Water harvesting project on stand-by
Fri 01 May 2009
Josh Cummings, Journalism
The Sunshine Coast Regional Council has delayed plans for a world-first water conservation project following councillor disagreements at their latest council meeting.
The project for 1300 home developments at Coolum Ridges, Peregian Springs involved collecting rainwater for recycling, reducing the need for dams and desalination plants, division eight Councillor Debbie Blumel said.
Cr Blumel said she was ready to proceed with the water harvesting and recycling project, and that the new technology involved would be self-sustainable, produce safe water and be a world first innovative design.
Cr Blumel motioned $377,000 of local council funds to be allocated towards the project.
At a recent council meeting, fellow councillors did not see the point in contributing tax payers’ money to something the QLD State Government had not supported in writing.
Division 11 Councillor Lew Brennan disagreed with the proposal.
He said the $4.6 million Federal Government funded project should not need local council to contribute as well.
He said it would only result in Sunshine Coast Regional Council forking out unnecessary funds for something that may not work.
“This is State Government research,” Cr Brennan said.
“They should put money up, they should be supporting it, not us.”
Division nine Councillor Vivian Griffin supported the project, but she wanted to see the State Government explain their position on the matter in writing before the council agreed to the project.
Division three Councillor Keryn Jones agreed to defer action until the State Government contacted local council.
Mayor Bob Abbott supported the decision.
“There is some confusion about who’s paying for what and who’s going to be the ultimate beneficiary of information we gather,” Cr Abbott said.
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