Mental health town meeting
Redirecting Boardwalk funds
Heritage Review begins
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Show will go on in 2021
Locals save visiting family
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3 OCT 2020
Jamberoo runs out of sewer connections
Jett and Luke Warner are frustrated their application to develop the back of their property at Jamberoo has been derailed after a year’s work on their part, due to no more sewer connections being available in the village. “Throughout the process with Council, no-one told us this could be an issue,” says Jett. “We’ve spent $50,000 getting to this point, and now we are back to scratch. “We should have been warned earlier the supply was getting that tight. “I understand there are four other applicants in the same boat. “Sydney Water told me it was a case of first in best dressed.” Council’s Director Environmental Services, Jessica Rippon, says the Warners weren’t warned because Council itself didn’t know the situation had reached that stage. “Whilst we understood that there were limits to the capacity of the system, we have never been advised that the village was nearing that capacity or that development would be unable to be serviced,” she says. “Since this advice has been received, I have strongly advocated directly to Sydney Water, to firstly establish the facts of the situation and secondly to ensure that they
Sandmining decision with the Commission
Jett Warner can’t understand how the situation has come to this
plan and cater for growth effectively. “I have clearly outlined to Sydney Water that landholders need certainty. “We all need to be told what capacity they have within Jamberoo and what land is included within this expected service capacity. “Once I have a response from Sydney Water, I will be providing a detailed report to Council in October regarding this issue, which will include a number of options for Council to consider.” The sewer was only connected in Jamberoo in 2004, following environmental
concerns. Residents have long had to live with alarm systems alerting them to high levels in their pits, which regularly coincides with rain, suggesting leeching of stormwater into the system. While references have been made over recent years to the sewerage system having limited capacity, particularly when the Golden Valley Road redevelopment was mooted, the urgency of the situation was not fully appreciated. “The only reason people know about it is because of us,” says Jett, who has lived in the Valley for more than half her life.
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Rather than use delegated authority to approve Boral’s modification to expand its sandmining operations at Dunmore (across the highway to sites east and south of Dunmore House), the Dept of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) has deferred the final decision to the Independent Planning Commission. In its letter to the Commission, the Group Deputy Secretary, Marcus Ray, said, “After a thorough assess“We are talking about an essential service in our main ment and consideration of community submissions, street. “For the sake of the growth on balance, the Department considers that the impacts of of Jamberoo, something will the modification are manageneed to happen, even if ours able and that the proposed doesn’t go ahead.” She was advised by Sydney modification is approvable, Water to investigate an onsite subject to the recommended conditions.” pump-out system, but has Friends of the Minnamurra been told by a consultant that is not possible with the devel- River spokesperson, former councillor Richard Maitland, opment they have planned. is disappointed the DPIE A spokesman for Sydney Water says it is all to do with and other agencies have recommended approval, but unexpected growth. welcomes the the announce“Jamberoo sewerage ment of a Public Meeting. scheme was connected as “It provides the opportunity part of the NSW Governcontinued on page 4 for all interested parties to
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make submissions regarding this highly controversial project,” he says. “This will be an opportunity to make your views known to the commissioners, either in writing or in person. “Had it gone internally, it would have been given a rubber stamp.” Mr Maitland, Howard H Jones of the Gerroa Environmental Protection Society and Paul Knight of the Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council, along with representatives of Boral, were given the opportunity to inspect the site with the commissioners. “One of the points we made is that much of the vegetation isn’t hollow bearing, but the Bangalays are,” says Mr Jones. “Although there aren’t a lot, they are an important part of the whole habitat value of the vegetation.” He continues to be concerned that the proposed pit will degrade the vegetation adjoining the river, impact on the migration of mangrove vegetation westward as sea
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