{"id":224316,"date":"2018-11-29T23:03:52","date_gmt":"2018-11-29T13:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=224316"},"modified":"2020-06-26T12:41:12","modified_gmt":"2020-06-26T02:41:12","slug":"great-ideas-just-add-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2018\/11\/29\/great-ideas-just-add-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Great Ideas … Just Add Water"},"content":{"rendered":"
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WBBROC regional water co-ordinator Steve Brown with South Burnett mayor Keith Campbell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

November 30, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

An informal “South Burnett Water Users Group” was formed on Thursday following a forum called by South Burnett Regional Council to gather ideas for future water projects in the region.<\/p>\n

The meeting was organised following an announcement by the Federal Government earlier this month that it would fund a $2 million joint South Burnett\/North Burnett Regional Council feasibility study to investigate new infrastructure options for increased water supply and water security in the Burnett region.<\/p>\n

A group of about 30 responded to the invitation from Council to attend, including local farmers and consultants plus representatives from businesses including Bega (PCA), Swickers, Boehringer Ingelheim and Stanwell.<\/p>\n

Also in attendance at the Town Common Hall were several councillors and representatives from BIEDO, the Burnett Mary Regional Group and local water user groups.<\/p>\n

Mayor Keith Campbell chaired the meeting and introduced the guest speaker, Wide Bay Burnett Regional Organisation of Councils (WBBROC) regional water co-ordinator Steve Brown.<\/p>\n

Mr Brown has been studying water issues within the WBBROC region – which includes both the South and North Burnett council areas – for the past three years.<\/p>\n

He explained that although the area had been “studied to death”, the feasibility study was necessary to “put numbers on a page that will get us to the next hurdle, a business case”.<\/p>\n

Mayor Campbell said he had confirmed during a trip to Canberra this week that the $2m for the feasibility project was “secure”, ie. not dependent on the outcome of the next Federal Election, but additional money that the Federal Government was planning to put into a “water fund” – $500 million – was subject to the Coalition being re-elected.<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, even if there was a change of government, it would leave the Burnett with a very sound plan which the region could continue to work on.<\/p>\n

SBRC CEO Mark Pitt said the meeting was to “start the conversation” and would be one of a series of workshops held in the South and North Burnett areas.<\/p>\n

Mr Brown reminded the audience the last major water infrastructure development in the area had been the Paradise Dam “which has been a total failure”.<\/p>\n

Calling for ideas, Mayor Campbell urged\u00a0 the audience “don’t be shy” about putting forward suggestions (see below).<\/p>\n

*\u00a0 *\u00a0 *<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Ideas were taken from the floor at the Water Forum held in the Kingaroy Town Common Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Suggestions …\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Some of the ideas put forward included:<\/strong><\/p>\n