A meeting of BRASS (Braidwood Residents Association) has been called for tonight at 8pm called at the Servicemen's Club to discuss the increased Council rates and charges for 2007/2008.
After a large appearance in the public Gallery at the Council meeting held in Braidwood, residents are dissatisfied that Council has looked at all the options for building the Sewerage Treatment Plant, for which the heftiest charges will be levied. Speakers from the public gallery and some councillors had stated at the Council meeting that many residents and business would not be able to afford the high increases in rates and charges by Palerang Council in 2007-2008.
The Council is to take up $6m in loans over two years, (with a 20 year loan) to pay for the plant construction. While it has factored a government subsidy into the figures, a 50% subsidy reduces the residential sewer charge by less than $200.
Some ratepayers believe that Council is charging residents to build a 'Rolls-Royce' sewerage treatment plant, and that there may be cheaper alternative options. Two such treatment options mentioned have been the reed bed system for filtering the waste and a methane biodigestor, where the bi-product can be sold off or used for heating.
The present treatment plant in Braidwood was constructed with substantial State Government contributions in the mid 1960s to service up to 2000 people. Council has avoided $500,000 of fines from the Environmental Planning Authority (EPA) in promising to replace the run down system without delay.
The treatment plant that the Council is proposing is similar to the one in place and is a Standard Rate Trickling Filter Treatment plant for NSW. The design is already available and the council is ready to put the construction out for tender.
The new system's capacity is for "equivalent 2000 people" which means residents plus visitors, plus any industrial waste.
Palerang General Manager Peter Bascomb says that other types of treatment plants have been considered but neither Reed Beds or Biodigesters yet have EPA approval. He says that "it's possible that a Braidwood plant would not have the volumes to make a biodigestor system viable." Tumut Shire has the only one operating, which is used for the VISY Mill, but not for human waste.
Mr Bascomb says that a "reed bed system would require the acquisition of additional land, and is not as good for phosphorous and nitrogen removal."
"Council has taken a low risk approach. Even if it was to save a million dollars, the installation of such a plant could be risky" he said. Local staff may not be able to operate it, and it may cost more to manage.
Federal Member for Eden Monaro and Special Minister of State Gary Nairn, who was in Braidwood last week to officially announce the $250k grant to Braidwood and Villages Tourism, later allowed for some time to meet with a group of residents to hear concerns about the impact of the new rates and charges.
At the meeting in the back bar of the Braidwood Hotel, Mr Nairn held out a glimmer of hope saying that, while it was local government's responsibility to look after water and sewerage, there could be some funding available to help. Mr Nairn said that he was not aware of the full implications of Braidwood's failing sewerage treatment plant until he had requested a meeting with Palerang Council about two months ago. Some business owners present expressed anger that they had not been informed of the meeting Council had organized for business people to explain the charges.
Mr Bascomb said on Monday that Council only received about 4 or 5 letters about the new charges.
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