NATIONAL WATER WEEK, 18-24 OCT 2009: SECURING OUR WATER FUTURE
Since 1993, the third week in October has been designated as 'National Water Week' and provides the opportunity to focus on water in the media through community, regional and national events. The initiative assists 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. Water conservation campaigns are launched, highlighted or reinforced during the week to promote water saving in the community. NWW targets attitude and behaviour change in all sectors of the community and particularly in primary and secondary schools. NWW is a good opportunity for LWUs to organise and promote water events. To add an event to the national event calendar go to www.nationalwaterweek.org.au and click 'register' on the website and fill in the details. National Water Week 2009 is hosted by the Australian Water Association in partnership with the National Water Commission.

WSAA LINKS TO RESEARCH MATERIAL BY WERF & AWRF
As an associate member of WSAA, the Water Directorate Executive Committee wishes to advise member Councils that WSAA has links to research organisations WERF and AWRF. To access specific research information, member Councils should contact David Cox, WSAA National Codes Manager on david.cox@wsaa.asn.au who has offered to search the two organisations’ websites.

WERF is the Water Environment Research Foundation which was formed in 1989 and is USA’s leading independent scientific research organisation dedicated to wastewater and stormwater issues. Over the past 20 years it has produced 300 research reports, valued at over $62 million! WERF is a non-profit organisation that operates with funding from subscribers and the US federal government. WERF subscribers include wastewater treatment plants, stormwater utilities, and regulatory agencies. Industry, equipment companies, engineers and environmental consultants also lend their support & expertise as subscribers.

AWRF is the Australian Water Research Facility which is a collaborative research effort by four International WaterCentre (IWC) member universities, ie QLD, Griffith, Monash and WA with a team of expert natural resource managers, aquatic ecologists, community development specialists, anthropologists, environmental modellers and more. Funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the research strengthens the quality and impact of Australian development cooperation programs on water-related assistance. Key areas of work are Catchment Management and Integrated Water Resource Management.

Member Councils are urged to take advantage of the above mentioned service.

12TH NSW ENGINEERS-OPERATORS/REGIONAL CONFERENCE, PORT MACQUARIE, 19-21 OCT 2009
This conference and exhibition is the signature event for National Water Week activities in the Hastings and will include the opening of the 2009 Osmosis Photography Exhibition and annual Water Aid charity golf day. Themed 'The Waves of Change' (Water Reform and Climate Change Impacts in Regional NSW), the conference will include a comprehensive list of discussion areas including management strategies in sewer systems; enzymic hydrolysis; the future of sludge management; ultra filtration technology and recycled water. For registrations please visit the website

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

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.

Please send potential project suggestions to me on gmitchell@waterdirectorate.asn.au for the Annual Planning Meeting.

Gary Mitchell
Executive Officer
© Copyright Water Directorate September 2009

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