Peninsula Community Access Edition 310
News Phone 4325 7369 Fax 4321 0940
4 February 2013
No groundwater extracted during drought Gosford Council did not extract ground water during the drought on the Peninsula in the last six months of last year. The reason was not a desire to maintain the water table but because “upgrade works are currently under way at the Woy Woy Groundwater Treatment Plant”, according to council’s water and sewer operations manager Mr Michael Redrup. In the six months July to December, only 248.8mm of rain had fallen on the Peninsula, less than half the average of 504.4mm
for the second half of the year. Mr Redrup said that despite rainfall declining across the region by between 33.3 per cent (one third) and 38.2 per cent, “the total storage situation actually improved by 5.5 per cent”. He said this was a result of water transferred through the “missing link” pipeline between Mardi and Mangrove Creek Dam. “Council is aware that the Gosford region has been experiencing below average rainfall,” said Mr Redrup. “Council’s Water and Sewer Directorate doesn’t maintain rainfall records for the Peninsula,
however, we do monitor rainfall at the Mangrove Creek Dam, and the Mardi and Somersby Water Treatment Plants,” he said. In the last 12 months Somersby Water Treatment Plant has had 1212mm of rainfall compared to 1929mm the previous year, down 37.2 per cent. Mardi Water Treatment Plant had 1141mm of rainfall compared to 1846 the previous year, down 38.2 per cent. Mangrove Creek Dam had 843mm of rainfall compared to 1264 the previous year, down 33.3 per cent.
Mr Redrup said the current daily water demand for the Gosford region was around 45 million litres. In comparison, between 10 to 20 years ago, daily water demand for the Gosford region during January was over 100 million litres. The Peninsula currently comprises around 30 per cent of total water demand across the Gosford region, he said. “Council closely monitors total water storage over time and has developed demand management strategies to reduce historical demand,” said Mr Redrup. “We have also commissioned
the Mardi to Mangrove Link which harvests water from the Wyong River and transfers it to Mangrove Creek Dam for later use. “Despite the reduced rainfall over the last 12 months, the total storage situation actually improved by 5.5 per cent as a result of the transfers available following completion of the Mardi to Mangrove Link (12,446 ML has been transferred for the year to date),” he said. Media Statement, 17 Jan 2013 Michael Redrup, Gosford Council
Council defends tree removal Gosford Council has defended its removal of a number of Brush Box trees along the northern footway of Uligandi St as part of the construction of the shared footpath and cycleway between Woy Woy and Ettalong. Council’s project officer Mr David Medcalf said the path was a continuation of the cycleway constructed from the Woy Woy Town Centre, along the Woy Woy
Foreshore Reserve through to McMasters Rd Reserve, funded by the Department of Planning under the NSW Coastline Cycleway Program. Further funding has allowed the off-road pathway to continue south along Blackwall Rd, via Memorial Ave, Barrenjoey Rd, Uligandi St and then east to the existing shared pathway at The Esplanade, Ettalong. “Various options were investigated for the Uligandi St
alignment, including locating the pathway in the roadway as a separated shared pathway,” said Mr Medcalf. “However, these options would have seriously impacted traffic flow, resident kerbside parking, bus zones and drop off areas associated with the Ettalong Beach Primary School as well as the existing pedestrian crossing. “In addition to this, an alternative route in surrounding streets was also investigated, however, the
adjoining streets all contained many more trees than the northern side of Uligandi St. “Therefore, it was recommended that the proposed shared pathway be constructed along the Uligandi St northern footway. “Negotiations with the school allowed the planting of trees within their grounds particularly along the Uligandi St road boundary. “They agreed that if the Brush Box trees along the northern footway of Uligandi St were
removed as part of the shared pathway construction then the school would welcome advanced specimens of the same tree to be planted within the school grounds along the same road boundary. “Replacement trees were planted within the school grounds at the beginning of summer 2012 which, as they grow, will gradually reinstate the streetscape,” said Mr Medcalf. Media Statement, 31 Jan 2013 David Medcalf, Gosford Council
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