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Toowoomba Holds a Real Community Consultation

Sunday, 2nd April, 2006

Community consultation is one of those fine sounding priciples that local government councils regularly espouse but rarely practice. In Toowoomba things are different. For many months now the Council has been informing its ratepayers about an impending crisis in the supply of water and of the options for dealing with it. Anyone interested in the issue should look at the excellent and informative www.toowoombawater.com.au. website.

The preferred option of the council includes a water recycling plant to turn sewage and other waste water back in to a drinkable product. This week it is sending a Water Futures booklet to all residents giving details of the system to turn 5000 megalitres of waste water from its sweage works to an advanced treatment plant and then pipe it back into Cooby Dam to supplement supplies.

At the end of several months of debate, residents will be asked to vote on the project at a referendum and if there is a yes vote the Federal Government has agreed to pay $22.9 million of the estimated total cost of $67.8 million. Toowoomba Mayor Dianne Thorley welcomed the announcement by Federal Parliamentary Secretary Malcolm Turnbull of the conditional support.

I’m thrilled,” Mayor Dianne Thorley said. “Finally we have the opportunity to let the community decide. People need to be informed to make big decisions such as this one and I look forward to engaging the community through a comprehensive education program. The promise of funding by state and federal governments demonstrates that they have complete confidence in the Water Futures – Toowoomba project. I believe that logic and reason will prevail. We just need to ensure that all the information is made available to people.”

Council is encouraging residents to read the Water Book, which provides a background of Toowoomba’s water situation and explains the project in detail. People are also encouraged to contact Council for personal briefings or group presentations so that they can better understand the project.

“The presentations are a forum for small or large groups of people to hear about the project and ask questions. Water Futures – Toowoomba’s Independent Advisory Panel members are available to speak to members of the public and Council staff are keen to give presentations to interested groups,” Cr Thorley said.