Giving unrestricted access to new connections while at the same time imposing harsh restrictions on residents to conserve depleted supplies, is in my view, an unacceptable attempt to have it both ways.'

***

Geoff Frost:

'Long term water restrictions represent planning failure.

Council has spent a long time choosing a future supply option for the Yass/Bowning/Binalong supply. It eventually decided to raise the dam wall by three metres at a cost of $13 million. There is no reason to revisit this decision – just get on with it and get it built by the end of 2011, as planned, within budget.

The new Murrumbateman bore will help, but we need to begin planning for future expansion now. I do not favour options that make Yass Valley residents dependent on ACTEW.

The way we price our water is not helping our supply problems. The $206 annual “availability charge” is far too high. We need to reduce it and charge more for what people use. Those that use less will pay less, those that use more will pay more. Overall we can collect the same revenue while rewarding water savers.

The current water restrictions are unfair to older residents and people on shift work. They create distrust in the community and actually waste water by discouraging the use of efficient irrigation systems. We can do better – if we must have restrictions, allocate an amount of water per household and measure usage at the meter.'

***

Barry Alcorn:

'Changes in climatic patterns, causing lower rain falls, have affected all the residents of Yass Valley. Townsfolk have been affected by water restrictions, but the real crisis is for those people who are not connected to town water. Surviving droughts is becoming a real issue.

Council should be looking at ways to help these households increase their storage tanks to help ease the water shortfalls.

Council’s management of the Yass River has been nothing short of disgraceful! Continual promises of assistance, promises of introducing management programs, even spending thousands of dollars of public money an bores and removing trees from along the river, have meant there is no more water in the weir.

All the promises have yielded nothing: no extra water, no decision on what to do, no alternative and not even any strategies on how to make the existing water go further.

As for looking after the river itsself... FAIL... every day, pollution and contaminants flow into the river and when it does rain, millions of litres of polluted water flow into the river, there are no filters, no traps, no sieves, just free flowing downstream, spreading pollution from Yass to Burrinjuck.

The most important asset in the Yass Valley has no kind of management from this council. It’s a situation I find unacceptable!'

***

David Hingston:

'Council HAS addressed the short term supply of exceptional quality of water with the assistance of your local landcare groups (of whom one of its active members was acknowledged as Yass Citizen of the Year} in clearing and maintaining the flow of the Yass River BUT more has to done through education in conjunction with the Murrumbidgee Catchment Authority of recent settlers to this great LGA. The environmental guidelines enforced in new development applications will ensure future compliance to maintenance of suitable flow of the creeks and rivers in the LGA.

There exists a Water Committee which meets regularly to discuss long term water supply issues affecting the township and villages within the LGA. Minutes of the meetings and resolutions to Council are freely available from the Records Management Co-ordinator. The research and ancillary work done by Council's staff reassure me of a plentiful supply of water in my lifetime!'

***

Nic Carmody:

'Council has for the past four years explored several options for a secure water supply for those connected to reticulated water. The process has been long and exhaustive. Council should NOT start the process again - the preferred option of raising the Dam wall should continue.

Fact 1 - Current Dam size 850 megalitres - new dam 2400 megalitres;

Fact 2 - Yass Town Water Supply uses 2 per cent of the water from the Yass river - suggests the new dam would fill easily;

Fact 3 - Lowest level of dam past six years 450 megalitres, i.e. used 400 megalitres before refilling. New Dam the lowest level would have been 2000 megalitres or three years supply without any inflow.

Fact 4 - Bores have already been connected to the town water supply which are capable of supplying those connected with level 5 restrictions - this is the emergency supply.

Fact 5 - The State Government is reviewing all water authorities which have the potential to negatively impact greatly on council’s addressing of the water issue.'

***

Michael McManus:

'Council, over the last 12 years, has effectively managed the supply of water to its residents connected to the reticulated system. While suffering the most severe drought in our history, council has guaranteed supply. The cap on development adopted in 2004, connecting emergency bores, water restrictions, subsidised tanks, the adoption of Basix building code and education, assisted by the good will and cooperation of the community, has got us through to now. We have also lobbied hard against unsustainable developments in the catchment as well as inappropriate dam construction and bores. The cap on development gave us some breathing space to work out what the best short to mid term solution would be.

The decision has been made. When I first joined Council the contribution from developers towards water infrastructure was around $200 per connection, now we raise $9,232 in section 64 contributions with each connection. A development of say 400 blocks will raise well over $3.5 million. By raising the dam wall and tripling capacity we will secure our immediate to mid term needs. Long term and for further development will require cross border agreements, I will do all I can to see that happen.'

***

Dorothy Horsman:

'I believe that water is currently not charged at a rate that is indicative of its true value. A comparison of the amounts we pay for electricity and water over a 12 month period gives a clear indication how undervalued water is. Having said that, I know that it is impossible to address the imbalance in the short term.

Council over at least the last two terms has undertaken a thorough assessment of all options available to secure a water supply that will meet the needs of those on reticulated water in the medium term. The raising of the dam wall appears to be the best, most cost effective option available.

The maintenance of suitable water restrictions combined with the subsidising of the installation of water tanks for urban homes can be effective. However most people will agree that there are those who constantly ignore water restrictions, and I believe that tighter ‘policing’ should be carried out.

Water supply to Murrumbateman and other villages not on reticulated supply remains a concern, given the present condition of the aquifer. Perhaps negotiations with the ACT should be undertaken in regard to the supply of reticulated water to Murrumbateman, Sutton and Gundaroo villages.'

***

Terry Birtles:

'Quality water supply is the greatest single challenge to council and probably always will be. Protective human self-interest in access to good quality water will also be significant, especially if a quality supply begins to decline – highly likely with global warming during the decades ahead.

I note and support the six council objectives regarding water supply, with urban restrictions operable for drought conditions and a council policy to promote use of recycled water. I encourage the rebate for installation of rainwater tanks, dual flush toilets and AAA rated shower heads. Garden use of greywater might be further encouraged, especially in rural areas.

I continue to be disappointed over the inadequacies of state and federal coordination over management of Murray-Darling water resources. Australia is experiencing a drought crisis which does not even yet bring together a coordinated response. I believe that an adequate response is beyond the resources of any single local government council.'

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Bill Luchetti:

'The Yass River Dam was built in 1927 when Yass had a population of 2200 people. Eighty years later the Dam is providing water to Yass, Bowning and Binalong, a combined population of 6600 people.

Council has taken action to supplement the water supply with bore water. Two bores are connected and in operation. A third bore will be connected by the end of the year. The total cost of these bores was $1.6million and council obtained a 50 per cent subsidy grant from the State Government for the work.

All feasibility studies on raising the Dam wall by three metres have been completed. The total cost of this work is estimated at $13million and will raise the capacity of the Dam from 872 mega litres to 2400 mega litres. This capacity could adequately provide water to 13,000 residents.

In 2012, upon completion of the Dam wall it is planned to provide Murrumbateman with 100 mega litres of water a year.

If elected I will ensure that Council takes every action possible in its representations to State and Federal Governments for funding towards the Yass River Dam wall project.'

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David Cassidy:

'Our long term water supply must be piped out of the ACT with the NSW Government providing the cost of infrastructure. Walls and bores (sounds like the incoming councillors really) is only a stop gap measure of short term assistance.

With hindsight, I feel we have been lobbying the wrong government. During year 2000, as Deputy Mayor, I was fortunate to represent our Mayor Nic Carmody at a water forum conference in Yass. Governments who attended were Federal, NSW State, ACT, Queanbeyan and Yass Shires.

Most discussions have been held with the ACT. Their water authority is the NSW Government. The major source of storage which provides the ACT with water is situated in Queanbeyan Shire with their civic leaders believing they “own it.” Wrong!

During the past four years, at sometime, the ACT requested an increase in water allocation until 2050 for not only the ACT but also Goulburn and Yass. The NSW Government approved the ACT Government’s submission knowing they would be asked to pay for the infrastructure costs of creating new supply for Goulburn and Yass. Then the drought worsened. Where is it?

We need to lobby and consult with the NSW Government to achieve our goal - quality water for Yass.'

***

Brian O’Connor:

'Yass Valley Council has already received positive presentations form ACTEW on the very real feasibility of a water supply from the ACT.

These were detailed as far as showing the route for the pipeline (no land resumptions necessary) and the very important factor that from Hall it is downhill to Yass (gravity feed) so there are no pumping costs, which is a huge financial factor.

And the quality of the ACT water is much, much better than what we have at the moment/. And water from the ACT would go right past Murrumbateman

Previously there were legislative problems with the old Seat of Government Act, which involved the Commonwealth, NSW and the ACT. These problems, as I understand it have been resolved.

The stumbling block/s appears to be the amount the ACT Government wants to charge, including an extraction charge, and control of the water.

These are political by nature and can be resolved.

In the meantime the emergency bores and the raising of the Yass Weir wall will bring a short term relief. However we are reliant on the Yass River, which is already over stressed.

The solution is to get a reliable water supply from the ACT.'

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Judith Williams:

'Yass Council established the Water Committee on October 28, 2002. Major challenges include:

* Better management of the recourse to provide water security into the future

* Combination of strategies would be adopted, together with infrastructure, recourse management, environmental actions, community education and water availability.

* Since 2002 potential water source options, investigations, feasibility studies, and negotiations have been undertaken with the ACT and NSW State Government Departments. In May 2007, the Water Committee recommended to Council that the Yass Dam wall be raised by three metres and that the NSW Department of Commerce be requested to commence feasibility studies.

Future response to water issues:

*Continue negotiations with the ACT to obtain water from Canberra.

*Completion of the Yass sewerage upgrade and reuse of water for watering playing fields.

*Sewerage system for Murrumbateman Village and protection of ground water quality.

* Raising the Yass Dam and future pipeline to Murrumbateman.

* Ongoing willow eradication within waterways.

* Regular testing of water upstream to monitor water quality.

* Community education and awareness for wise water use.

* Ongoing water mains replacement and mains flushing.

* Piping of Chinaman's Creek.'

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Stephen Hill:

'The Yass Valley Shire needs to look after itself as far as a sustainable water supply goes for now and into the future. If we look outside our borders to the ACT or elsewhere in neighbouring areas we are at the mercy of other councils or governments and their users. We only need to look at water allocation disputes in the Murray Darling Basin or the recent tensions between the ACT and NSW Governments over the Googong Dam to realise that we must look for local solutions.

I fully endorse the proposal to raise the local dam wall but let’s continue to investigate possible bores or wells within the Yass town boundaries. In addition to these proposals we need to be more efficient with our storm water run off for watering of sports grounds and other parkland areas. Residents could also be more encouraged to supplement their town water requirements with the use of rainwater tanks.'

***

Brian Millett:

'Yass Valley Local Government Area has a rapidly expanding population and the vexed issue of its water supply has the effects of climate change and global warming adding to its problems.

The main concentration of the population of the LGA is around Yass, with the villages of Binalong, Bookham, Boorowa and Bowning nearby, but the issue of water is one which has to be addressed for all Yass Valley-dwellers, through Murrumbateman and as far as Sutton.

There needs to be a scientific investigation of the whole Yass River Catchment area - perhaps by the CSIRO.

We must remember that when the first settlers came to the Yass Valley in the 1830s they saw its great rural potential but they also recognised the need for water. That need is much more urgent now with the increase of population and the consequent increased land usage.

The Yass Valley Council must solve Yass' immediate water shortage problems by the raising the level of the dam wall, but the rest of the area must not be forgotten.

We have seen the huge problems that face the Federal and State Governments in the matter of the 'saving' of the Murray-Darling River system and Yass' situation is a microcosm of what is being experienced there.'

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David Needham:

'There is no more water in the world than there ever was, and no less either. What we face is a changing pattern of water distribution – there is less water falling from our skies to fill our dams, our weir and our rivers. Each year there is enough water going over the weir to supply Yass with water for many years. We don’t need to capture it all! Just enough to provide a more reliable supply.

The best long term option is a regional supply from the ACT, but the offer of water from the ACT depends on the politics in Canberra and Queanbeyan. Also it could be expensive. The best short-term option is to extend the dam wall.

In general, the water cycle is cloud-rain-storage-use-reuse-outflow-river-ocean-cloud. We can address the local supply issue but we also need to collectively address the demand side – that is, we need to use less water.

Recycling water is good but not to the extent that it starves our rivers. Those of us who live on tank-water are used to being careful with water. Council needs to continue its program of requiring new developments to use less water, recycle more water, but without robbing our rivers of the flows they need.'

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Cecil Burgess:

'Council has been trying to solve the Shire’s water problems through many different means and schemes over many years.

They have investigated underground water in numerous locations in and around Yass and Murrumbateman.

They have looked at emergency measures such as transporting water by train and piping it in from Canberra’s water supplies.

None of these measures have been successful, so the next plan is to raise the level of the weir on the Yass River to increase the Yass water supply reservoir.

Measurements over the past few drought years show that sufficient water has flowed over the weir to meet Yass’ water needs for the next few years.

However, as growth predictions and decreasing rainfall forecasts show, raising the weir will just give us a temporary solution to our water shortage.

There seems to be no other choice than for everyone to work out ways to reduce the amount of water they use, particularly on their gardens.

And, if we want the Shire to continue to grow, we’ll need to develop joint plans with the ACT Government to maintain regional water supplies that accommodate all our consumption and development needs.'

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Bernard Johnson:

'Council has that many reports on water, going back to the 1970s and possibly earlier, I do not know how I could possibly add to the debate, it has all been said before.

There has been a lot of talk - water from Burrinjuck, from Canberra, dredge the weir, raise the wall or put in bores. Feasibility studies have been done on all of these and put either in the too hard basket or not practical.

Ten years ago or earlier was the time to do something, leave it any longer and we risk the future of Yass.

Mr McMurray stated to a Chamber of Commerce meeting in 2007, that the weir has never been below 50 per cent. I reminded him that in 1967 that I could nearly throw a stone across the weir, I would imagine it was only 20 per cent capacity. Mr McMurray replied council records only go back to 1970! While we procrastinate I hope we never go back to the dry years of 1965 - 67.