PO
Box 456,
91 Hammond Ave,
Wagga
Wagga NSW 2650 Australia
Phone: 02 69220608
Fax: 02 69212241
Current Infrastructure Network
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION
Unlike a general purpose council, Riverina Water County Council is not required to address the general state of the environment, however it is responsible for environmental protection in relation to all its works and activities. The movement and treatment of water, and the disturbance of soil during construction work must have due regard for environmental issues .
Water is a finite resource, and although most of Riverina Water’s sources of raw water are adequate and reliable through the driest years, there is a wider responsibility to eliminate any inefficient or wasteful practices in the use of water.
A Environmental Protection – objectives and targets
Water is arguably the most important resource and its use must include long term consideration of protection and sustainability.
While Riverina Water draws only a small percentage of the surface and groundwater resource in the Murrumbidgee and Murray Valleys, it will be bound by state water Management policies, administered by the Department of Land and Water Conservation. It is also essential that any water we return to the environment is of an appropriate quality.
Any disturbance of the soil during pipelaying, or other water supply work is to be protected by recognised soil and water conservation practices during the project, and returned to a state equal or better than pre-existing on completion of the work.
Riverina Water also aims to minimise the amount of electricity used, and thus contribute to programmes which reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Land and buildings owned by Riverina Water are to be cared for in an environmentally sustainable way.
Riverina Water aims to reduce wastage and make customers aware that water is a finite resource, that the provision of water supply is costly, and that inefficient and wasteful practices should be eliminated.
B Environmental Protection – means to achieve
1. Riverina Water has joined he Sustainable Energy Development Authority programme, and will reduce electricity consumption, by installing higher efficiency equipment and minimising power losses. This will assist the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in NSW.
2. Continuation of an environmental project to restore native vegetation and generally improve the river bank and Marshalls Creek, at Council's Hammond Avenue property has been included in the capital works programme..
3. Riverina Water has also been active in checking for smaller leaks and other water losses. Sample areas at Turvey Park, Glenfield and Tatton have been checked on a house by house basis, and while several houses were found to be losing water from the toilet cistern, there were very few other leaks. Testing of water mains in Turvey Park and Calvary Hospital area did not reveal any noticeable losses. Watermains in the new suburbs of Glenfield and Tatton were found to be watertight.
Water extracted from the river bores is measured by large bulk meters and over a year this volume is compared with the volume of water measured through all the customers individual meters. The difference is usually about 13 percent unaccounted for, but including such things as evaporation, flushing mains, firefighting, repairing burst mains, faulty customer meters, and illegal use of water. In the past bulk meters have only provided approximate readings and Riverina Water is progressively replacing these meters with the more accurate magnetic flow type. Comparisons will then be possible within different zones of Wagga Wagga and areas where discrepancies are higher can be further investigated.
Riverina Water gives strong support to the wise use of water, by involvement with the Urban Salinity Group, the Waterwise Programme, and through publicity in advertising an editorial contributions when water is featured in the regional press. Riverina Water contributes part of the Water Week display in both equipment and personnel.
A range of helpful and supportive fact sheets is available and on display at 91 Hammond Avenue and other locations. Leaflets to inform and assist customers with leak elimination and wise water use were included with the Spring and Summer bills.
Plumbing Inspectors are happy to give advice on household plumbing and leak detection and can be contacted on 69220671.
Beginning in 1994 Riverina Water County Council (then Southern Riverina County Council) moved to what has been called two part pricing of water. The historical practice of setting a water rate with a minimum payment, and then granting a matching allowance before excess would be applied, tends to encourage waste, particularly in the winter months when soil moisture may already be excessive. The two part pricing which now has a single price per kilolitre for almost all users, is recommended by the Independent Pricing & Regulatory Tribunal and Water Wise programme as the way to discourage waste. Since moving to this system the average annual water use per customer has fallen by 8 percent.
C Environmental Protection - Manner of Assessing
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Strategies / Actions |
Measures |
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Water returned to the environment from the filtration plant will be monitored for quality. |
EPA standards achieved. |
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All field work-sites will be protected and restored to eliminate degradation. |
No soil loss or siltation. Vegetation restored. |
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Soiled water from Urban field site works will be returned for proper disposal. |
No soiled water entering town drainage systems. |
|
S.E.D.A. consultations and advice will be acted on to reduce electricity consumption. |
Reduced electricity use per kilolitre of water produced. |
|
Marshalls Creek environmental project to restore native vegetation and protect creek bed. |
Native vegetation restored. Stable creek bed. |
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Unaccounted for water measured wherever possible, and identified losses reduced. Early detection and repair of leaks. |
Percentage of water unaccounted for in the year. |
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Participation in joint activities eg. Urban Salinity Committee. |
Group outcomes. |
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Co-operation with other Councils in effluent re-use. |
Increased re-use. |
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Water pricing that gives incentive to avoid waste, coupled with customer education and information. |
Unstepped pricing achieved. Reduced consumption per tenement. |
MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER/MARSHALLS CREEK
BUSH REGENERATION PROJECT, HAMMOND AVE, WAGGA WAGGA
Introduction
The Murrumbidgee River is a major asset to the City of Wagga Wagga. In recent times a greater focus has occurred in the community to enhance and utilise this asset as a place for recreation and tourism. The river, for a long time hidden behind the levee bank, is now being opened up to the public. A bikeway has been completed along much of its length within the urban area, a company is running eco cruises for tourists along the river and Wagga Wagga City Council (WWCC) is planning further enhancements and access to historical features. This new exposure has drawn attention to the general health of the river and more specifically to some areas that have been neglected in the past, which now require restoration.
Riverina Water County Council (RWCC) and its predecessor organisations have drawn water from the river for reticulated supply to Wagga Wagga since 1888. Thus it could be said RWCC and the Wagga Wagga community are indebted to the river. Where would we be without it? Furthermore, there is now a community expectation for the sustainable use of water and other resources to ensure the survival of the planet for future generations. It is from this perspective that RWCC is making a conscious effort to implement environmentally sustainable practices that protect and conserve the river, which is so important to the community.
River friendly practices
RWCC undertakes many initiatives to conserve the environment in its day to day operations. Two projects of particular significance to the river are the elimination of suspended matter re-entering the river after treatment or because of excavation, and the restoration of the of the river/creek banks to locally native vegetation.
Work is well advanced to upgrade the sludge and backwash disposal system at each filtration plant to minimise suspended matter in effluent leaving the plant. Staff have been trained in sediment and erosion control measures on construction sites and implement this knowledge whenever called for by site conditions.
RWCC’s headquarters and waterworks in Hammond Avenue, Wagga Wagga back onto the Murrumbidgee River and Marshalls Creek where the two join. In fact two thirds of the site perimeter is either river (375m) or creek (475m) frontage. In the past this frontage had been somewhat neglected, attracting rubble, bits of old pipe etc. and had become overgrown with exotic vegetation species. RWCC is committed to reinstating the riparian zone adjacent to it’s facilities to resemble a more natural state (ie River Red Gum woodland). To this end RWCC has embarked on a long-term plan to remove exotic species and regenerate the natural vegetation, beginning with the easier areas and progressing to the more difficult.
Aims are to:
- improve water quality;
- curb erosion;
- reduce unnatural organic load from deciduous species;
- enhance native plant diversity by replanting indigenous species which are no longer present;
- provide habitat corridors and food supply for native fauna.
- and improve aesthetic quality;
Work has begun on a 400m section of Marshalls Creek from the Sturt Highway bridge, down stream to the pedestrian footbridge. RWCC staff have removed visible rubble and large exotic trees, while Greening Australia (GA) have been contracted to remove smaller weeds and plant trees and shrubs using trained bush regenerators. Volunteers from Wagga Wagga Urban Landcare have also assisted with this. WWCC have contributed by chipping the waste.
MARSHALL'S CREEK BEFORE (March 2000)
Ten Year Action Plan
RWCC plans to carry out or co-ordinate the following work over the next ten years:
Stage 1 – 500 trees and shrubs have been planted along a 400mm section of the creek from the Highway to the footbridge. The species selected for planting are locally native and are selected to provide an understory to the existing river red gums. They will also increase the diversity of species present, providing a better habitat for native animals. Wagga Wagga Urban Landcare started the job at the end of May. Some RWCC staff turned up at the "working bee", Sacred Heat School Year 5 did their bit, and Greening Australia put in the remainder. Prior to this, the Works staff finished removing the larger exotic species on the western side of the creek. They also cleaned up some rubble and rubbish. The planting of the trees completes the work on this section of the creek
Stage 2 – Marshalls Creek downstream from the footbridge to GSE boundary. This section of the creek has a bowl shaped erosion area and is under threat of further erosion due to large storm flows generated by the urban catchment and the incline of the creek bed. Stabilise and minimise further erosion in this area by using rock gabion structures to slow water velocity as well as planting additional native vegetation. Work to be carried out in association with WWCC. Gabions scheduled for Feb-Mar 2002. Tree planting scheduled for May-Jun 2002.
Stage 3 – Marshalls Creek GSE boundary downstream to the Murrumbidgee River junction (on GSE land). In this area smaller erosion points occur in the creek bed, the creek banks are rather steep and at present poorly vegetated (either exotic or native). Sausage gabions are to be used to protect the creek bed from further erosion and more native vegetation will be established to help stabilise the creek banks. Work to be carried out in association with WWCC and GSE. Sausage gabions scheduled for Feb-Mar 2003. Tree planting scheduled for May-Jun 2003.
MARSHALL'S CREEK AFTER (June 2001)