Council pitches water incentive

TOWNSVILLE City Council is looking to provide incentives to community groups to use recycled wastewater to irrigate sporting fields.

The initiative is part of the council’s water security plans.

At its July meeting this week, the council authorised CEO Adele Young to ease a water charge concession cap for organisations that committed to take part in its re- use scheme.

The concession helps sporting groups with water costs up to a certain level before they have to pay higher charges.

Cr Hill said they were saying to groups that they would keep them on a reduced rate for water costs but needed them to invest in infrastructure to support wastewater re- use.

“We want them to be a part of the project ( but) they will need to invest in capital items,” Cr Hill said.

“It’s quid pro quo. If this is the way we can incentivise that investment, so be it. In the end what we’ll have is another piece of the puzzle in terms of long- term water security.”

Cr Hill said the council had told staff to continue with the process and come back with a full business case for each of the possible participating groups.

“In terms of end users, I believe we have had a significant number of groups saying they do want to be involved,” Cr Hill said.

North Queensland Football Group Ltd general manager Declan Carnes said they would take part in the council’s plans provided it could be shown that the wastewater was safe to use on sporting fields.

Mr Carnes said much of their $ 47,000 annual rates bill in Townsville comprised the cost of water.

“We need to work out how to keep costs down,” Mr Carnes said.

“We are trying to keep costs down so as not to put it back on parents.”

Mr Carnes said it was alarming how many children could not play sport because of cost. He said there was a good argument for the Federal Government to support participation in sport to reduce health costs down the track.