water use well down

The Shire of Yarra Ranges has nominated for a national award after recording a 72% drop in the amount of drinking water used on sports fields during the past 10 years.

Me at the Belgrave South Recreation Reserve, this reserve was retrenched and resprigged as part of council's droughtproofing program back in 2008.

Council has been working hard to drought proof our ovals by implementing a range of different initiatives. In 2001 the shire used 104,000,000 litres of drinking water on our sports fields. In 2009/10 that consumption has dropped to around 29,000,000 – a 72% reduction.

The initiatives to reduce the use of potable water include harvesting rain water, using technology to monitor irrigation frequency and length, installing flow metres and rain sensors to shut off watering systems when it is raining. We've also made significant changes to our sports field construction methods using summer grass species for improved drought tolerance and have increased cutting heights of grass to ensure resilience.

Other initiatives include the use of wetting agents, installation of water bores and tanks to receive recycled water. It is important to continue to provide good quality sports fields for community. Sports fields provide a pivotal community meeting space and if that is taken away we see a breakdown in the social fabric of our community.

Whether it be organised sport or passive recreation, our sports fields are an important asset to local communities and with 64 of them in Yarra Ranges it is important that we do as much as we can to ensure their ongoing usability.

There has been a concerted effort to reduce our reliance on drinking water which not only has advantages for our community but huge benefits for our environment.

Council has nominated in the national 2010 Savewater! Awards which will be announced in November.

in the press - recycled water for yarra valley

Pipeline plan to aid farms
Yarra Ranges Journal
by Gilbert Gardiner
17 Aug 2010

recycled water for the valley

report from the roundtable – 10 aug

Council had to consider a report on the Business Case for Recycled Water Pipeline for Agriculture in the Yarra Valley.

It is an important advocacy issue for council. Yarra Ranges upholds and protects the Green Wedge as the food bowl of Melbourne and a prime driver of our local economy. We know as a council that water shortages will be more frequent as the effects of climate change continue to change local weather patterns and rainfall.

We need to start thinking about water security for our farmers now before the situation becomes dire. The business case focuses on recycled water supply from the Brushy Creek/Lilydale Sewerage Treatment Plants to supply growers in the Yarra Valley region.

The environmental benefits are enormous, not to mention the economic benefits. The project would deliver enormous flow on effects for the regional service economy as well as reductions in nutrient flows to the Olinda Creek, Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay.

It is a terrific project, makes good sense, all we need is government to take up the mantle and see it happen for farmers in Yarra Ranges.

poor water policy for victoria

In a time when the focus should be on water recycling, water tanks, upgrading aging infrastructure, stormwater capture and mandatory water sensitive design why do we have a government hell bent on poor water policy for Victoria?

read on at Samantha Dunn's blogspot

no desalination plant for victoria

Today I sent a letter to the Premier and various politicians voicing my opposition to the Desalination Plant at Wonthaggi. If you’d like to read more visit Samantha Dunn for Eastern Victoria at http://samantha-dunn.blogspot.com.

out of the blue into the red

Friends of the Earth and Watershed Victoria are supporting a free screening of Out of the Blue into the Red, a documentary about the opposition to the Victorian Government's decision to build a desalination plant in Wonthaggi. It's a good opportunity to learn about the social, environmental and economic issues surrounding this decision.



Click on image for more details










Where: ACMI - Federation Square
When: Sunday 24th May at 2:45pm
How much: FREE

12 councils now oppose logging in melbourne's catchments

Great news to hear this week that the Boroondara and Nillumbik Councils have joined with Yarra Ranges in opposing logging in Melbourne's water catchments.

Back in November 2007 I moved a motion to oppose logging of our catchments after concerns about logging in the Armstrong and Cement Creek were raised by a local environmental group, the Central Highlands Alliance. Both of these regions are well within the boundaries of the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

Little did I know that the issue would take hold through the local government sector. Water is a key focus, we see our state government spending billions of dollars on new water infrastructure and yet they continue to allow logging of our water catchments. Studies have shown that the value of water production in our catchments far outweighs that of logging.

Cambarville, a logging coupe near Melbourne's water catchments, how can this be sustainable?





The government is re-examining the value of water versus wood in a project it calls The Wood and Water Project. I am a member of the Sustainability Assessment Stakeholder Reference Group for the project. I have some serious concerns about this project in particular the fact that there is no option to cease logging in 2009/10 as part of the assessment regimes being considered. I was so concerned that that in May I moved a motion to write (to various politicians, DSE bureaucrats and consultants) detailing the case for including as part of the assessments for the Wood and Water Project the option of ceasing logging in Melbourne's water catchments by 2009/10 and including reference to the 8 councils who have recently opposed logging in Melbourne's water catchments.

It is imperative that the option of ceasing logging by 2009/10 is included as one of the regimes for sustainability assessment. I was very concerned that all the suggested regimes did not consider an immediate end to logging of Melbourne's water catchments, with 2030 being the regime with the earliest cessation of logging being assessed. Our water catchments cannot cope with another 22 years of logging, not if we want to harvest water from them.

The municipalities now opposing logging in Melbourne's water catchments represent a population of over 1.4 million Melbourne residents. There is a growing groundswell of concern about logging of our catchments in a time of critical water shortage, with grave concerns about biodiversity and climate change too.

Yarra Ranges is still waiting for a response to our request, if the government is genuine about the Wood and Water Project it will include the cease logging by 09/10 option, if it isn’t included I question the value of the project.

It is foolhardy to continue the practice of logging in our water catchments. Eleven other municipalities agree with Yarra Ranges. I hope you’re listing Mr Brumby, Mr Holding and Mr Jennings.

8th council signs on to oppose logging in catchments

The eighth metropolitan council has just joined with Yarra Ranges by opposing logging in Melbourne's Water Catchments.

Earlier this week the City of Kingston resolved:

1. Council does not support logging in water catchments because:
1. Logging has a dramatic and detrimental effect on water yield in catchments.
2. Young re-growth trees need more water to grow thus releasing less water into catchments
3. Logging reduces stream flow and yields to water catchments.
4. It takes 150 years for water yields to return to their pre logged status
5. It is poor water policy to continue to log our water catchments.
6. logging of water catchments adversely affects water quality through increasing sediment as does road construction through logging coupes.
2. The Victorian Government be urged to consider a policy of no logging in water catchments.


The eight councils represent 979,000 Melburnians, we are all very concerned about water supply and we all recognise that logging in water catchments poses a threat to our city's water security.

Congratulations to the City of Kingston for recognising this as a key issue for your constituents.

report from the round table 8/4

Thought I'd start a new regular entry in my blog about council meetings, this week I'm going to focus on a section of our meetings called reports from delegates (this is a section where councillors report back on their activities for the last two weeks), read on to find out more....

SELBY CFA - 2nd April

I had the great pleasure of presiding over the elections at the Selby CFA AGM. This year saw the longstanding Captain of the brigade, Neville Oldham, retire. Neville was Captain for 14 years, a record at Selby CFA. The strength and cohesiveness of the brigade is a great credit to his leadership over the years.

It was great to see two women contesting the position of Captain, Sandra Jenkins won on the night, my congratulations to Sandra, I look forward to working with Sandra in the future.

MAV SEAG - 3rd April

Also known as the Municipal Association of Victoria Strategic Environment Advisory Group. I attended a meeting of this group whose role it is to discuss a range of issues in relation to local government and the environment.

Of particular note was a presentation by Associate Professor Brian Finlayson who presented detailed information on the impact of logging in Melbourne's water catchments. The information confirmed Yarra Ranges stance to opppose logging in our catchments. There is no doubt that logging effects water yield - dramatically.

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VLGA Forum - 3rd April

Also known as the Victorian Local Government Association. I attended a forum focussing on logging in Melbourne's water catchments. This issue is really gaining traction in the local government sector - read my last blog entry for more info on this one.

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Leader Newspaper Public Transport Forum - 7th April

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I attended a forum for a campaign Leader Newspaper is running to improve public transport in the Upper Yarra corridor.

Many of the issues faced by the Upper Yarra community are very similar to those in the Dandenong Ranges who do not live close to Belgrave station. It is very clear what our community needs is a well connected and frequent public transport service, this is critical to address social isolation, climate change and peak oil. Lets hope those in power are listening.

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North South Pipeline Hearings - 8th April

The panel hearings are currently underway in Yering (Yarra Valley) in relation to the Project Impact Statement (PIA) for the North South (Sugarloaf Interconnector) Pipeline. There are so many concerns in relation to this project it's difficult to know where to start (I've done a separate blog entry with more info). I attended the Shire presentation on Tuesday 8th April where the staff did a great job detailing our concerns.

where are the water savings????

Tonight (12/2/08) council resolved to oppose the Sugarloaf Interconnector Pipeline until we have seen evidence to support claimed water savings.

It is my view that this project is yet another example of poor water policy from the Brumby government. There will be massive destruction of our environment and to date we have seen no evidence that the claimed 75 gigalitres will actually flow through the pipeline to Melbourne.

I believe this project has been flawed from the start, we cannot rob Peter to pay Paul, to take water from our agricultural sector (those who grow our food) is outrageous and foolhardy.

There are many opportunities for Melburnians to gain water savings. The Brumby government should be concentrating on stormwater harvesting, efficiency gains throughout the system, recycling and making water tanks mandatory on all new developments. There are many more options than the pipeline.

Our precious environment will be carved up with a 30 metre construction zone required for the majority of the pipeline. This is massive destruction for unproved savings.

When will the Premier, the Ministers and local members start to listen to their constituency?

If you'd like to know more or get involved in the campaign visit http://www.plugthepipe.com/index.html

the sugarloaf pipeline, no ees for yarra ranges

I was greatly disappointed to learn that an Environment Effects Statement (EES) will not be required for the Sugarloaf Pipeline, as announced by Planning Minister Justin Madden in late December, 2007.


“Having reviewed all the information from Melbourne Water I have concluded that an Environment Effects Statement is not required for the Sugarloaf Pipeline,” Mr Madden said.

“The flexible alignment of the pipeline means potential environmental effects can be avoided or mitigated as has been the case with the construction of other pipelines in Victoria including the Goldfields Superpipe and the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline which didn’t require an EES.”

The study area through the Shire of Yarra Ranges for the project covers a north/south corridor between 2 and 4 kilometres wide from Mt Slide to Sugarloaf Reservoir. The region is characterised by:
> High value conservation areas including the Toolangi State Forest, waterways, wetlands and stands of significant indigenous vegetation.
> High quality agricultural land.
> Yarra Valley tourism including vineyards and bed and breakfast style accommodation.
> Townships including Yarra Glen, Dixons Creek and Steels Creek.
> Cultural and heritage values.

I hope the Minister is true to his word and the alignment of the pipeline does avoid any environmental impacts in the Shire. From the information given to council I have fundamental concerns about the short and long term impact of this project on the region. The construction phase incorporates a disturbance corridor some 20 to 30 metres wide, which will have an immediate and detrimental impact. Restrictions on the future use of the easement will reduce the opportunity for rehabilitation and alter the way the land can be used in the longer term thereby permanently affecting the character of the region.

Threats in terms of damage to waterways and further fragmentation of remnant vegetation and fauna habitat cannot be mitigated with rehabilitation and offset planting. The short term disruption and the impact of the restricted use of easements will have a long lasting impact on the agricultural, wine production and tourism activities in the region.

Council has no control of the planning process, it has been taken out of our hands. As the level of government closest to the community I have a high degree of concern about the project as does our community. Given the sensitivity of our precious environment in Yarra Ranges I hope that the Minister reconsiders the alignment, it is paramount that the pipeline's flexibility avoids any environmental impacts rather than mitigate them.

It is unfortunate that the state government is taking this direction to secure water for Melbourne, there are many other ways to secure our water future; like embracing water sensitive design principles, capturing stormwater, providing better incentives to retrofit existing buildings, meeting water efficiency targets and reusing storm water.

Pipelines, Desal plants, logging our precious water catchments are not the long term solution to water supply for Melbourne.