Peter Bernard - 25 September 2018

Peter Bernard made the below comments at the Ordinary Council Meeting 25 September 2018.

INFORMATION SESSION

EUROBODALLA SOUTHERN STORAGE WATER STORAGE SUPPLY STORAGE

MADAM MAYOR.

I ATTENDED A COUNCIL DROP IN SESSION CONCERNING COUNCIL PROPOSAL FORA 100 MILLION DOLLAR SOUTHERN WATER SUPPLY OFF STREAM STORAGE. TO MY SUPPRISE ONLY TWO PERSONS ARRIVED INCLUDING ME. I STAYED FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE ENTIRE TIME OF THE MEETING WHILST THE OTHER PERSON STAYED FOR A SHORT TIME AND AFTER DISCUSSING SOME ISSUE WITH AN OFFICER HE LEFT.

LIKE THE DROP IN DISCUSSIONS FOR THE BATEMANS BAY BRIDGE THERE WERE NO COUNCILORS OR SENIOR EXECUTIVES .THE GENERAL MANAGER WAS NOT PRESENT AND I ASSUMED SHE WAS STILL AT A LOCAL GOVERNMENT WOMENS CONFERENCE.. AT THE CLOSE OF THE MEETING MR SHARPE ARRIVED TO TAKE OVER FROM A RETIRING STAFF MEMBER.

MADAM MAYOR I MUST SAY THAT FOR DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL TO ARRANGE FOR A DROP IN SESSION  ON A REPORTED 100 MILLION PROJECT OF THIS SIGNIFICANCE AND ONLY TWO PEOPLE ARRIVED DOES NOT SAY MUCH FOR THIS COUNCILS .ADVERTISING EXPERTISE AND APPARENT LACK OF INTEREST BY TOP EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT. NEVER THE LESS I ASKED A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS OF THE TWO STAFF AND TWO CONSULTANTS THAT WERE THERE.

THE ANSWERS TO SOME QUESTION DISTURBED ME GREATLY PARTICULRY THOSE RELATING TO WHETHER SEA LEVEL RISE AND SALINITY WAS CONSIDERED IN THE REPORT ---APART FROM THE DECIMATION OF SOME 80 PERCENT OF FLORA AND FAUNA AT THE STORAGE SITE.

WHEN I REFERED TO EUROBODALLA SEA LEVEL RISE POLICY PROJECTIONS I UNDERSTOOD THAT THESE WERE NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. I FOUND THIS UNBELIEVABLE FOR A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT WITH A PLANNING LIFE 100 YEARS PLUS.

AS I UNDERSTAND THE EUROBODALLA SHIRE HAS ADOPTED A SEA LEVEL RISE OF ONE METRE FOR 2100 AND BEYOND. GIVEN THAT THE STORAGE AREA WILL NEED TO REMAIN SERVICEABLE  UNTIL AT LEAST 2100 .AND  AN ALLOWANCE WILL HAVE TO BE MADE FOR FURTHER SEA LEVEL RISE BETWEEN 2100 AND 2130. A SEA LEVEL RISE OF AT LEAST 1.5 METRES WILL BE REQUIRED IF COUNCIL IS TO APPLY IT OWN POLICY..

ON 4TH MAY 2018 THE NSW OFFICE AND ENVIROMENT AND HERITAGE PRODUCED A STUDY REPORT THAT SUPPORT A CONCEPT OF SEA LEVEL RISE IN THE ORDER OF 2.0 TO 2.7 METRES BY2100. THIS REPORT WAS REVIEWED BY THE RENOWNED DR JOHN CHURCH AND PROFESSOR BRUCE THOM - HEAD OF THE ALL- POWERFUL NSW COASTAL ALLIANCE. SO IF COUNCIL IS LISTENING TO THE EXPERTS OF OUR ENVIROMENT DEPARTMENT, IT MUST ALLOW FOR AROUND 3.5 METRES BY THE YEAR 2130 AFTER IT BUILDS THE DAM

EVEN WITH THE LOWER PREDICTION OF 1.5 METRES THE SALT WATER WILL EXTEND UPSTREAM WELL BEYOND THE DAM PUMPING SITE.

IN THIS CASE THE COUNCIL HAS ONLY TWO OPTIONS.

1.  BUILD A WEIR TO HOLD BACK THE TIDAL WATERS, AND

.2.  BUILD A DESALINATION PLANT.
AN ON STREAM DAM WOULD BE IDEAL BUT THE ENGINEERING STAFF MAN PRESENT SAID THE COUNCIL WOULD NOT GET APPROVAL FOR AN ON STREAM DAM.

FULL STOP
IT LOOKS LIKE WE WOULD NEED TO BUILD A DESALINATION PLANT BUT THIS MAY BE TOO EXPENSIVE AND WE WOULD THEN NEED TO GET RID OF THE SALT CONCENTRATE .BY BARGE DOWN THE RIVER TO THE SEA FOR DISPOSAL. MADAM MAYOR I AM SURE THAT YOU LIKE ME ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS SEA LEVEL RISE QUANDRY. DO NOT DESPAIR MADAM MAYOR MOST OF THE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE FLED AND YOU AND I WILL PITCH A TENT ON TOP OF TURROS FALLS WHERE THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF FRESH WATER AND WE SHALL LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER.. WE COULD SPEND OUR SPARE TIME LOBBING ROCKS ON THE THOMPSON DESCENDENTS OF THE SHIRE OF NERRIGUNDA WHO WILL BE THE COUNCIL AND STAFF OF THE WASHED AWAY EUROBODALLA SHIRE...

PETER BERNARD