Council probes water use

Hodgson Vale tops TRC’s July list by more than 100L

A COMMUNITY south of Toowoomba was the region’s biggest water user last month, according to the council’s latest report.

Hodgson Vale, just 20 minutes outside the city, used more than 360 litres per person per day during July, which was nearly 100L above the next highest community.

In comparison, residents in Toowoomba used 181L per day, while Clifton people used a paltry 117L per day.

Water and waste general manager Damian Platts told councillors at the ordinary meeting on Tuesday he would investigate the water use, which seemed out of step with the rest of the region.

Cr Mike Williams suggested the result could’ve been influenced from water being taken from the stand pipe on Hodgson Creek, considering the low tank levels among residents due to the drought.

“That would significantly distort it if water was being taken. It’s a small, closed system so it would have a bigger impact,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Carol Taylor, who lives in the southern Toowoomba region, said she had never seen water usage levels that high before in the area.

“It does raise a flag for me as well - it’s never been that high before,” she said.

Dam levels in the Toowoomba region sit at 47.4 per cent, with Perseverance Dam sitting at just 36 per cent.

Mr Platts said pumping from Wivenhoe Dam could commence as early as May year if rain didn’t arrive.

The council received just six complaints from the community about water quality in July, a drop from 11 during the same month last year.

The most common issue was with water colour, due to maintenance activity in the Wilsonton area. next