Thank you Martin
The facts as I understand them are as follows.
All Queanbeyan sewage is processed at the Queanbeyan sewage facility which is operated by Queanbeyan but situated entirely in the ACT at Oaks Estate. The effluent is ultimately discharged into the Molonglo River - upstream of LBG, unlike Canberra effluent which is discharged downstream of Canberra.
The Googong development is large – to house 16000 persons eventually. Before they get anywhere near that number I expect their own compliant processing system will be in operation. The below reference to the ‘ACT system’ means, I assume, ‘the Q’beyan system located in the ACT’. This would mean at least a temporary extra load of whatever is going into the Molonglo at that point due to the trucking short-cut. I suppose we all have to assume it’s as good as drinkable and perhaps we will see the Chief Minister and the Mayor of Q’beyan drink to their respective healths with a glass or two of it (but not straight from the truck, of course)
g
From: Martin Butterfield [
Sent: Tuesday, 29 October 2013 10:00 AM
To: Geoffrey Dabb
Cc: COG List
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] habitat improvement continued
I thought this sounded a strange proposition so contacted the Waterwatch Coordinator of the Molonglo Catchment Group who I know are interested in this development (for obvious reasons). Here are the relevant parts of his reply.
"Until the sewerage and grey water reticulation system is completed and commissioned, the sewage from the Googong Village will be collected and trucked into the ACT system for processing. This should only happen for the next 18 months, at least in theory. The developers are sincerely trying to put into place a sustainable urban development, and the sewerage infrastructure will include a processing plant (which is already there, but not ‘on line’) and a reticulated grey water system, to keep the whole site watered. This will eventually involve both Googong and Montgomery Creeks and provide extensive open space in the village. The double recycled grey water will eventually drain into the Queanbeyan at Googong Creek. If you go to the Googong Development website http://googong.net/your-town/masterplan.php there is a better explanation of the plan than I can give.
"There is a BoB group…do you want to be included in the mailing list? Contact Anna at m("molonglocatchment.org.au","coordinator");" target="_blank"> and ask her. We would welcome the interest."
On 29 October 2013 07:02, Geoffrey Dabb <m("iinet.net.au","gdabb");" target="_blank">> wrote:
On my blitz visit to the Queanbeyan Sewage Ponds I was interested to see a notice indicating that adjacent land was to be the site of a processing facility for sewage TRUCKED IN from the new Googong Township - NSW. Apart from anything else It occurs to me this NSW sewage could have been TRUCKED a little further to a site below Lake Burley Griffin - where most of Canberra’s sewage is processed. I note that it is being processed below Queanbeyan. Those Googong residents will have the best of everything - live in NSW, work and shop in Canberra AND have their sewage processed in the national capital.
From: sandra henderson [mailto:m("gmail.com","shirmax2931");" target="_blank">]
Sent: Tuesday, 29 October 2013 6:35 AM
To: Cog line
Subject: [canberrabirds] callum brae - habitat improvement
I was interested to see on my blitz visit to Callum Brae that the very large section of an old euc which had fallen across the quarry fence has now been cut up and the debris placed in a number of small piles just a little further down the slope. It's an open grassy area, and no doubt this will encourage small critters (insects, reptiles etc) to multiply. It's an area popular with flame and scarlet robins in winter, and at times the dusky woodswallows, so good to see this happening to make it even better. (only hope the bunnies don't see the wood piles as additional places to burrow under).
--
Martin Butterfield
