Accountability the key for new Central Coast water corporation

Thursday, 27 July 2006 02:06

TEC Urban Campaigner Mr Leigh Martin said “Creating a new Central Coast Water Corporation provides a golden opportunity to enshrine environment and customer protection in the management of water resources on the Central Coast. Simply rebadging current arrangements will do nothing to improve services or long term sustainability”.

TEC had previously called on the NSW Government to establish a separate Central Coast Water Corporation along similar lines to Sydney and Hunter Water in response to the Council’s failure to plan for sustainable water supplies for the Central Coast. Sydney and Hunter Water are governed by Operating Licences established by the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) and are required by legislation to protect the environment and customer’s interests. Regular, independent audits are conducted to check compliance with these requirements.

“Water management on the Central Coast requires major reform with a corporation subject to the same triple bottom line obligations and accountability measures as Sydney and Hunter Water. This will require a detailed Operating Licence and audit procedures that ensure maximum public accountability and transparency”, Mr Martin said.

Gosford and Wyong Councils have failed to plan for sustainable water supplies and are now pursuing desalination despite very little effort being made to develop cheaper and more sustainable options such as recycling.

“Proper management of Central Coast water should ensure that all environmentally and economically responsible recycling options are exhausted before any consideration is given to desalination”, Mr Martin said