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3 APR 2021
Answers needed on sewer capacity More than a week after areas of Black Beach and Kendalls Beach were cordoned off due to sewerage overflow contamination, the fencing was still there ahead of the Easter Long Weekend. This and the obvious discolouration in the water has led Deputy Mayor Andrew Sloan, a water engineer, to call for Sydney Water to report back to Council urgently on the capacity of our sewer system. “This recent weather wasn’t that extraordinary for Kiama,” he says. “These overflows actually demonstrate the sewer network, all the way to Bombo, is already overloaded. “We certainly don’t have the capacity in this network, when it is clear, to handle any further development in South Kiama.” Sydney Water has told The Bugle that while the plant is designed to manage high flows during wet weather, the Bombo Resource Recovery Facility received ten times the amount of water compared to normal conditions on the weekend of 20-21 March. Council warned residents of the overflow on Tuesday 23 March. It also closed Surf Beach and Kendalls Beach due to the sewage overflow, as well as the risk of shark attack
Local vaccine roll-out begins
from a washed up whale carcass. The spokesman said, “Sydney Water takes its responsibility to protect public health and the environment seriously. “Sydney Water regularly assesses all our assets to determine what future upgrades may be required for increased volume and or treatment requirements. Bombo is included in this cyclical program.” Cllr Sloan explains that in wet weather extra water gets into the sewer network in two ways – either people have illegally connected downpipes to the sewerage system instead of stormwater, or the age of the pipes is such that there is some leakage into them.
With the start of the rollout of “We are all keen to do our the COVID-19 vaccine, GPs bit to protect our communiacross the Municipality are ty, and are supporting each urging residents to approach other to get the job done the situation calmly. thoroughly, and are asking Speaking on behalf of other the community for patience.” local GPs, Dr Jackie Sloan Almost all of the local of the Gerringong Medical practices have been accepted Practice, says, “Vaccinating for the vaccine roll-out, and the local community will be a some have already received long process due to a limited their vaccine supplies and vaccine supply initially, but commenced inoculations. This is not the first time 450 lots) raised questions we will get through everyone Others will start to receive overflows have happened. about the capacity of the eventually. their supply in the next week “For overflows like this, Kiama system to cope. “We expect the weekly sup- or two. either there is something The Member for Kiama, ply to increase once AustraTo find out if you are eligibad going wrong with the Gareth Ward, says, “My lian production increases. ble for a COVID-19 Vaccine network or it is at capacity. expectation is that Sydney “There is no need to panic please refer to the Vaccines “We don’t know what the Water resolves this issue as Eligibility Checker. If you are capacity of the sewerage soon as possible. We need to about needing to get it done continued on p16 system is all the way through make sure the environmental immediately. town. We don’t know the cahealth of our community is pacity through wet weather. always put first. “We don’t know whether it “They have budgets for has any capacity to take any where there are overflow new developments and Sydissues, and they need to get ney Water hasn’t been comonto it and sort it out. municating with Council.” “If we have to look at The issue of the system’s broader solutions, then I capacity was highlighted am happy to raise it with not only when Jamberoo Melinda Pavey, who is the residents were told there responsible minister.” were no more new connecThe facility has been tions available, but also when upgraded a number of times Working towards the same goal: Dr Tom Hilliar (Kiama Downs a planning proposal (for a since it was built in 1984, Medical Practice), Dr Niamh Sheridan (Kiama Medical Practice), major new development at and currently supports Frances McCoy (RN at Kiama Downs), Catherine Hartley (RN at South Kiama Drive of over around 20,000 households.
Phone: 42322757
21B Barney Street, KIAMA
Kiama) and Dr Jackie Sloan (Gerringong Family Medical Practice)
Fax: 4232 2676 ksmr@bigpond.com
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