ANGER AT WATER CHARGE LOO- NACY

Appeal to help cover Reef expense

TOWNSVILLE rate payers pay the second- highest sewerage charges in Queensland.

With Cairns and Mackay also high on the list, Townsville City Council is leading calls for the State and Federal Governm ments to provide funding help to North Queensland councils.

Due to their proximity to th the Great Barrier Reef, North Q Queensland councils must pay more for sewerage plants to meet stringent state and feder eral environmental standards.

An AEC Group report shows th the city’s $ 759 residential wastewater charge is the state’s second highest behind Moreton Bay.

It comes after the council was accused of sending hotels broke with the highest toilet charges of any Queensland centre.

Mayor Jenny Hill says councils need to cost the additional regulations and lobby both levels of government.

RATEPAYERS are being hit with the second- highest sewerage charges in Queensland.

With Cairns and Mackay also high on the list, Townsville City Council is calling on the State and Federal Governments to provide funding help to North Queensland councils.

Due to their proximity to the Great Barrier Reef, the councils must pay higher operational and capital costs for sewage plants to meet state and federal environmental standards.

It comes after the council was last month accused of sending hotels broke with the highest toilet charges of any major Queensland centre, with some hoteliers saying they were removing sewerage pipes to avoid paying the charges.

An AEC Group report comparing 16 of Queensland’s largest councils reveals the city’s $ 759 residential wastewater charge is the second- highest in the state behind Moreton Bay.

Mayor Jenny Hill said the councils needed to investigate the costs of the additional regulations before lobbying both levels of government.

“The previous State Government froze the Financial Assistance Grants, which has had an impact, but we really need to be talking to the Federal Government to look at how they can address this problem for councils on the Great Barrier Reef,” she said.

“We have a small population and it’s very difficult to bring in reasonable charges for wastewater for ratepayers because we have to treat it at much higher quality than Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, and we can see that in the cost back to the community.”

In recent years, the council has racked up millions in debt upgrading wastewater facilities, including the $ 189 million Mount St John upgrade, the $ 65 million Cleveland Bay upgrade and the $ 9.5 million Horseshoe Bay plant.

Herbert MP Ewen Jones said he had already raised the matter with Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt.

“I have offered to put the council in front of the Environment Minister … either when he comes to Townsville or if the council comes to Canberra to discuss the role the council plays in protecting the Great Barrier Reef and the costs that imposes on the ratepayer,” he said.

The AEC report also showed Townsville was the lowest in the state for kerbside waste and recycling collection charges and third- lowest for residential water.

It’s very difficult to bring in reasonable charges for wastewater MAYOR JENNY HILL