: News Article

NQ Water Budget Targets the Environment

05/09/2002

Environmental management has emerged as a priority for the Board of NQ Water in its 2003 financial year budget.

This is achieved by allocating funds to water quality monitoring, capital works and future planning.
The Board approved:

• $145,000 for the control of aquatic and terrestrial weeds across the entire area of operations;
• $25,000 towards the maintenance of the Lake Paluma access road;
• $25,000 for a feasibility study into eco-tourism on Ross River Dam;
• $25,000 to continue investigations into impacts of motorised watercraft activities on the Paluma and Ross River Dams;
• $100,000 for environmental and recreational management of Ross River, including education programs and monitoring water quality, and
• $15,000 for fish restocking programs in Ross River.
  

In other project funding, work to further upgrade infrastructure at Lake Paluma with boat ramps, dedicated camping facilities and traffic mitigation is valued at $300,000 and will go to preserve the natural heritage of the wilderness area.

The Board has also put $78,000 towards developing the Water Quality Strategy and Environmental Management Systems. These funds will target several key areas, such as:

• A Land Use Control Management Plan, which feeds into the councils’ town plans and ensures land use that protects water quality;
• An Infrastructure Corridor Management Plan which addresses preventative measures and emergency contingencies to do with roads and rail lines that traverse the catchment;
• A Raw Water Quality Management Plan, which includes the monitoring of water into the dam and addresses issues like an early warning system for blue green algal blooms and materials extraction in the catchment, and
• A critical review of the Board’s Environmental Management Systems.
  

NQ Water Chairman, Ian Hamilton, said all NQ Water’s operations were designed to deliver a clean, healthy and consistent supply of water.

"Water is one of the most regulated industries in the country and NQ Water follows industry best practice when it comes to water quality, environmental management and other guidelines," he said.

"Our continued memberships of peak bodies, including the CRC Water Quality and Treatment and the Australia Water Association, will ensure we stay abreast of all current trends and issues regarding water quality and supply."

Contact: Ian Hamilton can be reached for comment on 0418 777 284. CEO Ken Diehm is on 0438 192 082. Media Liaison Robert Dark is on 0417 623 156.

© 2004 NQ Water