Tate slams ‘pipe dream’

Waste water protesters want fix worth billions

MAYOR Tom Tate has taken a shot at “greenies” after a surge of protest from surfers about plans for a recycled water pipeline near one of the Gold Coast’s best surfing beaches.

The council is accused of being “environmentally and financially reckless” as almost $32 million has been budgeted in the next 12 months to build the pipeline across the Broadwater, South Stradbroke Island and extending 3km out to sea.

A Bulletin report has provided mapping showing the pipeline’s route but the council maintains it will be 20m underground and further north of the surfing area known as The Other Side.

On his mayoral Facebook page, Cr Tate posted about a “another greenie triggered whinge about how the council is about to ‘destroy’ TOS surf break on the very southern end of South Stradbroke Island”.

“Council is undertaking possibly its single largest capital infrastructure build with the city’s waste water expansion project designed to handle our growing population’s waste water,” he wrote.

“Funny how I’m copping it from the greenies for getting ahead of population growth with an infrastructure building project – but let’s leave that hypocriticalness for another day.”

Cr Tate said the expanded ocean outfall pipe network would run underground “around two kilometres offshore” where the ocean floor dips away to the 20m mark.

“The water being released is to recycled quality and meets State Government EPA regulations for such ocean outfall to ensure the environment is not harmed,” he said.

“We have an existing ocean outfall that releases recycled water in the seaway on the outgoing tide so this is a major improvement to the city’s waste water infrastructure and handling.

“Apparently a pipe buried 20m under the ground will somehow affect the sand and waves above.

“While I’m not a coastal processes engineer, blind Freddy can tell that’s more utter nonsense from the Save our Spit crowd who seem to have no more engineering or scientific qualifications in this greater than ‘I’m a regular surfer’.”

The Mayor received backing on his Facebook post but there was division.

Retired businessman Lindsay Jackson wrote: “Well said Tom. Myself plus thousands of other smart people of our community are sick and tired of the likes of Save Our Spit and all the other greenies knocking everything that needs to be done to make our Gold Coast the best liveable city in Australia as well as the number one holiday destination.”

But a female resident posted: “Can you stop referring to anyone that has a debate or disagrees with you as a ‘greenie’ or ‘tree hugger’ ... nothing wrong with people that care about the environment ...”

Others supported Save Our Spit’s calls for the council to explore sending the water west to drought communities.

“It would cost billions,” Cr Tate said.