Hardys Bay residents have endured over 30 burst water pipe incidents over the last few years and are now blowing the whistle on replacing their water pipes.
“We think we’ve been incredibly patient with Council’s water authority,” said resident and spokesperson for the Hardys Bay Residents Group, Adrian Williams.
“Council advised residents back in July 2019 that this line would be repaired by September that year.
“Following pressure from residents work started on a first stage in June this year, however, it is understood that only half the works were completed due to an Aboriginal heritage permit being required.
“Later, the council were advised by residents this was not required under the act as it was simply repairs and maintenance which is allowed under the act” said Williams.
According to council’s correspondence to residents, a works permit was signed by the council on Friday, July 30 2022. However, there is now a delay of up to three months for a permit assessment.
“Unfortunately poor management decisions classified the necessary repairs as ‘new infrastructure’ rather than ‘repairs and maintenance’ and so it needed to go through the heritage assessment process,” said Williams.
“This delay has clearly impacted on any Aboriginal artifacts that were there in situ, as they would have been washed away in the 30 plus gushing mains breaks that have already occurred due to delays in the repair of the mains”
Williams estimates that the council has already used between $350,000-$450,000 on the incomplete repairs and a further $100,000 on heritage consultants.
The Hardys Bay Residents Group has raised the issue with council and state government over the proceeding years in an attempt to find a solution.
CCN has asked council when the works would be completed.
A spokesperson said “Stage 1 is due for completion September 2022.
“Stage 2 will proceed on receipt of the AHIP Permit. The secondary AHIP application has been submitted to Heritage NSW in August 2022. This was required due to the construction of the new main being classified as new works, not maintenance or repairs.
“Council was advised that the application process may take up to 90 days to process and receive the formal Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit AHIP, dependent upon Heritage NSW resources. On receipt of the approved
“AHIP, Council intends to commence stage 2 of the works.
Council’s water authority has been running at a financial loss for the years since amalgamation, indeed the authority was at the centre of the Council’s financial woes when ‘unlawful’ transfers were moved from the authority to other council operating accounts.
It was these irregularities in part that triggered the state government to put the council into administration in 2020.
The current Council Administrator was successful in convincing IPART earlier this year to increase water rates by over 17%, something that will increase the authority’s revenue, and in so doing allow a more ambitious capital works program.
Council’s CEO David Farmer commissioned a report last year into the possibility of splitting off the Water Authority into a separate entity with its own board and management. That report has not yet been released.
For the residents of Hardys Bay the prospect of a more financially secure water authority is cold comfort, they are simply looking forward to the small luxury of having a reliable and clean water supply to their homes.
David Abrahams
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