Comments for Coliban Water Managing Director

Comment on latest storage levels by James pethybridge

James pethybridge — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:13:24 +0000

…….., the fact that the catchments are filling up so fast in a couple of monthes proves that they are not big enough, coliban waters management has been a joke!

Comment on latest storage levels by Sue Walter

Sue Walter — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:57:14 +0000

This is the best chance we have had for a long time to allow the reservoirs in the Coliban System to recover from the ongoing drought. It would be short-sighted to start easing restrictions now, especially when many people have become accustomed to water restrictions and the need for water in gardens etc has also been eased by the good rainfalls. Our reservoirs should be treated like a bank savings account, putting money (water) aside for a “rainy” day, only using it when things get really bad but getting back into savings mode as soon as a crisis eases. We cannot afford to get into the habit of treating our water resources like a credit card, hoping that nexts months/years “pay” saves us from becoming insolvent. We may be able to borrow more money to meet financial shortcomings but we still can’t make it rain when we want it. Food production and the environment have to take priority over car washes, private swimming pools and spa baths.

Comment on Allocating water by Chris Bromley

Chris Bromley — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 02:11:10 +0000

Hi Gavin
Living in Malmsbury well remember both the highway flood closure in October 2000 as well as the fact we were back on water restrictions for the summer of 2002 – 03 as the 2000 bounty was absolutely squandered, (ie Compulsory 160% allocations to irrigators). We certainly need to wait a few years to see if this year is a return to a “normal” cycle or an extraordinary year. Our rule is simple – if a plant has died in the garden over the last 10 years it shouldn’t be grown here. By all means “tweak” the restrictions to allow use of drip lines etc, but green lawns and overhead sprinklers should not ever again be acceptable in central victoria, even for irrigators (who are all smart enough not to waste water anyway). Small allocation holders should not expect their allocation to be delivered down leaking subsidiary channels as happens now. If they want the allocaton they should have to pay for piping! Love your blog and am telling friends to get onto it!

Comment on Allocating water by Carol McDonough

Carol McDonough — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 09:49:07 +0000

By the way, that two year buffer: Is it for Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander Shires only or is the buffer including the needs of Greater Bendigo?
thanks Gavin

Comment on Allocating water by Carol McDonough

Carol McDonough — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 09:46:36 +0000

Why does it jump to moderation before I have time to fix my typos! And looking again at the graph it looks conservative in the true sense of the word to wait till storages are holding steady at December 2004 levels.

Comment on Allocating water by Carol McDonough

Carol McDonough — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 09:44:19 +0000

Gavin

The graph below is literally the most graphic yet – especially for those who like pictures! It clearly says please don’t ease water restrictions yet.

We are going to use that graph at te MAS Enviornment Advisory COmmittee Community OCnsultation n Wednesday 25 August 5-8 pm at the Castlemaine Town Hall. All welcome.

We are also going to tell them about your transparency, your blog and your community discussion eforum.

Thank you Gavin

Carol McDonough

Comment on todays interesting statistic…. by Admin2

Admin2 — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 22:34:13 +0000

Thanks for your comment Chris. We (Coliban Water) are going to wait until September before making any decisions about easing restrictions or making a rural allocation.
I agree, it is very important that we dont have short memories. However I’m cautiously optimistic that we may be able to ease restrictions a little, but this cannot be at the expense of future water security. Lets wait until September. gavin

Comment on todays interesting statistic…. by Chris Bromley

Chris Bromley — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 10:55:24 +0000

Today (August 1st) drove round the 3 reservoirs (Upper Col, Lauriston and Malmsbury) to have a look at inflows. Certainly appears that much of the autumn rainfall has finally saturated the ground and the Coliban and Little Coliban are now running very strongly into the Upper Coliban. Hasn’t been that much rain in the last few days (about 22ml in Malmsbury) but winter creek on my property is running at its highest since the big storm in 2007, and since floods of October 2000. Assume Coliban water will not “flush this bounty away” with a major loosening of restrictions that would no doubt be electorally popular, but not sustainable in the medium to long term. There is currently no environmental flow down the Coliban River below Malmsbury which is fair enough as rainfall is maintaing the river but some thought please for the years to come.

Comment on Pricing Review 2010 by Carol McDonough

Carol McDonough — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:21:59 +0000

Dear Gavin

We write one last time about the Coliban Water Pricing Review to the Essential Services Commission in order to support the comments to you of the Mount Alexander Shire Council also outlined on the front page of the Midland Express today, 31 March.

And there was support of Coliban’s proposals implicit in brief comment by me in the Castlemaine Mail p 5, last Friday 26 March.

Further thinking about our requests to consider hastening into 2011-3 rather than 2013-8 of the piping of the main channels from the Southern Coliban system dams providing water to both the Castlemaine system and to Sandhurst Reservoir [when water is available] is that
• piping and burying these systems not only saves many megalitre of potable water over the pricing five years
• but also in the event of catastrophic wildfire, increases the potential of water safety and therefore other infrastructure safety for Castlemaine and also Bendigo and small towns in the reticulation system
• obviously there could well be further works necessary to protect water pumping infrastructure against wildfire impacts.

With thanks for the continuing opportunities Coliban Water and yourself create for commenting freely on a few of the key water security and water justice issues facing our Shire.

Kind regards

Carol McDonough
Co-Coordinator
Waterislife Mount Alexander, WiLMA

Comment on Pricing Review 2010 by jeff jones

jeff jones — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:31:44 +0000

I would just like to know exactly (a breakdown) of what we get for our $118 sewerage service fee??? I am sure that it is value for money, but I would still like to know!