TURN WATER TAX TAP OFF

Gardeners angry at new charge increase

TOOWOOMBA’S garden lovers and enthusiasts have expressed their anger after the council increased the water access charge again in the latest budget.

The controversial charge will be increased by 4.1 per cent for residential households and six per cent for non-residential properties in the 2020-21 financial year, the third straight increase of this nature. For many residents, accessing water at their own property will now cost nearly $700.

While the TRC called the hike necessary to keep maintaining water infrastructure, some gardeners have said the price was putting people off watering their gardens.

TOOWOOMBA gardeners have lashed out at the council’s plan to increase its controversial water access charge again.

The charge, which already costs ratepayers more than $700 a year, will be hiked again in this year’s council budget by 4.1 per cent.

This is the third year it’s been increased by the same amount, in a move Deputy Mayor Geoff McDonald said was to help the TRC catch up with renewing ageing water infrastructure.

But avid gardener and community member Greg Johnson, whose water bills for the past 12 months were nearly $5000, said the increases to both water access and consumption charges were already making people consider abandoning their plants to save money.

“Gardens are the heart and soul of many people (in Toowoomba), and to just let them lie fallow (is) tragic,” he said.

“I know our bills are high, but what choice do (people) have?

“I take this whole water thing rather personally — it’s far too much to pay.”

This sentiment was shared by Toowoomba residents in a poll by The Chronicle, with 91 per cent of readers in favour of scrapping the charge altogether.

Mr Johnson said he would like to see the council rethink how it managed and charged for water.

Cr McDonald, who is also the finance chair, said the increase was part of a five-year plan.

“We’re now in our thirdyear of the plan and we are still playing catch-up,” he said.

“We’ve got nearly $1 billion worth of infrastructure for our water services and water supply, and that’s a big impost for this council.”