‘Putrid’ water ire growing
Stepping out with healthy youth message
BROWN water coming from the taps at Carrington, south of Atherton on the Tablelands, is rising the ire of residents.
They say they have been suffering the “putrid” water quality for the past three months.
About 100 residents in the Carrington area have been living under a permanent boiledwater alert since January 17.
Scott Anderson, who lives on Carrington Rd, said the Tablelands Regional Council should be subsidising their water until the area’s old, deteriorating water infrastructure was fixed.
“Council is charging us so much on our rates bill for water we can’t even drink,” he said. “Some days the water comes out looking like a chocolate milkshake – it’s disgusting.”
Retirees Jean and Paul Newman said several of their neighbours had become terribly sick over the years because of E. coli in the water.
“I feel like we’re in the third world here. It’s the sort of thing you’d expect in the backblocks of India,” Mrs Newman said.
Mayor Joe Paronella said the council was struggling with the impact of recent rain and flooding as well as ageing infrastructure which had exacerbated the water issues in the Carrington Rd area.
He said the area had been under a boil-water notification since January 17 because heavy rain in the catchment increased turbidity levels (the cloudiness caused by fine suspended matter in the water).
“Recent flooding and persistent rainfall has resulted in a prolonged period of the notice,” Cr Paronella said.
He said the council had inherited ageing infrastructure and was “proactively working” to fix the problem for the longterm. YOUTH Week this year will give indigenous young people a healthy message mixed with culture.
Wuchopperen Health Service will hold its second Wellbeing and Kulture Festival tomorrow from 4-7pm. This year’s event will emphasise dance, with performances by hip-hop groups Oistaboi and Cypher and traditional groups.
WaK Festival co-ordinator Spencer Browne said it was about promoting health through expression.
“Keeping the culture alive is important in ensuring the youth know where they come from,” he said.