REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Saturday, February 7, 2004

ON the day for lovers, February 14, beach-lovers would be especially pleased – the Coast’s beach showers will be back on. After a summer of going home salty and sticky, beachgoers were handed a reprieve by drought-breaking rain.

Showers were to be switched back on across the region after Gold Coast City councillors unanimously agreed to end the controversial 18month shutdown.

The water was to flow by next Saturday, in a move certain to raise each councillor’s public approval ahead of the March 27 elections.

Council officers began the job at Surfers Paradise.

Before the full meeting, councillors resolved to keep the showers turned off until the Hinze Dam reached 60 per cent.

Although the level was yet to hit 50 per cent, Mayor Gary Baildon urged councillors to reconsider, citing January’s heavy rain and the community’s compliance with hefty water restrictions.

“I ask for your support to our community to give them some relief and some thanks for the way they have saved water,” Cr Baildon said.

Councillors also resolved to ease water restrictions at Gold Coast homes, where residents would be allowed to hose their cars and wash their windows every second weekend.

Gold Coast City Council faced heavy criticism since the showers were switched off in August 2002, to conserve water during the drought.

Tourists, who resorted to crouching under water bubblers to wash off at the beach during peak season, complained that little water was saved.