20.03.2013 Views

Eurobodalla Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy

Eurobodalla Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy

Eurobodalla Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong>


Foreword<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

This <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> (IWCM) strategy, the State’s first pilot project,<br />

has been prepared by NSW Department of Public Works and Services (DPWS) using the<br />

IWCM process developed by NSW Department of Land and <strong>Water</strong> Conservation, Town<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Treatment and Recycling Unit. This study has demonstrated that the IWCM process<br />

delivers significant environmental, social and economic benefits compared to the traditional<br />

approach.<br />

DPWS acknowledges the significant contribution made by the DLWC project team in<br />

particular Peter Schneider, Peter Ledwos, Adrian Langdon, Russell Beatty, Annette Davison<br />

and Emma Pryor.<br />

DPWS also acknowledges the significant contribution made by the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire<br />

Council project team led by Angus McLean and Mark Hankinson.<br />

The core DPWS project team involved in the preparation of the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> IWCM <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

included:<br />

Roshan Iyadurai<br />

Annalisa Contos<br />

Ross Bailey (Project Manager)<br />

The DPWS core project team was supported by the following DPWS staff:<br />

Garth Dickinson<br />

Vu Dao<br />

Lara Hess<br />

Col Nalty<br />

Jenny Reid (Publications)<br />

John Anderson (Reviewer)<br />

i


ii<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Executive Summary<br />

<strong>Water</strong> is a precious natural resource essential for the maintenance of ecosystems and all human<br />

activities. The degradation of our rivers, groundwaters and estuaries provides clear evidence that<br />

NSW water resources are under stress. New water legislation has been introduced to protect water<br />

for present and future generations. <strong>Integrated</strong> water cycle management is an innovative way of<br />

managing urban water for local water utilities, which incorporates all components of urban water<br />

services. The aim is to achieve optimum water use to reduce the human impacts on water<br />

resources.<br />

Introduction<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> water cycle management (IWCM) is an innovative way of managing the urban<br />

water services for local water utilities. IWCM aims to combine all aspects of water<br />

management and treat the system as an interacting whole, whereas traditional water<br />

management looks at each component of the urban water system (water supply, sewerage,<br />

stormwater) in isolation. With IWCM, water use is optimised while minimising impacts to the<br />

environment and other water users.<br />

IWCM is based on three simple questions:<br />

What is the problem? relates to water cycle management impacts (or perceived<br />

impacts) as well as water management problems. To answer this question<br />

necessitates an understanding of the catchment in order to set a benchmark on the<br />

resource needs and availability.<br />

How do we fix the problem? looks at addressing water management problems<br />

and requires an understanding of State Government water reform policies, which<br />

describe key water management issues and the appropriate management<br />

responses to them. Since there is more than one management option, a balanced<br />

outcome planning examining the triple bottom line (TBL) of social, environmental<br />

and financial bottom line is used to select the best overall option.<br />

The last question, How do we know the problem is fixed? is the process by<br />

which we confirm that all impacts are managed to the desired level, and water use<br />

is optimised using social, economic and environmental objectives.<br />

The structure of this report is based on answering these three fundamental questions. Part<br />

A and Part B of the report deal with the first of these questions by identifying the issues<br />

affecting <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>’s water services. Parts C and D then look at how the issues identified<br />

in the first parts of the report can be managed. Finally, Part E looks at identifying measures<br />

to ensure that the problems are fixed.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

What are the Issues?<br />

The NSW water reforms aim to achieve a better balance between water use and environmental<br />

protection through setting environmental objectives for all NSW rivers which will cover river flow and<br />

water quality objectives.<br />

<strong>Water</strong>-sharing plans are being developed to protect our rivers, which become particularly vulnerable<br />

during low flow periods.<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Council’s (ESC) water supply, sewerage and stormwater infrastructure<br />

requires upgrading to meet population growth and legislative standards. Developing an<br />

IWCM strategy is a structured process designed to evaluate integrated water management<br />

opportunities within individual towns and the Shire as a whole. Thus the IWCM strategy<br />

developed in this report details the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> community and Council’s vision to manage<br />

urban water services within the local catchment context.<br />

The broad IWCM strategy objectives are to achieve more efficient water use, to reduce<br />

environmental impacts from water diversions, urban drainage and treated wastewater<br />

discharges, and to reduce long term costs of water services for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire residents<br />

and businesses. Some of the specific issues impacting upon <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>’s water services<br />

are listed below.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Reforms<br />

Pricing Reforms<br />

Legislative Compliance Responsibilities<br />

Catchment <strong>Management</strong> Issues<br />

Urban Planning Issues - the Shire’s population is projected to grow from 33 100 in<br />

2001 to about 47 500 in 2031<br />

Urban <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Issues:<br />

− Urban <strong>Water</strong> Use<br />

Analysis indicates that the Shire’s annual urban water needs will increase<br />

from the current rate of 5 300 ML/a to 7 000 ML/a in the next three decades<br />

if current water use practices and trends continue.<br />

− Urban <strong>Water</strong> Discharges<br />

In the next three decades the wastewater flows are expected to increase by<br />

30% from 4 500 ML/a to 5 850 ML/a. On-site systems account for around<br />

15% of wastewater produced in urban areas of <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>. Approximately<br />

85% (3 820 ML/a) receives secondary treatment at one of the Council’s five<br />

STPs.<br />

iii


iv<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

How Do We Fix the Issues<br />

The need for new infrastructure can be reduced or delayed by using a variety of IWCM<br />

tools.<br />

Important components of the Shire wide scenarios are expanded demand management<br />

programs, introduction of rainwater tanks and better management or enhancement of onsite<br />

wastewater systems.<br />

Regional water supply infrastructure requirements include additional delivery capacity,<br />

water filtration and additional future water storage.<br />

Improvements can be made to the reticulated sewerage schemes and the management of<br />

on-site systems to reduce the impacts on environmental water quality.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> efficiency can be further improved through the development of a number of new<br />

water reuse schemes.<br />

The new infrastructure options can be combined with IWCM measures to produce<br />

integrated Shire-wide scenarios to optimise social, environmental and financial outcomes.<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Opportunities for Managing Regional <strong>Water</strong> Demand<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> has made significant gains in water conservation and demand reduction<br />

through the ‘user pays’ pricing policy and community awareness programs. Achieving more<br />

sustainable water use involves a multi-faceted approach. There are a variety of IWCM tools<br />

available to reduce water demands and achieve more sustainable outcomes at the regional<br />

level. Fact sheets of IWCM tools can be found in Section 4 of the report. How these can be<br />

applied for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> is found in Section 8.1. The triple bottom line (TBL) assessment<br />

carried out on all the demand side opportunities, has bundled planning controls,<br />

unaccounted for water assessment and loss reduction program, water pricing, water<br />

conservation education program targeting outdoor watering use and non-residential water<br />

use and an active showerhead retrofit program as the main elements of a comprehensive<br />

demand management program.<br />

Opportunities for Developing the Local Supply Sources<br />

Three rainwater tank opportunities were identified as local supply sources.<br />

1. Rainwater tanks in all new developments<br />

2. Rainwater tanks in all new developments and 20% of existing developments<br />

3. Rainwater tanks in all new developments and 40% of existing developments.<br />

According to the TBL assessment, options 2 and 3 ranked as equally suitable options in<br />

terms of environmental, social and financial criteria. Whilst the option of mandating<br />

rainwater tanks in all new developments and retrofitting 40% of existing developments<br />

achieves the best environmental outcomes, it is the most expensive option in terms of<br />

community costs. <strong>Water</strong> savings through mandating rainwater tanks in all new<br />

developments plus retrofitting 20% of existing houses has been included in the integrated<br />

regional supply options. Other potential local supply source opportunities include<br />

stormwater reuse and residential greywater reuse.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Opportunities for Developing Regional Supply Sources<br />

The existing supply infrastructure, limited only by the current extraction license, is adequate<br />

to meet demands for the next 50 years or more. However, the system operates below<br />

design optimum due to operational constraints, the main one being the limitation on<br />

pumping water during turbid river conditions. In addition, Council has elected not to pump<br />

during periods of low flow due to environmental concerns for the health of the river. This<br />

has required Council to enforce water restrictions at a greater frequency than the system<br />

design. Immediate, short- and long term measures have been identified to improve the<br />

system reliability.<br />

Immediate Infrastructure Measures<br />

Relocation of the Malua Bay booster pumps to Mossy Point<br />

Upgrading of power supply to Moruya River pumps<br />

Installation of pumps or variable speed drives to overcome the flow mismatch<br />

between the low and high level pumps at Tuross River intake<br />

Improved telemetry and control elements on reservoirs and valves<br />

Provision of rechlorination facilities at strategic locations<br />

Short term measures. These include the ability to harvest higher river flows, the ability to<br />

transfer and store water quickly in Deep Creek Dam, and measures to reduce demands.<br />

The works would include:<br />

A dedicated pipeline between Moruya River intake and Deep Creek Dam<br />

Filtration of the water supplied to the consumers<br />

Long term measures. The main long term measure includes the provision of additional<br />

water storage to maintain supplies during drought periods. The drought storage could be<br />

provided by enlarging the existing Deep Creek Dam, by providing a new off-river storage in<br />

the central or southern area of the Shire or through desalination.<br />

Supply Opportunities<br />

Four regional supply opportunities have been examined. Each incorporates the immediate<br />

and short term measures but consider different long term options. The secure yield of the<br />

system is based on protection of low river flows. In the short term an initial environmental<br />

flow regime (95/30 flow rule) with a more conservative environmental flow (80/30 flow rule)<br />

being introduced in 2020. An explanation of the environmental flow regimes is located in<br />

Section 6.1.1.<br />

Opportunity 1. - Enlarge Deep Creek Dam. The present value per ML of yield is $7.70 -<br />

$9.50.<br />

Opportunity 2. - New Southern off-river storage filled from high flows in the Tuross River.<br />

The present value per ML of yield is $8.70.<br />

Opportunity 3. - Central off-river storage built on Barretts Creek and supplied by high flows<br />

in the Moruya River. <strong>Water</strong> extraction from the Tuross River would cease. The present<br />

value per ML of yield is $12.60.<br />

Opportunity 4. Desalination of seawater. The present value per ML of yield is $8.10.<br />

A triple bottom line (TBL) assessment indicates that opportunity 2, a new Southern dam,<br />

presents the best future supply for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>. The dam would be built when required<br />

(subject to future reviews and population growth). This is the preferred supply opportunity<br />

v


vi<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

as it reduces the risk to supply of algal blooms as well as reducing the risk of loss of supply<br />

in the South of the shire due to pipeline breaks (see section 8.3).<br />

Opportunities for Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong><br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Council reclaims the sewage effluent to achieve environmental and<br />

social benefits where it is economically viable and socially acceptable. Currently about 5%<br />

of the Shire’s effluent is reused at Batemans Bay and Moruya Golf Courses. An additional<br />

5% of this is used in the sporting fields at Moruya Reclaimed water is also proposed to be<br />

made available for agricultural and industrial reuse in conjunction with sewering the North<br />

Moruya Industrial Estate. The IWCM strategy has identified a number of additional<br />

reclaimed water opportunities within the Shire, and these are presented in Section 8.3. The<br />

generally high rainfall and seasonal nature of the NSW south coast climate limits reuse<br />

opportunities to mainly the dry season in late spring and early summer. Thus, practical<br />

reuse strategies should aim to reuse a high percentage of dry weather flows. If all<br />

opportunities listed below were to be implemented, it would result in excess of 60%<br />

beneficial reuse of dry weather flows in the Shire. The proposed opportunities include:<br />

A possible residential reuse system for the Rosedale development. The system<br />

would feature a water reclamation plant at Tomakin and a reticulation system<br />

specifically constructed for the delivery of reclaimed water for garden irrigation,<br />

toilet flushing and potentially for washing machines use.<br />

Supplying the dairy farm area around Moruya River with reclaimed water produced<br />

from the STPs located north of Moruya (referred to as the Northern scheme).<br />

Supplying the agricultural area near Bodalla with reclaimed water from both the<br />

Bingie and Narooma STP’s (referred to as Southern Scheme).<br />

Local reuse for irrigation for example on golf courses and parks.<br />

There is potential to use reclaimed water from the northern reuse scheme to meet<br />

environmental flow needs in the Moruya River. The reclaimed water used for<br />

environmental flow substitution would be treated to a high standard to be<br />

acceptable for this purpose. This would allow Council to extract additional water<br />

during low flow periods to supply to the community. The viability and sustainability<br />

of this opportunity needs further investigation.<br />

Recharging the groundwater aquifer around Broulee and South Durras for<br />

subsequent removal by residents for external and toilet use. The viability and<br />

sustainability of this opportunity needs further investigation.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Options<br />

Traditionally, water utilities have focused on developing greater supply sources to meet the<br />

growing water needs and community expectations. With the emphasis on maintaining<br />

reliable water supplies, little consideration has been given to the environment. Having<br />

identified the various water resource opportunities, the next step involves bundling the<br />

opportunities to form integrated options. The selected regional water supply option,<br />

opportunity 2, was bundled together with the various reuse and recycling options to form<br />

integrated options. These are discussed in Section 8.5. These integrated scenarios form<br />

the basis of the Shire-wide scenarios (Section 10).<br />

Local <strong>Water</strong> Strategies<br />

IWCM options have been proposed for 15 towns and villages in the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire to<br />

address the local landscape, water services and community issues. A summary of the<br />

recommended integrated options for each town is given in the following table.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Town <strong>Integrated</strong> Option<br />

South Durras<br />

Nelligen<br />

Batemans Bay<br />

Rosedale and Guerilla Bay<br />

Tomakin and Surrounds<br />

Moruya and Moruya Heads<br />

Congo<br />

Tuross Heads<br />

Bodalla<br />

Potato Point<br />

Dalmeny, Kianga and Narooma<br />

Harvested roof water supplemented with reticulated water from a local<br />

supply source and enhanced management of existing on-site facilities<br />

Harvested roof water supplemented with reticulated water from the regional<br />

scheme and the provision of reticulated sewerage system with transfer to<br />

the Batemans Bay system and greywater reuse<br />

Transfer of southern catchment sewage to Tomakin STP, upgrade<br />

Batemans Bay STP and transport system, stormwater quantity and quality<br />

control in high and low priority catchments and open space reuse<br />

Provision of reticulated sewerage system with sewage transferred to<br />

Tomakin system with greywater reuse of suitable systems and rainwater<br />

harvesting utilising disinfected tanks<br />

Improved management of the existing sewerage system, optimisation of the<br />

treatment plant to handle increased loads in the future from both the local<br />

area and Southern Batemans Bay, disinfection of the effluent and<br />

stormwater quantity and quality control in high and low priority catchments.<br />

Improved management of the existing sewerage system, reuse of effluent<br />

on open spaces and in the proposed industrial development and stormwater<br />

quantity and quality control in high and low priority catchments.<br />

Improved management of existing water supply and enhanced management<br />

of existing on-site facilities.<br />

Improved management of the existing sewerage system, disinfection of the<br />

effluent and effluent reuse on golf course.<br />

Provision of reticulated sewerage system with sewage treatment using a<br />

package treatment plant. Greywater reuse by suitable systems and<br />

rainwater harvesting utilising disinfected septic tanks<br />

Provision of reticulated sewerage system, transfer to Bodalla system with<br />

greywater reuse and rainwater harvesting<br />

Improved management of the existing sewerage system, optimisation of the<br />

treatment plant to handle increased loads in the future, disinfection of the<br />

effluent, reuse of effluent on open spaces and stormwater quantity and<br />

quality control in high and low priority catchments.<br />

Mystery Bay Enhanced management of existing on-site facilities<br />

Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba<br />

Centralised management of effluent from on-site facilities with agricultural<br />

reuse<br />

Akolele To be sewered in conjunction with Wallaga Lake Heights<br />

The TBL assessments show that with the increased use of IWCM solutions, additional<br />

benefits accumulate, resulting in lower overall costs, and improved social and<br />

environmental outcomes.<br />

Shire-wide <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

The following Shire-wide scenarios have been based on the regional integrated options,<br />

and have taken into account the individual local water strategies. They are<br />

recommendations and may be modified to reflect the priorities and preferences of individual<br />

communities.<br />

vii


viii<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Shire-Wide Scenarios<br />

Scenario Description<br />

Traditional Solution<br />

NPV $198.5 M<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 1<br />

NPV $90.2 M<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 2<br />

NPV $103.9 M<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3<br />

NPV $105.5 M<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 4<br />

NPV $108.2 M<br />

<strong>Water</strong>wise education<br />

Provision of reticulated water for high priority villages<br />

Provision of reticulated water for low priority villages<br />

Agricultural reuse<br />

Southern dam capacity 5 600 ML<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and enhance<br />

existing Tomakin STP capacity, upgrade Batemans Bay transport systems and STP<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in high priority catchments<br />

Provision of reticulated sewerage for high and low priority villages<br />

Comprehensive demand management<br />

Southern dam capacity 1 500 ML<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and enhance<br />

existing Tomakin STP capacity, upgrade Batemans Bay transport systems and STP<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity<br />

Enhanced management of on-site systems<br />

Comprehensive demand management and water sensitive urban design<br />

10 kL rainwater tanks for all new developments and in 20% of existing houses<br />

Southern dam capacity 900 ML<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and enhance<br />

existing Tomakin STP capacity, upgrade Batemans Bay transport systems and STP<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity<br />

Provision of reticulated sewerage for high priority villages<br />

Enhanced management of on-site systems<br />

Comprehensive demand management and water sensitive urban design<br />

10 kL rainwater tanks for all new developments and 20% of existing houses<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high priority villages<br />

Southern dam capacity 930 ML<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and enhance<br />

existing Tomakin STP capacity, upgrade Batemans Bay transport systems and STP<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity<br />

Reticulated sewerage for high priority villages<br />

Enhanced management of on-site systems<br />

Comprehensive demand management and water sensitive urban design<br />

10 kL rainwater tanks for all new developments and 20% of existing houses<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high and low priority villages<br />

Southern dam capacity 1 010 ML<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and enhance<br />

existing Tomakin STP capacity, upgrade Batemans Bay transport systems and STP<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity<br />

Provision of reticulated sewerage for high and low priority villages


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Scenario Description<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 5<br />

NPV $126.2 M<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 6<br />

NPV $126.7 M<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 7<br />

NPV $123.7 M<br />

Comprehensive demand management and water sensitive urban design<br />

10 kL rainwater tanks for all new developments and 20% of existing houses<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high and low priority villages<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for agriculture<br />

Southern dam capacity 1 010 ML<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and<br />

enhance existing Tomakin STP capacity, upgrade Batemans Bay transport<br />

systems and STP<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in high priority catchments<br />

Provision of reticulated sewerage for high and low priority villages<br />

Comprehensive demand management and water sensitive urban design<br />

10 kL rainwater tanks for all new developments and 20% of existing houses<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high and low priority villages<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for agriculture<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for aquifer recharge for subsequent non-potable water use<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for non-potable water use in new developments (dual<br />

reticulation)<br />

Southern dam capacity 840ML<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and<br />

enhance existing Tomakin STP capacity, upgrade Batemans Bay transport<br />

systems and STP<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in high priority catchments<br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for high and low priority villages<br />

Comprehensive demand management and water sensitive urban design<br />

10kL rainwater tank for all new developments and 20% of existing houses<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high and low priority villages<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for agriculture<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for aquifer recharge for subsequent non-potable water use<br />

Reclaimed water for non-potable water use in new developments (dual<br />

reticulation)<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for environmental flow substitution<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and<br />

enhance existing Tomakin STP capacity, upgrade Batemans Bay transport<br />

systems and STP<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in high and low priority catchments<br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for high and low priority villages<br />

Southern dam needed between 2035 and 2040<br />

The TBL assessment table below provides the comparative environmental, social and<br />

economic perspective of each water cycle management scenario.<br />

ix


x<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Ensure the efficient use of the fresh water<br />

resource<br />

Minimises water extractions and protects<br />

low flows<br />

0<br />

Traditional<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios<br />

1 2 3 4 5 6 7<br />

DM<br />

DM + RWT<br />

DM + RWT<br />

DM + RWT<br />

DM + RWT<br />

+ Agri.<br />

DM + RWT<br />

+ agri. +<br />

reuse + pot.<br />

6 + EF<br />

Substitution<br />

0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3<br />

0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3<br />

Minimises green house gas emissions 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1<br />

Minimises pollutants being discharged to the<br />

aquatic environment<br />

1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3<br />

Minimises urban stormwater volumes 0 0 1 1 2 2 2 3<br />

Ensure sustainable practices 0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3<br />

Environmental Sum 4 7 11 10 11 14 14 16<br />

Environmental Rank 8 7 4 6 4 2 2 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water supply 0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3<br />

Improves the quality of drinking water 0 0 0 2 3 3 3 3<br />

Improves urban water service levels 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 3<br />

Increase public awareness of urban water<br />

issues<br />

1 2 3 3 3 3 3 3<br />

Minimises non-compliance to legislation 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3<br />

Protects public health 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 7 9 12 15 17 18 18 18<br />

Social Rank 8 7 6 5 4 1 1 1<br />

ECONOMIC<br />

NPV @ 7% in $m<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Supply 110.3 64.2 73.1 74.7 76.8 76.8 77.3 71.2<br />

Sewerage 79.7 26.1 30.7 30.7 31.4 40.8 40.8 40.8<br />

Stormwater 8.5 0 0 0 0 8.5 8.5 11.7<br />

Sub-total 198.5 90.3 103.8<br />

Change in the typical<br />

residential rate bill from<br />

the traditional scenario<br />

105.<br />

4<br />

108.2 126.1 126.6<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Supply 0 -124 -144 -137 -128 -128 -122 -149<br />

Sewerage 0 -192 -186 -186 -181 -145 -145 -145<br />

Stormwater 0<br />

Financial Rank 8 1 2 3 4 6 7 5<br />

TBL Sum 24 15 12 14 12 9 10 7<br />

TBL Rank 8 7 4 6 4 2 3 1<br />

Savings from<br />

Traditional Case<br />

(NPV @ 7%)<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Supply 0 46.1 37.2 35.6 33.5 33.5 32.9 39.1<br />

Sewerage 0 53.6 49.0 49.0 48.3 38.9 38.9 38.9<br />

Stormwater 0 - - - - 0 0 +3.2<br />

123.<br />

7


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

How Do We Know the Issues Are Fixed?<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong>’s integrated water cycle management strategy offers significant environmental, social<br />

and economic benefits.<br />

The overall result of the IWCM process for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> is better environmental and social<br />

outcomes at a lower cost. The outcomes of the strategy provide a baseline against which<br />

to benchmark future reviews and ESC's journey towards achieving sustainable integrated<br />

water cycle management. The identified outcomes include:<br />

Environmental Outcomes<br />

A reduction in the amount of water drawn for urban supply from the Shire’s rivers<br />

through demand management measures and use of rainwater tanks.<br />

Better protection of low flows and preservation of natural flow patterns leading to<br />

improved environmental water quality and improved aquatic habitat conditions.<br />

A reduction in future water storage requirements needed to provide the higher level<br />

of low-flow protection.<br />

Reduced pollution of the waterways and coastal lakes through improved<br />

wastewater and stormwater management, source control, sewage pump station<br />

and treatment plant upgrades.<br />

Reduced effluent discharges to waterways through the reductions in urban water<br />

use, stormwater inflow and groundwater infiltration, and the development of water<br />

reuse systems, leading to improved recreational water quality.<br />

Improved management of existing on-site wastewater systems in the villages<br />

resulting in lower environmental public health risk and improved sustainability of<br />

local aquifers.<br />

Reduces greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.<br />

Streamlined subsequent environmental impact assessments, reducing study times<br />

and costs.<br />

Social Outcomes<br />

Improved drought security and reliability of supply through increased delivery<br />

capacity and faster refilling of the Deep Creek storage.<br />

Improved water quality and public health protection for regional water supply<br />

consumers through the construction of water filtration plants.<br />

Existing deficiencies in the levels of service to consumers are addressed.<br />

In one integrated option there is an opportunity for further savings by deferring the<br />

need for a Southern dam beyond the adopted 30 year planning horizon by using<br />

reclaimed water to meet environmental flow needs.<br />

Provision of backyard supply sources (rainwater tanks) provide customers with<br />

supply source choice and an appreciation of their water use pattern resulting in<br />

lower water use in the long term.<br />

The comprehensive demand management program in addition to delivering savings<br />

in water bills will also result in electricity savings.<br />

xi


xii<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> solutions that closely match community wants and expectations.<br />

Economic Outcomes<br />

The savings have been achieved due to the application of the IWCM process that enabled<br />

scheme components to be ‘right’ sized and optimised. From the table it could be seen that<br />

the greater the integration of the water sources the greater the economic saving with higher<br />

environmental and social outcomes<br />

The recommended scenario, Scenario 5, is 36% cheaper in terms of present value than the<br />

tradition solution (Section 10). It results in a saving of $273 in a typical rate bill compared<br />

with the traditional option Moreover the integrated scenarios deliver significantly more<br />

environmental, social and resource sustainability benefits.<br />

To realise and sustain these outcomes Council requires both physical assets and nonstructural<br />

solutions. The non-structural solutions include:<br />

Coordinated data and asset management systems<br />

Common water fund and appropriate pricing policies<br />

Environmental, OH&S and public health monitoring programs and systems<br />

Although this strategy has been developed for a planning period of 30 years, the strategy<br />

review cycle should be every 5 years and not greater than 10 years.


Table Of Contents<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

1 INTRODUCTION 1<br />

1.1 Overview 1<br />

1.1.1 The <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Process 1<br />

1.1.2 Balanced Outcomes Planning 1<br />

1.1.3 Principles of <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> 2<br />

1.1.4 Objectives of <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

<strong>Strategy</strong> 2<br />

1.2 The <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> 3<br />

1.2.1 The Natural <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> 3<br />

1.2.2 The Human <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> 4<br />

1.2.3 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> 5<br />

1.3 Background to <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire’s <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong> 5<br />

1.4 <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire’s Progress So Far 6<br />

1.5 Where To From Here? 6<br />

PART A WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE? 7<br />

2 STRATEGIC BUSINESS OBJECTIVES 9<br />

2.1 Overview 9<br />

2.2 The Business Objectives 10<br />

3 COMMUNITY WANTS, NEEDS AND FEEDBACK 13<br />

3.1 Community Wants and Needs Identification 13<br />

3.1.1 Environmental Values in Relation to Urban <strong>Water</strong>s 13<br />

3.1.2 Urban Development 13<br />

3.1.3 Issues for Future Development of Urban <strong>Water</strong><br />

Services 13<br />

3.1.4 Options to be Considered in the IWCM <strong>Strategy</strong> 13<br />

3.1.5 Community Preferences 14<br />

3.2 Community Feedback 14<br />

4 INTEGRATED WATER CYCLE MANAGEMENT TOOLS 15<br />

4.1 Overview 15<br />

5 INTEGRATED WATER CYCLE MANAGEMENT OPTIONS<br />

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 27<br />

5.1 Overview 27<br />

5.2 The Assessment Criteria 27<br />

PART B WHAT ARE THE ISSUES? 29<br />

6 WHAT ARE EUROBODALLA’S ISSUES? 31<br />

6.1 Government Initiated Reform Compliance Issues 31<br />

6.1.1 <strong>Water</strong> Reforms and the <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Act<br />

2000 31<br />

6.1.2 Pricing Reforms 33<br />

6.1.3 Legislative Compliance issues 34<br />

6.2 Catchment Issues 36<br />

6.2.1 Environmental Issues 36<br />

6.2.2 <strong>Water</strong> Quality Issues 37<br />

6.3 Urban Planning Issues 37<br />

6.3.1 Population Distribution 37<br />

6.3.2 Shire-wide Population Growth 38<br />

xiii


xiv<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

6.3.3 Population Served With Council <strong>Water</strong> Services 40<br />

6.3.4 Shire-wide Housing 40<br />

6.3.5 Residential Growth 42<br />

6.3.6 Data Accuracy 43<br />

6.3.7 Tourist Impacts 43<br />

6.4 Urban <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Issues 43<br />

6.4.1 Urban <strong>Water</strong> Use and Discharge – Past and<br />

Present 44<br />

6.4.2 Urban <strong>Water</strong> Use and Discharge – Future<br />

Predictions 47<br />

6.5 Infrastructure Performance Issues 51<br />

6.5.1 The Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply 51<br />

6.5.2 Sewage Treatment Issues 57<br />

6.5.3 Stormwater Issues 58<br />

PART C HOW DO WE FIX THE ISSUES 59<br />

7 PART C INTRODUCTION 61<br />

8 REGIONAL WATER CYCLE MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES 63<br />

8.1 Opportunities for Managing the Regional <strong>Water</strong> Demands 63<br />

8.1.1 Status of Current Measures 63<br />

8.1.2 Introduction 63<br />

8.1.3 Planning Controls 64<br />

8.1.4 <strong>Water</strong> Conservation Education 65<br />

8.1.5 Residential <strong>Water</strong> Efficiency Program 68<br />

8.1.6 Non-residential <strong>Water</strong> Efficiency Program 69<br />

8.1.7 Unaccounted for <strong>Water</strong> Assessment and Loss<br />

Reduction 70<br />

8.1.8 <strong>Water</strong> Pricing Opportunity 72<br />

8.1.9 <strong>Water</strong> Waste Ordinance Opportunity 73<br />

8.1.10 Comprehensive demand management program 77<br />

8.2 Opportunities for Developing the Local Supply Sources 78<br />

8.2.1 Roof <strong>Water</strong> Harvesting 78<br />

8.2.2 Stormwater Harvesting 82<br />

8.2.3 Residential Greywater Reuse 82<br />

8.2.4 Benefits of Utilising Local <strong>Water</strong> Sources 83<br />

8.3 Opportunities for Developing the Regional Supply Sources 83<br />

8.3.1 General Overview 83<br />

8.3.2 Immediate Measures 84<br />

8.3.3 Short term Measures 84<br />

8.3.4 Long term Regional Supply Opportunities 85<br />

8.4 Opportunities for Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> Use 90<br />

8.4.1 Project Initiatives 91<br />

8.4.2 Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> Volumes 91<br />

8.4.3 Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> Use 91<br />

8.5 Regional <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Options 98<br />

8.5.1 Overview 98<br />

8.5.2 Description of the Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Options 99<br />

9 LOCAL WATER MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES 105<br />

9.1 Introduction 105<br />

9.2 South Durras 106<br />

9.2.1 Background 106<br />

9.2.2 What Are the Issues? 107<br />

9.2.3 How Do We Fix the Problems? 108<br />

9.2.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios 114<br />

9.3 Nelligen 117<br />

9.3.1 Background 117<br />

9.3.2 What are the Issues 118


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.3.3 How Do We Fix the Problems 119<br />

9.3.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios 124<br />

9.4 Batemans Bay and Surrounds 127<br />

9.4.1 Background 127<br />

9.4.2 What Are the Issues? 129<br />

9.4.3 How Do We Fix These Issues? 132<br />

9.4.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios 137<br />

9.5 Mogo 140<br />

9.5.1 Background 140<br />

9.5.2 What Are the Issues? 141<br />

9.5.3 How Do We Fix the Problems? 141<br />

9.6 Rosedale and Guerilla Bay 142<br />

9.6.1 Background 142<br />

9.6.2 What Are The Issues 143<br />

9.6.3 How Do We Fix The Problems 144<br />

9.6.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios for<br />

Rosedale and Guerilla Bay 149<br />

9.6.5 Triple Bottom Line Assessment for Rosedale and<br />

Guerilla Bay 150<br />

9.7 Tomakin and Surrounds 151<br />

9.7.1 Background 151<br />

9.7.2 What Are the Issues? 153<br />

9.7.3 How Do We Fix these Issues? 155<br />

9.7.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios 157<br />

9.8 Moruya and Moruya Heads 159<br />

9.8.1 Background 159<br />

9.8.2 What Are the Issues? 160<br />

9.8.3 How Do We Fix These Issues? 161<br />

9.9 Congo 165<br />

9.9.1 Background 165<br />

9.9.2 What Are the Issues? 166<br />

9.9.3 How Do We Fix the Problems? 166<br />

9.10 Bodalla 171<br />

9.10.1 Background 171<br />

9.10.2 What Are the Issues 172<br />

9.10.3 How Do We Fix the Problems? 173<br />

9.10.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios 175<br />

9.10.5 Triple Bottom Line Assessment 176<br />

9.11 Potato Point 178<br />

9.11.1 Background 178<br />

9.11.2 What Are the Issues? 179<br />

9.11.3 How Do We Fix the Problems 179<br />

9.11.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios 183<br />

9.12 Dalmeny Kianga and Narooma 186<br />

9.12.1 Background 186<br />

9.12.2 What Are the Issues? 187<br />

9.12.3 How Do We Fix these Issues? 188<br />

9.12.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios 191<br />

9.13 Mystery Bay 193<br />

9.13.1 Background 193<br />

9.13.2 What Are the Issues? 194<br />

9.13.3 How Do We Fix The Problems? 194<br />

9.13.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios 198<br />

9.14 Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba 201<br />

9.14.1 Background 201<br />

9.14.2 What are the Issues? 202<br />

9.14.3 How Do We Fix the Problems? 202<br />

9.14.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios 204<br />

9.15 Akolele 207<br />

9.15.1 Background 207<br />

9.15.2 What Are the Issues? 208<br />

xv


xvi<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.15.3 How Do We Fix the Problems? 208<br />

10 SHIRE WIDE INTEGRATED WATER CYCLE MANAGEMENT<br />

SCENARIOS 209<br />

10.1 Overview 209<br />

10.2 Scenario Building 210<br />

10.2.1 Description of the Shire wide <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> Scenarios 212<br />

10.3 Assessment of <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

Scenarios 219<br />

PART D HOW TO DELIVER THE SCENARIOS 223<br />

11 TIMEFRAME FOR SCENARIO IMPLEMENTATION 225<br />

12 MANAGEMENT AND PROCUREMENT METHODS 235<br />

12.1 <strong>Management</strong> Methods 235<br />

12.2 Procurement Methods 236<br />

PART E HOW DO WE KNOW THE ISSUES ARE FIXED? 237<br />

13 OVERVIEW 239<br />

13.1 Study Outcomes 239<br />

13.1.1 Economic Outcomes 239<br />

13.1.2 Environmental Outcomes 240<br />

13.1.3 Social Outcomes 241<br />

13.2 How to Realise and Sustain the Outcomes 241<br />

13.3 <strong>Strategy</strong> Review <strong>Cycle</strong> 242<br />

14 BIBLIOGRAPHY 243


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

APPENDICIES<br />

A Strategic Business Objectives<br />

B Community Workshop Outcomes<br />

C Coarse Screening<br />

D Acceptable <strong>Water</strong> Quality and Treatment Requirements for End Uses<br />

E Developing Growth Rates and Demand at a <strong>Water</strong> Reservoir Level<br />

F Details of Existing Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply Infrastructure<br />

G Yield Analysis (Separate Volumes x 3)<br />

H <strong>Water</strong> Treatment Processes<br />

I Distribution Requirement Assessment<br />

J Moruya River to Deep Creek Dam Pipeline Size and Rough Selection<br />

Assessment<br />

K Dam Site Selection and Engineering Assessment (Separate Volume)<br />

L Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply Opportunities: Summary of Costs<br />

M Desalination<br />

N1 Regional Reuse Scheme Cost Estimate<br />

N2 Fact Sheet on Hydroponic Enterprises<br />

O Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply <strong>Integrated</strong> Options: Costs and Present Value<br />

Estimates<br />

P Description of Village Sewerage <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

Q Cost Estimate and NPV for Batemans Bay Sewerage Treatment<br />

Opportunities<br />

R <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Sewerage Costs for Existing Town Systems<br />

S Cost Estimates for Villages <strong>Water</strong> Supply and Sewerage<br />

T Cost Estimates for Shire Wide Scenarios<br />

U IWCM Financial Plans<br />

V Current Education Initiatives<br />

W Urban Stormwater Issues, <strong>Management</strong> and Opportunities<br />

(Separate Volume)<br />

X Small Town Risk Assessment<br />

Y The Impact of Connecting Residents to Trunk Mains<br />

Z Rainwater Tanks<br />

xvii


xviii<br />

TABLES<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 3-1 Community Expectations 14<br />

Table 5-1 IWCM Assessment Criteria 28<br />

Table 6-1 Population Projection 39<br />

Table 6-2 Internal and External <strong>Water</strong> Use by Dwelling Type 45<br />

Table 8-1 Annual Unaccounted-for <strong>Water</strong> Figures From 1995 to 2001<br />

Table 8-2 Triple Bottom Line Assessment for Regional <strong>Water</strong> Demand<br />

71<br />

Opportunities<br />

Table 8-3 Percentage of Total Regional Demand That Can Be Supplied<br />

75<br />

Through Rainwater Tanks (With No Other Demand Measures) 79<br />

Table 8-4 Proposed Rebates For Rainwater Tank Installation 79<br />

Table 8-5 Single Household Cost to Rainwater Tank With Council Rebate<br />

Table 8-6 Total Yearly Community Costs for Rainwater Tanks Installation<br />

80<br />

(including rebate)<br />

Table 8-7 Triple Bottom Line Assessment for the Regional Rainwater Tanks<br />

80<br />

Opportunities 81<br />

Table 8-8 Scheme Estimates of Long Term Regional Supply Opportunities 85<br />

Table 8-9 Social and Environmental Aspects – Long term Supply Opportunities<br />

Table 8-10 Triple Bottom Line Assessment of Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

87<br />

Opportunities 88<br />

Table 8-11 Comparative Costs for Stand Alone Supply Demand Sensitivities 90<br />

Table 8-12 Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> Volume Projections 91<br />

Table 8-13 Costs for the Regional Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> Scheme 98<br />

Table 8-14 Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply <strong>Integrated</strong> Options 99<br />

Table 8-15 TBL Assessment for the Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply Options 104<br />

Table 9-1 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for South Durras<br />

Table 9-2 Social and Environmental Aspects of the Medium to Long Term<br />

110<br />

Opportunities for South Durras 113<br />

Table 9-3 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios for South Durras 115<br />

Table 9-4 Triple Bottom Line Reporting for South Durras 116<br />

Table 9-5 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for Nelligen<br />

Table 9-6 Social and Environmental Aspects of the Medium to Long Term<br />

120<br />

Opportunities for Nelligen 123<br />

Table 9-7 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios for Nelligen 125<br />

Table 9-8 Triple Bottom Line Assessment for Nelligen 126<br />

Table 9-9 Current and Future Peak Day Demands for Batemans Bay<br />

Table 9-10 Medium to Long term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for<br />

131<br />

Batemans Bay<br />

Table 9-11 Social, Financial and Environmental Aspects of the Sewage<br />

134<br />

<strong>Management</strong> Options for Batemans Bay<br />

Table 9-12 Triple Bottom Line Assessment of the Sewage <strong>Management</strong> of the<br />

136<br />

<strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> in Batemans Bay 137<br />

Table 9-13 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios for Batemans Bay 138


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-14 Triple Bottom Line Reporting for Batemans Bay<br />

Table 9-15 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for Rosedale<br />

139<br />

and Guerilla Bay<br />

Table 9-16 Social and Environmental Aspects of the Medium to Long term<br />

145<br />

Opportunities for Rosedale and Guerilla Bay<br />

Table 9-17<strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios for Rosedale and<br />

147<br />

Guerilla Bay 149<br />

Table 9-18 Triple Bottom Line Assessment for Rosedale and Guerilla Bay 150<br />

Table 9-19 Current and Future Average and Peak Day Demands for Tomakin 152<br />

Table 9-20 Costing of <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities in Tomakin and Surrounds<br />

Table 9-21 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios for Tomakin and<br />

156<br />

Surrounds 157<br />

Table 9-22 Triple Bottom Reporting for Tomakin and Surrounds<br />

Table 9-23 Costing of <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for Moruya and Moruya<br />

158<br />

Heads<br />

Table 9-24 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios for Moruya and<br />

162<br />

Moruya Heads 163<br />

Table 9-25 Triple Bottom Line Reporting for Moruya and Moruya Heads 164<br />

Table 9-26 Costs of Opportunities for Congo 168<br />

Table 9-27 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for Bodalla<br />

Table 9-28 Social and Environmental Aspects of the Medium to Long Term<br />

174<br />

Opportunities for Bodalla 175<br />

Table 9-29 – <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Strategies for Bodalla 176<br />

Table 9-30 Triple Bottom Line Assessment for Bodalla 177<br />

Table 9-31 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for Potato Point<br />

Table 9-32 Social and Environmental Aspects of the Medium to Long Term<br />

180<br />

Opportunities for Potato Point 183<br />

Table 9-33 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios for Potato Point 184<br />

Table 9-34 Triple Bottom Line Assessment of Scenarios for Potato Point<br />

Table 9-35 Medium to Long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for<br />

185<br />

Dalmeny, Kianga and Narooma<br />

Table 9-36 Social and Environmental Aspects of the Medium to Long Term<br />

189<br />

Opportunities for Dalmeny, Kianga and Narooma<br />

Table 9-37 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios for Dalmeny,<br />

190<br />

Kianga and Narooma<br />

Table 9-38 Triple Bottom Line Assessment of Scenarios for Dalmeny, Kianga<br />

191<br />

and Narooma<br />

Table 9-39 Cost Estimates of Medium to Long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

192<br />

<strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for Mystery Bay<br />

Table 9-40 Social and Environmental Aspects of The Medium to Long Term<br />

195<br />

Opportunities for Mystery Bay 197<br />

Table 9-41 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios for Mystery Bay 198<br />

Table 9-42 Triple Bottom Line Assessment of Mystery Bay 199<br />

Table 9-43 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Options for Central Tilba and<br />

Tilba Tilba 203<br />

xix


xx<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-44 Social and Environmental Aspects of The Medium to Long Term<br />

Opportunities for Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba 204<br />

Table 9-45 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios for Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba. 205<br />

Table 9-46 Triple Bottom Line Assessment of Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba 206<br />

Table 10-1 Shire Wide <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios 211<br />

Table 10-2 TBL Assessment for Shire Wide Scenarios 220


FIGURES<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Figure 1-1 The Natural <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> 3<br />

Figure 1-2 The Modified <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> 4<br />

Figure 1-3 The <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> 5<br />

Figure 6-1 Demographic Profile 38<br />

Figure 6-2 Historical Population Graph 38<br />

Figure 6-3 Past and Future Growth Rates 39<br />

Figure 6-4 Population Served with <strong>Water</strong> and Sewerage Services 40<br />

Figure 6-5 Historical Dwelling Growth<br />

Figure 6-6 Past and Future Holiday Dwellings as a Proportion of the Total<br />

41<br />

Housing Stock 41<br />

Figure 6-7 Historical Occupancy Levels 42<br />

Figure 6-8 Past and Future Household Size 42<br />

Figure 6-9 Proportion of <strong>Water</strong> Harvested from Each River 44<br />

Figure 6-10 Urban Communities <strong>Water</strong> Consumption Profile 45<br />

Figure 6-11 Historic Residential Demands 46<br />

Figure 6-12 Forecast of Regional Schemes Average Annual <strong>Water</strong> Demand<br />

Figure 6-14 and Figure 6-13 shows the regional schemes current and future<br />

average annual and peak day water demand splits between the<br />

48<br />

northern, central and southern urban areas.<br />

Figure 6-14 Split of the Average Annual Regional Demands by Area –<br />

48<br />

Contemporary Approach 49<br />

Figure 6-15 Peak Day Demand Forecast – Contemporary Approach 49<br />

Figure 6-16 Forecast of Regional Schemes Residential Demands<br />

Figure 6-17 The Effect of a 95<br />

50<br />

th Percentile 30% Access Licence Condition on<br />

Secure Yield<br />

Figure 6-18 The Effect of an 80<br />

56<br />

th Percentile 30% Access Licence Condition on<br />

Secure Yield<br />

Figure 8-1 Typical Residential <strong>Water</strong> End Uses for 2002 and 2032 with natural<br />

57<br />

propagation of water efficient appliances 68<br />

Figure 8-2 Major <strong>Water</strong> Users by Customer Category (ML)<br />

Figure 8-3 Bulk Production, Metered Consumption and UFW Figures From<br />

70<br />

1995 to 2001<br />

Figure 8-4 Potential <strong>Water</strong> Savings Through a Comprehensive Demand<br />

71<br />

<strong>Management</strong> Program 77<br />

Figure 8-5 Topographic Layout of Northern Regional Scheme 95<br />

Figure 8-6 Southern Regional Reuse Scheme 96<br />

Figure 9-1 South Durras Location 106<br />

Figure 9-2 Aerial Photograph of South Durras 107<br />

Figure 9-3 Nelligen Location 117<br />

Figure 9-4 Aerial Photograph of Nelligen 118<br />

Figure 9-5 Batemans Bay Topographic Map 127<br />

Figure 9-6 Batemans Bay Stormwater Sub-Catchments 129<br />

xxi


xxii<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Figure 9-7 Mogo Topographic Map 140<br />

Figure 9-8 Rosedale and Guerilla Bay Location<br />

Figure 9-9 Aerial Photograph of Rosedale and Guerilla Bay Showing Their<br />

142<br />

Proximity to Tomakin and Mossy Point 143<br />

Figure 9-10 Tomakin Topographic Map 151<br />

Figure 9-11 Tomakin Stormwater Sub-Catchments 153<br />

Figure 9-12 Moruya Topographic Map 159<br />

Figure 9-13 Location of Congo 165<br />

Figure 9-14 Aerial Photograph of Congo 166<br />

Figure 9-15 Location of Bodalla 171<br />

Figure 9-16 Aerial Photograph of Bodalla 172<br />

Figure 9-17 Potato Point Location 178<br />

Figure 9-18 Aerial Photograph of Potato Point 179<br />

Figure 9-19 Dalmeny, Kianga and Narooma Topographic Map 186<br />

Figure 9-20 Dalmeny/Kianga/Narooma Stormwater Sub-Catchments 187<br />

Figure 9-21 Mystery Bay 193<br />

Figure 9-22 Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba Location 201<br />

Figure 9-23 Akolele Topographic Map 207<br />

Figure 10-1 Traditonal Scenario 212<br />

Figure 10-2 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 1 213<br />

Figure 10-3 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 2 214<br />

Figure 10-4 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3 215<br />

Figure 10-5 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 4 216<br />

Figure 10-6 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 5 217<br />

Figure 10-7 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 6 218<br />

Figure 10-8 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 7 219<br />

Figure 12-1 <strong>Management</strong> Option 1 235<br />

Figure 12-2 <strong>Management</strong> Option 2 235<br />

Figure 12-3 <strong>Management</strong> Option 3 236


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Glossary of Abbreviations and Terms<br />

Blackwater <strong>Water</strong> from the toilet<br />

Dual Reticulation The provision of reclaimed water through a second set of pipes<br />

for non-potable uses, in addition to potable water through the first<br />

set of pipes<br />

DCP Development Control plan<br />

DUAP Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (now Planning NSW)<br />

DLWC Department of Land and <strong>Water</strong> Conservation<br />

ESC <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Council<br />

EPA Environmental Protection Authority<br />

Greywater <strong>Water</strong> from a household, excluding toilet water<br />

ha Hectares<br />

IWCM <strong>Integrated</strong> water cycle management<br />

kL Kilolitres (1 000 litres)<br />

kL/d Kilolitres per day<br />

kL/a Kilolitres per annum<br />

L Litre<br />

L/d Litre per day<br />

LEP Local environmental plan<br />

ML Megalitres (1 000 000 Litres)<br />

ML/d Megalitres per day<br />

ML/a Megalitres per annum<br />

NPV Net present value<br />

Off River Storage A storage (often located on an intermittent stream) to which water<br />

from a river is diverted during times of high flow for use during<br />

times of low flow<br />

Potable <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Water</strong> suitable for consumption<br />

RWT Rainwater tank<br />

REP Regional environmental plan<br />

SEPP State Environmental Planning Policy<br />

Stormwater Detention Holding stormwater on-site for a period of time before releasing it<br />

downstream<br />

Stormwater Retention Keeping stormwater on-site for reuse<br />

STP Sewage Treatment Plant<br />

WFP <strong>Water</strong> filtration plant<br />

WM Act <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Act (2000)<br />

WSUD <strong>Water</strong> sensitive urban design<br />

xxiii


xxiv<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

95/30 Refers to a condition under which water is licenced for extraction<br />

from the river. 95 refers to the 95 th percentile of flows, that is the<br />

highest 95% of the time the river flows the water can be<br />

extracted. The remaining 5% of the time is when the river is little<br />

water and this may not be extracted. 30 refers to the the amount<br />

of water in the river that must be shared between the users (30%)<br />

80/30 Refers to a condition under which water is licenced for extraction<br />

from the river. 80 refers to the 80 th percentile of flows, that is the<br />

highest 80% of the time the river flows the water can be<br />

extracted. The remaining 5% of the time is when the river is little<br />

water and this may not be extracted. 30 refers to the the amount<br />

of water in the river that must be shared between the users<br />

(30%). An 80/30 condition protect the river more than a 95/30<br />

condition


1 Introduction<br />

1.1 Overview<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

<strong>Water</strong> is a precious natural resource essential for the maintenance of ecosystems and<br />

human activities. NSW is now at the limits of its available water resources and there is clear<br />

evidence of the degradation of our rivers, groundwaters and estuaries. In response, new<br />

water legislation has been introduced in NSW to provide for the sustainable and integrated<br />

management of the State’s water sources for present and future generations.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> (IWCM) by local water utilities is a way of managing<br />

the urban water cycle in which all parts of the water system are integrated so that water is<br />

used optimally. This optimal use should result in minimal impact on the water resource and<br />

on other resources and users. For a local water utility this means that the three main urban<br />

services – water supply, sewerage and stormwater – should be planned and managed in an<br />

integrated manner to ensure that the maximum value is obtained from the resource, and<br />

that environmental impacts are minimised. Integration also means that local water<br />

management is integrated with other human waste management and recycling processes<br />

such as garbage removal, and various external elements. These elements may include<br />

issues of global importance such as the greenhouse effect, as well as the natural<br />

processes within the catchment areas, Commonwealth and State policies, neighbouring<br />

water utilities and the community.<br />

1.1.1 The <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Process<br />

The IWCM process is based on three simple questions, which are:<br />

What is the problem? relates to water cycle management impacts (or perceived<br />

impacts) as well as water management problems. To answer this question<br />

necessitates an understanding of the catchment in order to set a benchmark on the<br />

resource needs and availability.<br />

How do we fix the problem? looks at addressing water management problems<br />

and requires an understanding of State Government water reform policies, which<br />

describe key water management issues and the appropriate management<br />

responses to them. Since there is more than one management option, a balanced<br />

outcome planning is used to select the best overall option.<br />

The last question, How do we know the problem is fixed? is the process by<br />

which we confirm that all impacts are managed to the desired level and water use is<br />

optimised using social, economic and environmental objectives.<br />

1.1.2 Balanced Outcomes Planning<br />

The balance outcomes process aims to give equal weight to each of the three parts of the<br />

triple bottom line (environment, social and economic) when choosing new management<br />

options. The six steps of balanced outcomes planning are:<br />

1


2<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

1. Setting goals<br />

2. Identifying management options<br />

3. Coarse screening of options<br />

4. Economic analysis and ranking of the options<br />

5. Bundling the options to achieve goals<br />

6. Examining trade-offs and revising goals<br />

1.1.3 Principles of <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> is based on the following set of guiding principles:<br />

Consideration of all water sources (including effluent and stormwater) in water<br />

resource planning<br />

Consideration of all water users (including the environment)<br />

Sustainable and equitable use of all water sources<br />

Integration of water uses and natural water processes, and<br />

A whole of catchment integration of natural resource use and management.<br />

1.1.4 Objectives of <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The objectives of an <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong> are as follows:<br />

To identify key water cycle issues in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire<br />

To identify the urban context for these issues, and<br />

To offer management options that can control these issues.


1.2 The <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

1.2.1 The Natural <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

Figure 1-1 The Natural <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

The natural water cycle is nature’s system of water circulation. <strong>Water</strong> falling as rain is<br />

transpired by trees and vegetation, percolates into groundwater or runs into lakes, rivers or<br />

oceans from which it evaporates, to fall again as rain in an endless cycle. This is shown in<br />

Figure 1-1.<br />

3


4<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

1.2.2 The Human <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

Figure 1-2 The Modified <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

Mankind alters the natural cycle by diverting water for human use, and returning treated<br />

wastewater and stormwater to the environment. This often causes significant impact on the<br />

organisms living in and activities depending on the land and water environment. This is<br />

shown in Figure 1-2.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

1.2.3 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

Figure 1-3 The <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

As illustrated in Figure 1-3, the IWCM improves the efficiency of human water use through<br />

the steps of diversion, storage, distribution, use, treatment and recycling so that needs are<br />

met with least cost to users and least impact on the environment. This report outlines the<br />

opportunities and options available for the community of <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire to achieve these<br />

goals.<br />

The concepts of integrated water cycle management include:<br />

Consideration of all parts of local water systems<br />

Optimising water use<br />

Waste minimisation to reduce pollution loads and water quality impacts<br />

System simplification and recycling to reduce costs and impacts<br />

Energy minimisation.<br />

1.3 Background to <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire’s <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

<strong>Strategy</strong><br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Council’s (ESC) water supply, sewerage and stormwater infrastructure<br />

requires upgrading to meet population growth and legislative standards. To address the<br />

current and emerging issues within the catchment context, it was decided to holistically<br />

5


6<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

review and evaluate how the urban water cycle in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire could be improved.<br />

Thus this strategy will be used to demonstrate that the improved management of the ‘urban<br />

footprint’ can help to achieve Council’s strategic business objectives, State resource policy<br />

objectives and community expectations for natural resource management. Importantly, the<br />

strategy is:<br />

Driven by the local community and has whole of government support<br />

Holistic and comprehensive<br />

Long term in its horizon (30 years), but should be reviewed every five years<br />

Flexible to accommodate future uncertainties<br />

Economically, environmentally and socially responsible.<br />

1.4 <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire’s Progress So Far<br />

The IWCM strategy process for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> began in mid-2001 with the Department of<br />

Land and <strong>Water</strong> Conservation (DLWC) undertaking a ‘Concept Study’ for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire<br />

Local Government Area. This study identified the key water cycle issues for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong><br />

(Objective 1) and identified the urban context for these issues (Objective 2). The results of<br />

this study (<strong>Eurobodalla</strong>’s water issues) were presented to Council at the strategic business<br />

objectives workshop and have been summarised in Part C.<br />

During the preparation of the concept study, DLWC and <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Council<br />

engaged the Department of Public Works and Services (DPWS) to help in identifying and<br />

detailing the management options that would have the potential to control the issues<br />

identified.<br />

In November 2001, Council staff developed the strategic business objectives for the future<br />

management of the urban water cycle in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire. Following development of the<br />

objectives, the first round of community consultation for the <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> strategy was undertaken. Separate meetings were held at Narooma, Moruya<br />

and Batemans Bay, to identify the management options that the community would like to<br />

see implemented in the future, along with ratification of the strategic business objectives.<br />

The Council has since ratified the strategic business objectives.<br />

In November 2002, a summary document containing the study findings prepared and<br />

presented to Council to seek Council’s input and approval to seek wider community input<br />

based on the summary document. In November 2002, the second round of community<br />

consultation was undertaken, where the water cycle management options identified in the<br />

first round of consultation, together with other opportunities and options, were presented.<br />

Separate meetings were again held at Narooma, Moruya and Batemans Bay.<br />

In October 2002 a two day inter-agency workshop was held to identify any issues and<br />

concerns the agencies may have with the current management of the water services and<br />

the proposed future water management opportunities and to seek ‘in principle’ support to<br />

IWCM opportunities. To seek community document was posted on Council’s web page<br />

and was made available at Council offices. Community feedback was sought until mid-<br />

February 2003. The community feedback and responses to the feedback are contained in<br />

Appendix B.<br />

1.5 Where To From Here?<br />

Parts D and E of this strategy address how <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>’s IWCM will be delivered in the<br />

future, along with a timeframe for the various delivery stages.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Part A<br />

Where Do We Want To Be?<br />

This Part provides an overview of Council’s strategic<br />

business objectives for the future management of the<br />

urban water cycle, and the community’s wants and<br />

preferences with respect to future water cycle<br />

management opportunities.<br />

7


8<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

This page is intentionally blank


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

2 Strategic Business Objectives<br />

2.1 Overview<br />

A workshop involving key Council staff was held in November 2001, to clearly define the<br />

business objectives for the future management of the urban water cycle for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>. In<br />

order to assist in the development of the strategic business objectives, Council’s<br />

<strong>Management</strong> Plan and the existing water and sewerage strategic business plans were<br />

consulted together with the State’s South East Catchment <strong>Management</strong> Blueprint (Ref. 3)<br />

and the EPA’s <strong>Water</strong> Quality and River Flow Interim Environmental Objectives (1999).<br />

The Strategic Business Objectives define Council’s long term goals for the management of<br />

its landscape and the services it provides, in this instance the water services, and the<br />

outcome on which it would like to be measured.<br />

Since the services it provides are community oriented and have an influence on the<br />

landscape, Council has long recognised the need to measure its water business<br />

outcomes/performance not only in terms of financial bottom line but also taking into account<br />

the broader environmental and social bottom lines. To meet these outcomes and to audit its<br />

performance, Council provides appropriate internal support processes, systems and<br />

structures.<br />

Strategic Business Planning for both the outcomes and internal drivers is developed by<br />

Council staff using their normal business planning. In the case of <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>, its business<br />

plan for water services was over five years old. Thus at the beginning of this study Council<br />

decided to review its Strategic Business Objectives relating to the outcomes area of<br />

finance, environmental and social. A facilitated workshop was held with Council staff at the<br />

beginning of this study (November 2001). Key representatives from DLWC attended the<br />

workshop to make presentations on current government reforms and the future direction of<br />

the water industry. The workshop was facilitated by DPWS.<br />

The contemporary strategy planning was used for the development of the objectives in the<br />

three outcome areas of finance, environment and social. The contemporary strategy<br />

planning requires the identification of objectives that are measurable, the index to be<br />

measured (KPI) and the associated target. This assists Council to directly assess each<br />

IWCM strategy against the strategic business objective and the associated target.<br />

In developing the objectives, the environmental outcome was looked at from the<br />

perspective of compliance and requirements. The financial outcome looked at both the cost<br />

and revenue sides, and the social outcome looked at product/service quality and<br />

characteristics for the different customer categories in each of the water supply, sewerage<br />

and stormwater service lines.<br />

Identifying the objectives of the internal support processes, systems and structures is<br />

beyond the scope of this study. Based on the outcome of this IWCM strategy, Council<br />

should develop the appropriate objectives, KPI’s and targets for each of these internal<br />

drivers using the guidelines for preparing the strategic business plans for water and<br />

sewerage (Appendix A).<br />

9


10<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

2.2 The Business Objectives<br />

The following lists represent the objectives developed for the three outcomes reporting<br />

areas. Appendix A contains information on how each objective will be measured, with their<br />

respective target. It also provides information as to which water service the objective<br />

applies. Underpinning these objectives is the need to conserve, efficiently use, reclaim and<br />

recycle urban water to maximise economic and community benefits and minimise<br />

environmental impact.<br />

Environment<br />

Ensure efficient use of drinking water<br />

Ensure the sustainability of the water resources<br />

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions<br />

Help protect catchments and estuaries<br />

Protect the health and diversity of the receiving waters<br />

Ensure the sustainability of reuse areas<br />

Minimise the impact of stormwater runoff from existing landuse<br />

Maximise beneficial reuse<br />

Minimise the impact of the stormwater generation potential of future development<br />

through sustainable development and design<br />

Protect the recreational value of the waterways and beaches.<br />

Social<br />

Maintain continuous access to service<br />

Maintain continuous water supply to towns<br />

Protect the public safety of the urban community<br />

Protect the urban properties and premises<br />

Enhance the ‘nature coast’ perception amongst visitors<br />

Minimise water supply interruptions<br />

Protect public health<br />

Provide good quality drinking water<br />

Maintain adequate pressure at the household<br />

Maintain adequate fire fighting services<br />

Increase public awareness of urban water issues<br />

Increase customer satisfaction.


Financial<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Improve efficiency of systems<br />

Reduced debt reliance<br />

Provide services that are equitable and affordable<br />

Minimise the impact on current ratepayers for future infrastructure development<br />

Reduce illegal activities such as waste dumping<br />

Minimise non-compliance with legislation<br />

Improve the performance of the assets<br />

11


12<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

This page intentionally blank


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

3 Community Wants, Needs and<br />

Feedback<br />

3.1 Community Wants and Needs Identification<br />

Facilitated community consultation sessions were carried out at Narooma, Moruya and<br />

Batemans Bay in November 2001 to identify community concerns with respect to<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong>’s water services. The community consultation sessions provided a forum<br />

through which the community was able express their wants and needs for the future<br />

sustainable management of the water services. The community identified a broad range of<br />

opportunities that required consideration in the IWCM strategy. The collated concerns,<br />

wants and options are listed below.<br />

3.1.1 Environmental Values in Relation to Urban <strong>Water</strong>s<br />

<strong>Water</strong> conservation<br />

Environmental protection<br />

Sustainable design<br />

Environmental flows.<br />

3.1.2 Urban Development<br />

Improved development controls<br />

On-site stormwater detention for new developments<br />

Independence of villages in terms of waste management and sustainable<br />

development<br />

Improved planning instruments and environmental impact assessments.<br />

3.1.3 Issues for Future Development of Urban <strong>Water</strong> Services<br />

Secure water supply<br />

Reuse<br />

Alternative water sources<br />

Public health.<br />

3.1.4 Options to be Considered in the IWCM <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Rainwater tanks<br />

Subsidies/incentives for water saving<br />

Stormwater collection<br />

Off-river storage dams.<br />

13


14<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

A more comprehensive list of the above concerns, wants and options is provided in<br />

Appendix B, along with information showing where and how these concern wants and<br />

options s have been addressed in this report.<br />

3.1.5 Community Preferences<br />

Table 3-1 below provides a summary of community preferences with respect to the future<br />

management of their urban water cycle from the November 2001 meeting. The table also<br />

provides the community’s expectations of each water cycle management option in terms of<br />

social and environmental outcomes. Appendix B contains the outcomes of the first round of<br />

community consultation.<br />

Table 3-1 Community Expectations<br />

Community Expectations<br />

Issue Option<br />

Social Environmental<br />

Increase our stored water (bigger dam) 1 1<br />

Improve our water quality (treatment<br />

plants)<br />

3 1<br />

Reliable<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

Healthy<br />

<strong>Water</strong>ways<br />

Saving water (demand management) 3 3<br />

Recycling water you have already used<br />

(effluent and stormwater reuse)<br />

Capturing your water needs locally<br />

(rainwater harvesting)<br />

3 2<br />

3 3<br />

Using ocean water (desalination) 3 1<br />

Using recycled groundwater (effluent<br />

recharge of aquifer)<br />

3 2<br />

<strong>Water</strong> sensitive urban design 3 3<br />

Non-structural stormwater 3 2<br />

Improved treatment 3 2<br />

Sewage system integrity 3 3<br />

Planning 3 3<br />

Returned flows 3 2<br />

Environmental flows (leaving water in<br />

the river)<br />

3 2<br />

Education 3 3<br />

Scale: High = 3, Medium = 2, Low = 1<br />

3.2 Community Feedback<br />

The approach adopted by Council top gain community feedback on the options was to have<br />

a series of information sessions and then to publicly display a summary document for<br />

residents to submit comments. The community information sessions were held in Narooma,<br />

Batemans Bay and Moruya. The last date receive comments was 15 th February 2003.<br />

Appendix B contains the community feedback received and the responses to it.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> Tools<br />

4.1 Overview<br />

IWCM tools is a list of traditional and emerging opportunities that are available to<br />

communities for the management of their water services. These opportunities could be<br />

utilised independently or conjunctively depending upon community preferences and the<br />

triple bottom line benefits they offer for the local area.<br />

The fact sheet for each opportunity provides a brief overview of the opportunity, examples<br />

where it is used and the benefits is offers.<br />

15


16<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

FACT SHEET 1<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Sensitive Urban Design<br />

What is <strong>Water</strong> Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD)?<br />

WSUD is the consideration of the opportunities and linkages between urban design,<br />

landscape, architecture and water management. It considers all aspects of IWCM as part of<br />

the design process for site and urban development.<br />

WSUD aims to keep the balance between infiltration and runoff from site and urban areas as<br />

close as possible to the pre-development balance.<br />

WSUD is an important concept where water use can be optimised through effective planning<br />

undertaken prior to development. This applies to whole-of-development design as well as<br />

design of individual dwellings.<br />

WSUD tools include:<br />

♦ rainwater tanks<br />

♦ drainage lines along contours<br />

♦ grassed swales to filter out contamination<br />

♦ stormwater detention and exfiltration ponds<br />

♦ non-disturbance of natural drainage lines<br />

♦ water efficient household devices<br />

♦ use of drought-tolerant plant species<br />

♦ on-site greywater reuse<br />

♦ reclaimed water reuse in garden watering and toilets.<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Council’s Stormwater <strong>Management</strong> Plan has identified a number of<br />

measures to minimise stormwater impacts. These include source control rather than remedial<br />

end-of-pipe management options, and the encouragement of water-sensitive urban subdivision<br />

design through policies, DCP and building codes. Specific WSUD opportunities for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong><br />

are discussed in section 8.1.3.<br />

Examples<br />

Wyong Shire Council has approved the design of a new subdivision in Warnervale that is<br />

utilising ideas such as rainwater tanks, grassed swales and subsoil infiltration drains, rather<br />

than conventional stormwater pipe drainage practices.<br />

A subdivision at Figtree Place in Newcastle has been constructed to include many features of<br />

water-sensitive urban design, including underground rainwater tanks and gravel-filled<br />

infiltration trenches. This subdivision has been designed in such a way that stormwater runoff<br />

from the site has virtually been eliminated. It has resulted in considerable savings.<br />

Benefits<br />

Reduced stormwater runoff from urban lots<br />

Reduced pollutant loads of receiving waters<br />

Allows for the potential down-sizing of proposed stormwater infrastructure<br />

Increased aquifer recharge<br />

Reduce demand on potable water supply<br />

Reduce cost of water supply and stormwater infrastructure.


FACT SHEET 2<br />

Planning Controls<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

What are Planning Controls?<br />

Planning controls are legal instruments made under the Environmental Planning and<br />

Assessment Act 1979. They consist of local environmental plans (LEPs), regional<br />

environmental plans (REPs) and state environmental planning policies (SEPPs), which<br />

describe the current planning status and/or future developments of an area. LEPs are made by<br />

Council and dictate the types of developments allowed in each zone of a local government<br />

area.<br />

Development control plans (DCPs) are detailed guidelines that illustrate the controls that apply<br />

to a particular type of development or in a particular area. A DCP refines or supplements a<br />

REP or LEP.<br />

Urban water needs are dictated largely by local environmental planning, urban subdivision<br />

designs, and building designs, before the householder exercises choice.<br />

Council has the opportunity to play an important role in reducing future water consumption.<br />

This may be achieved through the use of planning controls, for example, that mandate the<br />

installation of water efficient appliances and water sensitive gardens, through its role as the<br />

determining authority for the majority of developments in the area.<br />

Over the last decade many councils have developed planning frameworks to reduce water<br />

consumption and to minimise stormwater runoff. Incorporated into this framework is the water<br />

sensitive urban design concept (fact sheet 1).<br />

Examples<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Council, through its Residential Design and Development Guidelines DCP<br />

and building codes, encourages the use of energy efficient fixtures and appliances. This<br />

program also indirectly encourages improved water use efficiency. Installing AAA rated shower<br />

roses, for example, saves hot water and therefore energy for heating. However, the present<br />

focus of the DCP is energy abatement and does not explicitly mention water conservation.<br />

Benefits<br />

Provides a strong conservation message to the community<br />

Reduces pollutant loads of receiving waters<br />

Reducing or delaying large infrastructure costs both up and downstream (e.g. size of mains<br />

and STP augmentations)<br />

Allows Council to exercise discretion on which end uses and areas of the water cycle to<br />

mandate<br />

Allows Council to set controls before market forces influence customer’s purchasing decisions<br />

of appliances<br />

Increases environmental benefits through better planning, water and energy use<br />

Reduced greenhouse gas emission<br />

17


FACT SHEET 3<br />

Rainwater Tanks<br />

18<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

What are Rainwater Tanks?<br />

Rainwater tanks store rainwater runoff from roofs. Rainwater is funnelled along gutters into<br />

downpipes, which are connected to the tank. In high rainfall areas, it is possible to harvest<br />

considerable amounts of roofwater using rainwater tanks. Rainwater tanks offer an alternative<br />

water supply for use in the home and/or garden.<br />

Rainwater tanks may be used as a separate supply source (not supplemented by town water),<br />

or they can be designed to receive a ‘top up’ of town water. A rainwater tank designed for nonpotable<br />

indoor uses, for example toilet flushing, typically requires a top up system using trickle<br />

feed technology.<br />

Rainwater tanks can form an integrated part of the main water supply system, and be subject<br />

to the same restrictions during drought periods as the reticulated supply.<br />

The recovery of roof water is not only a function of rainfall and tank size, but also a function of<br />

water use. Tanks are more likely to be full during or following wet weather when garden water<br />

needs are low. Connecting tanks to supply water for the toilet and washing machines increases<br />

the utilisation of the rainwater tank and therefore increases<br />

the amount of water tanks can collect every year.<br />

Benefits<br />

Rainwater tanks collect water from the local area, and if<br />

used correctly, are an effective way to take the demand<br />

and pressure off our limited water resources, our rivers<br />

and storage facilities.<br />

Rainwater tanks are able to capture roofwater following<br />

small rainfall events during drought periods.<br />

By storing rainwater runoff from your roof, rainwater tanks can provide a valuable water source<br />

for flushing toilets, in washing machines, watering gardens and washing cars.<br />

Using rainwater for gardens, washing machines or toilets will save money on water bills.<br />

Rainwater tanks improve environmental quality through conserving our valuable drinking water<br />

and reducing the demand on our water supply (conserving water also reduces the chemical<br />

and energy requirements for treating and transporting water to your home via the mains<br />

supply).<br />

Rainwater tanks can help manage stormwater runoff through reducing the amount of<br />

stormwater leaving your property, thereby reducing flooding.<br />

Rainwater tanks promote awareness of water conservation issues through practice.


FACT SHEET 4<br />

Effluent Reuse<br />

What is Effluent Reuse?<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Effluent reuse involves the utilisation of suitably treated wastewater for beneficial uses. It<br />

represents a significant move away from the traditional notion of effluent being considered only<br />

as a waste product, which is conventionally disposed of through ocean or waterway discharge.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> from sewage treatment plants can be treated to a standard suitable for a range of<br />

applications including industrial reuse, agricultural reuse, non potable domestic reuse, urban<br />

open space reuse and indirect potable reuse (the level to which water must be treated for<br />

different end uses is described in Appendix D).<br />

Site-specific analysis is required to assess the balances of water, nutrients, organics and<br />

soluble salts to identify the most cost-effective and sustainable options for on-land disposal of<br />

wastewater. Ongoing monitoring is important to ensure sustainability.<br />

Examples<br />

The REMS (reclaimed effluent management scheme)<br />

project in the Shoalhaven is an extensive irrigation scheme<br />

utilising wastewater from the region. The irrigation scheme<br />

comprises 14 dairy farms, a golf course and sporting fields.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> is delivered at a constant rate into balancing ponds<br />

on user’s land (see picture right) (www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au).<br />

Benefits<br />

Reclaimed water, used in place of fresh water, reduces the pressure on treated water for nonpotable<br />

uses (e.g. open area irrigation) and provides a drought proof irrigation water supply.<br />

Effluent reuse assists in the preservation of fresh water supplies as well as reduces the need<br />

to use commercial fertilisers on crops and pastures. Treated effluent contains water, plant<br />

nutrients and organic matter, which together can improve soil fertility and encourage plant<br />

growth.<br />

Effluent reuse can provide regeneration of deteriorated habitats (wetlands).<br />

Reduces the impact of wastewater discharges on waterways, and enhances resource recycling<br />

with water returned at an earlier stage of the water cycle for recycling.<br />

Promotes awareness of water conservation issues through practice.<br />

Assists in meeting legislative and regulatory compliance, and license conditions (e.g. loadbased<br />

licensing).<br />

The use of reclaimed water can have economic benefits, depending on connection fees and<br />

charge per volume, and can reduce the costs of fertilisers. (Suitable studies are necessary to<br />

prevent costly soil structure problems caused by too many nutrients).<br />

19


20<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

FACT SHEET 5<br />

Effluent Return Flows<br />

What are Effluent Return Flows?<br />

Effluent return flow is the process of returning highly treated wastewater to waterways. Under<br />

the <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Act 2000, credits can be gained from return flows, allowing towns to<br />

access greater extraction volumes. However government agencies have not yet agreed on<br />

water quality requirements and flow regimes for return flows.<br />

If there are users downstream of the discharge point, the return flow can be credited against<br />

the town’s extraction limit and the town may extract more water.<br />

Benefits<br />

Increased volume and improved variability of environmental flow releases (thus reducing the<br />

impact on ecological processes).<br />

Reduces stress on natural habitats.<br />

Increases yield (security) of the supply in drought or dry periods.<br />

Enhanced resource recycling, with water returned at an earlier stage of the water cycle for<br />

recycling.<br />

May downsize or delay the need for other water supply augmentation options (e.g. a dam).


FACT SHEET 6<br />

Greywater Reuse<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

What is Greywater Reuse?<br />

Greywater refers to all wastewater from households excluding toilet water (blackwater). It<br />

includes water from the laundry, sinks and dishwashers, and contains less nutrients and<br />

pathogens than blackwater. It can be collected and treated separately using on-site systems.<br />

Greywater is typically reused for irrigation purposes.<br />

The greywater can be treated and disinfected, which can reduce nutrient and bacteria and then<br />

be disposed of through either sub-soil or spray irrigation.<br />

If the greywater is not disinfected, it should be disposed through subsoil irrigation. NSW Health<br />

advises that if the whole greywater stream, (including kitchen wastewater) is being used for<br />

irrigation, it go through a vessel such as a baffled septic tank because it acts as an efficient<br />

grease trap and anaerobic digester before application.<br />

If kitchen waste is excluded, NSW Health advises the greywater stream should go through a<br />

stilling and cooling chamber of about 1 cubic metre before sub-soil disposal.<br />

On-site greywater treatment has the potential to reduce water consumption from other<br />

sources.<br />

A house with greywater treatment needs to be plumbed to separate the greywater from the<br />

blackwater. Treatment is still required for the blackwater, which may range from a composting<br />

toilet to connection to a reticulated sewerage system.<br />

Greywater reuse in sewered areas requires consideration of the NSW Health policy Greywater<br />

Reuse in Sewered Single Domestic Premises (2000).<br />

Examples<br />

Recent UK studies have shown that greywater could be treated to residential reuse grades<br />

using aerated biological filters and membrane bioreactors but the corresponding breakeven<br />

unit water costs were in the order of A$5.00/kL. The development of cost effective residential<br />

greywater reuse technologies is still in the experimental stage.<br />

Benefits<br />

The use of greywater systems on areas connected to the reticulated supply can reduce the<br />

hydraulic loads on the sewerage system and sewage treatment plant.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> is recycled on-site.<br />

Reduces water bill.<br />

On a small scale (residential) maximises potable water used for potable uses.<br />

Maintains an awareness of water conservation issues through practice.<br />

Potential downstream benefits including reducing or delaying large infrastructure and operating<br />

costs (size of mains and STP augmentations, pump out costs).<br />

Potential Hazards<br />

Household greywater is biologically active and can contain significant levels of bacteria and<br />

other pathogens, which may increase if the greywater is stored for lengthy periods without<br />

treatment. For this reason, health authorities prefer sub-surface irrigation methods.<br />

Another hazard with untreated greywater systems is the potential for clogging of subsurface<br />

systems by the soaps and oils contained in the greywater.<br />

21


22<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

FACT SHEET 7<br />

Stormwater <strong>Management</strong> and Reuse<br />

What is Stormwater Reuse?<br />

Stormwater reuse involves capturing, storing and treating stormwater to a suitable level for a<br />

variety of beneficial reuses. The most common use is for open space or agricultural irrigation.<br />

Impermeable surfaces associated with urban development increase the volume of runoff in<br />

urban areas, and consequently the volume of pollutants entering the environment.<br />

Conventional stormwater management has traditionally focused on diverting urban runoff out<br />

of built areas as rapidly and efficiently as possible through drainage systems incorporating<br />

underground pipes and overland flow paths.<br />

There are a variety of tools to improve stormwater quality, including litter traps, pit inserts,<br />

grass swales, bio-retention trenches and sand filters for control at source points, and gross<br />

pollutants traps, sediment traps and constructed wetlands for end-of-pipe uses.<br />

Until recently, little recognition has been given to utilising this resource or to protecting the<br />

quality of the water leaving urban areas. Stormwater harvesting can be incorporated into local<br />

stormwater detention and water quality control features.<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Council’s Stormwater <strong>Management</strong> Plan has identified a number of measures to<br />

minimise stormwater impacts. These include source control rather than remedial end-of-pipe<br />

management options. Stormwater management opportunities are discussed in Appendix W<br />

and section 8.2.2.<br />

Based on water quality and construction requirements it is generally more cost effective to<br />

utilise harvested stormwater in water quality control ponds for public landscape needs rather<br />

than to supply residential consumers.<br />

Examples<br />

The Sydney Olympic Park project harvests stormwater from the water quality control ponds. In<br />

a natural setting following a rainfall event, any water that has not infiltrated the subsurface will<br />

run off the site and be transported to a nearby waterway. This runoff can be intercepted,<br />

collected and stored in a detention basin for later non-potable household use or municipal<br />

landscape irrigation. The yield from a stormwater harvesting systems during dry periods is<br />

dependent on the amount of storage provided.<br />

Benefits<br />

The temporary storage and reuse of flood waters will have the effect of attenuating the peak<br />

flow rate of discharge downstream, which should reduce the size of drainage works required<br />

downstream.<br />

Reduces stormwater and flooding impacts.<br />

Recycling occurs on or near site.<br />

Reduction in treated water demand and fresh water supplies for non-potable uses such as<br />

irrigation.<br />

Slows or halts the export of pollutants and contaminants from the catchment to other sensitive<br />

environments.<br />

Potential to provide new / enhanced natural habitats (for native flora and fauna) or aesthetic<br />

features in urban environments (artificial water bodies).<br />

If open space is available it can be a cost effective means of upgrading stormwater capacities,<br />

Reduces erosion associated with runoff.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

FACT SHEET 8<br />

Demand <strong>Management</strong><br />

What is Demand <strong>Management</strong>?<br />

<strong>Water</strong> demand management incorporates conservation measures that improve water use<br />

efficiency, increase water reuse and recycling, and minimise water waste.<br />

It includes measures such as pricing, water efficient devices and water conservation programs.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> saved through more efficient water use is as effective as making water<br />

available through constructing new supply infrastructure capacity, with many<br />

additional environmental benefits.<br />

Demand management incorporates many tools ranging from efficient fixtures<br />

such as AAA rated shower roses and appliances to non-structural solutions<br />

such as education campaigns and demonstrations.<br />

Examples<br />

As part of Sydney <strong>Water</strong>’s demand management program, a pilot scheme was implemented in<br />

Shellharbour with approximately 25% of households participating in the program, a figure that<br />

greatly exceeded the anticipated uptake level of 10%. An assessment of the water demand<br />

reductions achieved by the program to date indicate that about 20-25 kL/household/a has been<br />

saved.<br />

Lismore City Council, as one of the four constituent councils of Rous <strong>Water</strong>, the bulk water<br />

supply authority for the north coast of NSW, commenced a demand management strategy in<br />

1996, which included a residential retrofit program The trial consisted of retrofitting low flow<br />

shower roses and dual flush toilets to a total of 470 customers. The resulting water savings<br />

were in the order of 24 kL/household/a for the showerheads and 35 kL/household/a for the<br />

toilets. The total cost of the trial, including administrative costs and rebates, was about<br />

$28 000. The trial yielded water savings at a cost of 12 c/kL for the shower roses and 30 c/kL<br />

for the toilet retrofits.<br />

Benefits<br />

Increases community awareness of importance of water conservation.<br />

Reduces water consumption.<br />

Saves Council and the individual household money.<br />

Decreases greenhouse gas emissions through reduced hot water<br />

consumption and reduced pumping.<br />

Decreases pressure on natural environments through decreased<br />

water demands.<br />

On a small scale (residential) maximises potable water used for<br />

potable uses<br />

Potential up and downstream benefits include reducing or delaying large infrastructure costs<br />

(size of mains and STP augmentations) and operating costs, for example potential to decrease<br />

treatment costs (and chemical use).<br />

Reduces the frequency and severity of water restrictions.<br />

23


FACT SHEET 9<br />

Loss Reduction<br />

24<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

What is Loss Reduction?<br />

Unaccounted-for water (or non-revenue water) is that portion of bulk water production that the<br />

water utility cannot bill as it does not reach the customers’ meter.<br />

Unaccounted-for water comprises leakage from the distribution system due to breakages and<br />

overflows from reservoirs, illegal connections, fire fighting, mains flushing, overhead fillers and<br />

errors in system flow meters.<br />

Loss reduction involves reducing the proportion of water lost through the distribution system<br />

due to breakages and overflows.<br />

The first stage in a loss reduction program involves accounting for where water is lost in the<br />

system and determining the amount that is lost.<br />

Over time, a well-designed leakage reduction program will identify leakage trouble spots and<br />

allow for programmed maintenance of these areas. As part of the program, system-wide water<br />

consumption is monitored allowing more rapid identification of leaks and illegal connections.<br />

Areas of the distribution system with high pressure can be targeted through a pressure<br />

reduction program, which will also contribute to reduced leakage.<br />

Examples<br />

Specific loss reduction opportunities can be found in section 8.1.7.<br />

Benefits<br />

Better understanding of system-wide water consumption.<br />

Decreased extraction rates for the same volume of water supplied.<br />

Decreased long term operating costs.<br />

Greater income for the same volume of water supplied.<br />

Identification of trouble spots and quicker response time.<br />

Increased confidence in metering equipment and the data collected.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

FACT SHEET 10<br />

Dams and Storages<br />

What are Dams and Storages?<br />

Off-river storage (often located on an intermittent stream) involves diverting water from a river<br />

to a storage facility.<br />

A dam involves building a structure across the river to regulate the flow of water.<br />

The need for dams and off-river storage cannot be considered in isolation, but rather requires<br />

consideration in the context of all water supply options due to the significant environmental,<br />

social and financial impacts.<br />

In terms of environmental and financial costs, off-river storage represents a more sustainable<br />

option than damming rivers. Off-river storages allow water to be pumped out of the river and<br />

stored during high flow periods. During low flow periods (drought) the water in the river can be<br />

left untouched and the water in the storage used to supply consumption needs.<br />

Off-river opportunities are discussed in section 8.3.4 and appendix K.<br />

The advantage of keeping water in a dam or storage is that it allows water to undergo some<br />

natural disinfection processes, which can form part of a multi-barrier approach to protect public<br />

health. However, storing water in dams increases the risk of a blue green algae outbreak in the<br />

water supply.<br />

Examples<br />

Deep Creek Dam is an off-river storage that stores water from the Deua and the Buckenboura<br />

rivers during high flow periods. It supplies water to the Shire during times of low river flows.<br />

Benefits<br />

Increases the security of supply.<br />

Can be designed to maintain environmental objectives with flexibility in mind.<br />

Reduces the pressure on more sensitive environments (sacrifice and save).<br />

Reduces the severity of restrictions.<br />

Increases environmental flows during drought.<br />

25


26<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

FACT SHEET 11<br />

Decentralised Sewage <strong>Management</strong><br />

What is Decentralised Sewage <strong>Management</strong>?<br />

Decentralised sewage management is an alternative option to connecting all properties to a<br />

centralised sewage treatment system. It can treat sewage from a single household or a small<br />

community.<br />

Decentralised sewage management includes septic systems and aerated treatment with<br />

effluent disposal options including pump-outs, adsorption trenches, lined evapotranspiration<br />

beds and spray irrigation.<br />

In <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> there are currently 3 400 on-site sewage treatment systems registered with<br />

Council. The cumulative effects of multiple poorly performing and aging systems can be<br />

significant. The Wallis Lakes oyster incident provides a good example of the potential risks and<br />

flow on effects from poorly treated sewage.<br />

Decentralised sewage management systems should meet the following environmental and<br />

health performance objectives over the long term:<br />

♦ Minimised risk to public health<br />

♦ Protection of land<br />

♦ Protection of groundwater<br />

♦ Conservation and reuse of resources<br />

♦ Protection of community amenity<br />

♦ Protection of surface waters.<br />

♦ Specific decentralised sewage management opportunities can be found in section 9.<br />

Examples<br />

The towns of Nelligen, South Durras, Bodalla, Mystery Bay, Akolele, Potato Point, Tilba Tilba,<br />

Central Tilba, Rosedale, Guerilla Bay and Congo use decentralised sewage systems.<br />

Benefits<br />

Can adapt the system to reflect local characteristics<br />

Sewage is treated on site.<br />

Effluent treated to a high quality can be used locally.<br />

Improved compatibility with other IWCM options.<br />

Downstream benefits including reducing or delaying large infrastructure costs (size of mains<br />

and STP augmentations).


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

5 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> Options<br />

Assessment Criteria<br />

5.1 Overview<br />

Having briefly outlined ‘where we want to be’ from the Council, community and government<br />

perspective, criteria for assessing the various IWCM opportunities and options could then<br />

be developed.<br />

5.2 The Assessment Criteria<br />

Table 5-1 below presents the assessment criteria that were used for ranking each IWCM<br />

option developed in this report.<br />

27


28<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 5-1 IWCM Assessment Criteria<br />

Environmental<br />

Efficient use of fresh water<br />

resource<br />

Minimises low flow water<br />

extractions<br />

Minimises greenhouse gas<br />

emissions<br />

Minimises pollutants being<br />

discharged to the aquatic<br />

environment<br />

Minimises urban stormwater<br />

volumes<br />

Ensure sustainable land use<br />

practices<br />

Social<br />

Improves security of town<br />

water supply<br />

Improves the quality of<br />

drinking water<br />

Improves urban water service<br />

levels<br />

Increase public awareness of<br />

urban water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance to<br />

policy and legislation<br />

Protects public health<br />

Enhances the ‘nature coast’<br />

perception<br />

Financial<br />

Minimises the impact of future<br />

infrastructure development on<br />

current ratepayers<br />

Improves the performance of<br />

the assets<br />

Provides services that are<br />

equitable and affordable<br />

Options that result in savings in town water resources (low flow toilets and<br />

showers, water pricing, rainwater tanks).<br />

Beneficial use of alternative water resources providing ecosystem protection,<br />

increase extraction during high flows.<br />

Postponement or cancellation of construction, minimises energy<br />

consumption, and promotes the use of green energy.<br />

Improves water, sewage and stormwater systems, which reduce the level of<br />

nutrients, chemicals, suspended solids and pathogens entering the<br />

environment.<br />

Options that result in reduced volume and velocity of stormwater discharge,<br />

e.g. retention/detention basins.<br />

Options that ensure land management practices are sustainable including<br />

those that result in increases in riparian vegetation, reduction in soil erosion,<br />

management of acid sulfate soils, etc.<br />

Options that reduce the potential for water restrictions and/or meet growth<br />

requirements.<br />

Options that increase the quality of the potable water supply including land<br />

management and treatment technologies.<br />

Ensures adequate pressure needs for domestic and fire fighting requirements,<br />

reduces service interruptions, sewage blockages, customer complaints.<br />

Options that improve the public awareness of the urban water cycle, e.g.<br />

public education in programs for water efficiencies, litter reduction and waste<br />

dumping.<br />

Option that recognises all policy and legislative issues.<br />

Options that improve drinking water quality, recreational water quality and<br />

aquatic seafood water quality.<br />

Options that support the image of the area with regard to being ecologically<br />

sustainable and pristine.<br />

Options that consider inter- and intra-generational equity.<br />

Options that make existing assets last longer and/or operate more efficiently.<br />

Options that consider equity and affordability issues, particularly in relation to<br />

small communities.<br />

Improves efficiency ratios Options that improve the operational efficiency of assets and service delivery.<br />

Reduces debt reliance<br />

Options that help to reduce the amount of money Council (and ratepayers)<br />

have to borrow and pay back.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Part B<br />

What Are the Issues?<br />

This part provides an overview of the issues relating to<br />

reform and legislative compliance, catchment<br />

management, urban planning, water infrastructure<br />

performance and community expectation.<br />

29


30<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

This page is intentionally blank


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

6 What are <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>’s Issues?<br />

6.1 Government Initiated Reform Compliance Issues<br />

In the early 1990s, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), consisting of the Prime<br />

Minister, State Premiers, Territory Chief Ministers and the President of the Australian Local<br />

Government Association agreed to implement the national competition policy across<br />

Australia. The policy framework was based on macro- and micro- economic reforms across<br />

the various levels of governments to achieve efficiency, equity and transparency in<br />

governance and to achieve sustainability in resource management. The implementation of<br />

the national competition policy is Commonwealth funded, with payments based upon the<br />

completion of certain levels of the policy. The NSW Government has therefore embarked<br />

upon a number of independent but related reforms within the framework of the competition<br />

policy. Some of these reforms, relevant to this study, include the water reforms, full cost<br />

recovery service pricing of essential monopoly community services, transparencies in<br />

decision making and regional capacity building. The subsequent sections provide a brief<br />

overview of these reforms and <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>’s compliance status with these reform<br />

objectives.<br />

6.1.1 <strong>Water</strong> Reforms and the <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Act 2000<br />

The water reforms are a key driver of change for all water users. In 1994, COAG agreed to<br />

implement the strategic framework to achieve an efficient and sustainable water industry.<br />

The water reform aims to achieve clean healthy rivers and sustainable water use in<br />

consultation with the community and stakeholders. As part of these reforms the NSW<br />

government introduced the <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Act 2000 (WM Act).<br />

The WM Act introduced in 2000 aims to achieve a better balance between water use and<br />

environmental protection by setting environmental objectives for all NSW rivers covering<br />

river flow and water quality objectives. The Act acknowledges the environment as a<br />

legitimate water user and therefore aims to ensure that it is guaranteed a certain allocation<br />

of water. The aim of the Act is to clearly identify all water users, and formalise their share<br />

and access rights.<br />

Under the WM Act, draft management plans are to be developed for each land<br />

management area in the State. In the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire, the three main catchments, Clyde,<br />

Tuross and Moruya, require management plans to be developed. <strong>Water</strong>-sharing plans are<br />

one of the many plans included as part of the management plans. These plans will<br />

establish the environmental water rules, the requirements for basic landholder rights, the<br />

requirements for water extraction under access licenses, and the bulk access regime (BAR)<br />

for extraction licenses.<br />

The BAR refers to water available for extraction after provisions have been made for<br />

environmental water and basic landholder rights. Various classes of environmental water<br />

have been identified for the purpose of setting the BAR. The rules for the identification,<br />

establishment and maintenance of each class of environmental water (environmental water<br />

rules) are to be established for all of the water sources in the State, by means of a<br />

management plan.<br />

Once the provisions to satisfy basic landholder rights and the environmental water rules<br />

have been established, water will then be allocated under access licenses. Access licenses<br />

fall into a number of categories and are subject to a system of priority.<br />

31


32<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Local water utility access licenses, major utility access licenses and domestic and<br />

stock access licenses have priority over all other access licenses.<br />

Regulated river (high security) access licenses have priority over regulated river<br />

(general security) access licenses and regulated river (supplementary water)<br />

access licenses.<br />

Finally regulated river (general security) access licenses have priority over<br />

regulated river (supplementary water) access licenses.<br />

All water rights are reduced in periods of low flow, although those with a higher priority<br />

licence will have their allocation diminished at a lesser rate.<br />

The amount of water required to be left for the environment has yet to be determined by the<br />

water management committees. It is likely though that the first water-sharing plan will<br />

require that the lowest 5% of the flows be left for the environment (95 th percentile). When<br />

the plans are reviewed after the mandated 10-year period, it is possible that in light of<br />

additional environmental data the environment may be allocated the lowest 20% of the<br />

flows (80 th percentile). Of the water left in the river it is likely that only 30% will be available<br />

for extraction by all users.<br />

It is generally accepted that ecosystems are highly vulnerable during low flow periods, but<br />

that natural flow regime variations are important to ensure a healthy and diverse ecological<br />

community. Developing draft management plans can be difficult in the absence of river flow<br />

management plans and specific local scientific knowledge about the ecology and<br />

conservation values of these river systems. It has been suggested that the precautionary<br />

principle be adopted in the future planning of the regional water supply scheme and in the<br />

development of draft management plans. The precautionary principle states that if there are<br />

threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage, a lack of full scientific certainty<br />

should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental<br />

degradation.<br />

Under the WM Act, town water use is subject to a maximum extraction volume. This<br />

maximum volume can be calculated in one of three ways:<br />

Existing entitlement: Many towns already have a volume entitlement specified in their<br />

works license or in a legal agreement.<br />

Reasonable entitlement: The volume of water the town can extract is calculated by<br />

reference to the demographic and geographic characteristic of the town, assuming<br />

reasonable demand management measures are in place.<br />

System capacity: A volume of water calculated on the basis of the current yield of the<br />

water management works.<br />

Where the volume calculated for the access license is greater than the volume currently<br />

used, the town may need to seek the Minister’s consent before extracting this extra water.<br />

Town water access licenses are to be reviewed every five years and varied according to the<br />

changes in population. However no allowances for additional water for new or expanded<br />

industries are made in this review. For <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> this means that additional water needs<br />

for commercial, agricultural or industrial uses within a town water supply will need to be met<br />

by:<br />

Surplus water within the town’s defined license volume<br />

<strong>Water</strong> efficiency gains<br />

The industry obtaining their own access through the purchasing of water from other<br />

users.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Thus when considering the supply of non-urban users, Council must consider how it will<br />

source the water before committing to supply them. Other water sources may be<br />

appropriate for such users (e.g. reclaimed effluent).<br />

Protection of River Flows and Aquifers<br />

The water reforms aim to improve the health of rivers and groundwaters to ensure long<br />

term, secure and viable regional economies. The quality and quantity of water available in<br />

the rivers and streams is seen as an indicator of degradation.<br />

As part of the NSW Government’s reforms to ensure the long term sustainability of the<br />

rivers, <strong>Water</strong> Quality and River Flow Interim Environmental Objectives have been<br />

developed by the EPA (1999). These objectives are designed to guide plans and actions to<br />

achieve healthy waterways. The water management committees, in developing the water<br />

management plans, are required to utilise these objectives.<br />

The water quality objectives aim to protect:<br />

Aquatic ecosystems<br />

Visual amenity<br />

Primary contact recreation<br />

Secondary contact recreation<br />

Livestock water supply<br />

Irrigation water supply<br />

Homestead water supply<br />

Drinking water<br />

Aquatic foods.<br />

The river flow objectives aim to:<br />

Protect pools in dry times<br />

Protect low natural flows<br />

Protect important rises in water levels<br />

Maintain wetland and floodplain inundation<br />

Mimic natural drying in temporary waterways<br />

Maintain natural flow variability<br />

Manage groundwater for ecosystems<br />

Minimise effects of weirs and other structures.<br />

The IWCM strategy for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> is an important step in achieving the overall reform<br />

objectives. In particular this strategy addresses:<br />

Community and stakeholder consultation in the formulation of strategies<br />

Innovation in the development of urban water services infrastructure<br />

<strong>Water</strong> conservation and water quality management, and its importance in the<br />

catchment context<br />

6.1.2 Pricing Reforms<br />

A brief review of ESC’s current pricing policy for water services indicates the following noncompliance:<br />

33


34<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The process used for establishing fixed water and sewerage service access<br />

charges is not transparent.<br />

The NSW Government recently released guidelines for best practice standard for<br />

water and discharge prices. ESC water use charges are close to best practice.<br />

Sewer discharge pricing for non-residential developments requires addressing to<br />

create equitable charges and recoup true costs of operations.<br />

Although the Council has established the ‘true’ cost of providing water, sewerage<br />

and stormwater services to new developments, the current level of developer<br />

contribution is far less than this ‘true’ cost. This results in significant subsidy to<br />

developers by the existing ratepayers and also results in revenue loss to Council.<br />

There is inadequate funding for urban stormwater management and treatment<br />

measures and for catchment improvement works. This is in part due to the fact that<br />

the cost of providing these services is funded through the general rates, which are<br />

currently ‘pegged’ by the State Government.<br />

6.1.3 Legislative Compliance issues<br />

The NSW Government, through the use of a number of legal instruments, regulates the<br />

provision of water services by ESC. The key administering agencies responsible for these<br />

legal instruments, along with other relevant responsibilities, are listed below.<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Council<br />

Preparation of LEPs and DCPs<br />

Development approvals under Part 4 of the Environmental Planning and<br />

Assessment Act 1979, which are required to be consistent with relevant SEPPs and<br />

REPs<br />

Development and ongoing operation of the water, sewerage and stormwater<br />

systems schemes<br />

Owners of the physical water infrastructure assets<br />

Local area and infrastructure management and planning approvals under the Local<br />

Government Act 1993<br />

Funds maintenance and upgrading of physical water infrastructure assets<br />

Lower South Coast REP No. 2 – Provides a framework for local planning and<br />

development in the Bega Valley and <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire.<br />

Department of Land and <strong>Water</strong> Conservation<br />

Administration of the <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Act 2000 and the Native Vegetation<br />

Conservation Act 1997<br />

Licensing provisions under the Rivers and Foreshores Improvement Act 1948, and<br />

the <strong>Water</strong> Act 1912 (these provisions are still in force until repealed in mid-2003)<br />

Financial subsidy under the Country Towns <strong>Water</strong> Supply and Sewerage Schemes<br />

program<br />

Local Government Act 1993 section 60 approvals for water supply and sewerage<br />

schemes and infrastructure including trade waste discharge to sewer


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Natural resource (river flow, groundwater and land) management<br />

<strong>Water</strong> and sewage treatment plant approval for rural water utilities<br />

Environment Protection Authority<br />

Pollution regulators<br />

Development concurrence approval for pollution mitigation facilities under the<br />

Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997<br />

Licensing of sewerage systems, including STPs and effluent reuse schemes, under<br />

the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997<br />

Licensing discharge from water treatment plants under the Protection of the<br />

Environment Operations Act 1997<br />

Pollution reduction programs and load based licensing<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Quality and River Flow Interim Environmental Objectives<br />

Draft Effluent Reuse Guidelines<br />

Funding of stormwater quality objectives<br />

Planning NSW<br />

Planning approvals under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979<br />

and various SEPPs, for example SEPP 4, SEPP 26, SEPP 14, SEPP 33, SEPP 71<br />

Department of Health<br />

Protection of public health under Public Health Act 1991<br />

Department of Local Government<br />

Policy and legislative framework for local government<br />

Southeast Catchment <strong>Management</strong> Board and South Coast <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

Committee<br />

River flow and quality objectives<br />

Development of the water-sharing plans<br />

Development of Catchment <strong>Management</strong> Blueprints (formerly Catchment<br />

<strong>Management</strong> Plans)<br />

Other agencies and their responsibilities are discussed below.<br />

35


36<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Healthy Rivers<br />

Commission<br />

- Long term sustainability of water catchments and<br />

resources including effluent management<br />

- Workplace and employee safety<br />

Work Cover Authority - Dangerous Goods Act 1975 for the storage of chemicals<br />

required for STPs and WTPs.<br />

- Protection of fishing industries, aquatic habitat and<br />

NSW Fisheries<br />

threatened species under Fisheries <strong>Management</strong> Act<br />

1994<br />

- Approvals for dredging works to be carried out.<br />

- National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974<br />

NSW National Parks and - Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995<br />

Wildlife Service<br />

- Manages National Parks and the protection of threatened<br />

species in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>’s catchments.<br />

- Provides advice on protection and management of<br />

NSW Agriculture<br />

agricultural resources<br />

- Provides advice on reclaimed water irrigation schemes.<br />

Sydney Catchment<br />

Authority<br />

- SEPP 58 Protecting Sydney’s <strong>Water</strong> Supply.<br />

Forestry - Manages land in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>’s water catchments<br />

6.2 Catchment Issues<br />

An area bounded by natural features such as hills or mountains, where all runoff water<br />

flows to a low point, is a water catchment. <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> has three major catchments, Clyde,<br />

Tuross and Moruya. <strong>Water</strong> extracted from the Buckenboura, a tributary of the Clyde, the<br />

Deua, which flows into the Moruya, and water taken directly from the Tuross, make up the<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> town water supply. In additional there are numerous small coastal catchments<br />

that contain intermittently open coastal lakes and small coastal inlets. These lake systems<br />

are of environmental significance and are sensitive to impacts from neighbouring<br />

developments. The Southeast Catchment <strong>Management</strong> Board oversees the management<br />

of these catchments.<br />

It is important that catchments are managed in a sustainable fashion and that the land uses<br />

within a catchment are consistent with the physical features of the land. Catchment<br />

objectives provide direction for the management of the catchment.<br />

6.2.1 Environmental Issues<br />

The following points are a summary of the main environmental issues in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>.<br />

Erosion in the upper Deua catchment due to deforestation, causing high levels of<br />

sediment washout into downstream river reaches and estuary<br />

Agricultural water use during low flows is impacting on river health<br />

Areas of dryland salinity<br />

Algal blooms reported in Moruya Estuary<br />

Uncontrolled microbiological, nutrient and sediment runoff from farms and irrigation<br />

areas


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Uncontrolled access to water courses for farm animals<br />

Septic tank discharges in wet weather<br />

<strong>Water</strong> quality issues within the closed lagoons. These can be due to natural<br />

decomposition of seaweed or urban nutrient impacts from runoff.<br />

6.2.2 <strong>Water</strong> Quality Issues<br />

<strong>Water</strong> quality provides an important indicator of overall catchment health. One of the main<br />

environmental objectives of catchment management is to monitor and manage the activities<br />

that impact upon the catchment. The Clyde, Tuross and Moruya Rivers have failed to meet<br />

five of the EPA’s <strong>Water</strong> Quality and River Flow Interim Environment Objectives (<strong>Integrated</strong><br />

water catchment quality plan) criteria. These failed criteria are listed below.<br />

Faecal coliforms<br />

pH<br />

Turbidity<br />

Nutrients<br />

Dissolved oxygen (DO).<br />

6.3 Urban Planning Issues<br />

6.3.1 Population Distribution<br />

The <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire covers a large area and varied landscapes, and is bordered by the<br />

Tasman Sea in the east, the coastal mountains to the west, Wallaga Lake in the south and<br />

Lake Durras to the north. More than 85% of the Shire population live along the coast, with<br />

50% of the coastal population located in the Batemans Bay/Tomakin area. Narooma and<br />

Moruya are the other two main business centres, which account for about 20% of the<br />

coastal population. The remaining coastal population (15%) is scattered among the<br />

numerous small villages along the coast.<br />

The remaining 15% of the shire population who live away from the coast are predominantly<br />

located along the major river flats, as their livelihood is based on agriculture. The main<br />

agricultural produce from the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire consists of dairying, cattle beef and fodder.<br />

Other significant industries include tourism, oyster farming and forestry.<br />

Demographic Profile<br />

Analysis of the recent census population data shows that around 30% of the population in<br />

the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire are aged 60 or older (see Figure 6-1 below). The 20 to 25 and 26 to<br />

29 age group represents the lowest proportion of the population under the age of 80. The<br />

emigration of young adults from the shire and immigration of retirees to the Shire is a<br />

familiar trend across NSW coastal communities.<br />

37


38<br />

Number of Persons<br />

2,500<br />

2,000<br />

1,500<br />

1,000<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

500<br />

0<br />

0-4<br />

5-9<br />

10-14<br />

15-19<br />

20-24<br />

25-29<br />

Figure 6-1 Demographic Profile<br />

6.3.2 Shire-wide Population Growth<br />

30-34<br />

35-39<br />

40-44<br />

45-49<br />

50-54<br />

55-59<br />

Age Group<br />

The available census records show that the shire has been experiencing a steady<br />

population growth and that the population has doubled since 1980. Characteristic of most<br />

coastal centres in NSW, the 1980s was a period of high population growth stemming<br />

predominantly from the migration of retirees into the shire. The last decade was<br />

characterised by slow but positive growth. The 2001 census shows that the population<br />

growth continues to rise but not as rapidly as experienced in the 1980s (see Figure 6-2<br />

below).<br />

Population<br />

35,000<br />

30,000<br />

25,000<br />

20,000<br />

15,000<br />

10,000<br />

5,000<br />

0<br />

1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001<br />

Figure 6-2 Historical Population Graph<br />

Year<br />

60-64<br />

65-69<br />

70-74<br />

75-79<br />

80-84<br />

85-89<br />

90-94<br />

95-99<br />

100 years and over<br />

Overseas visitors


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

To develop a cohesive IWCM strategy for the next three decades it is necessary to consider<br />

how rapidly, and in which localities, the population is expected to grow. As part of this study,<br />

previous population projections have been reviewed in consultation with Council’s town<br />

planners. A study undertaken by Macoun (1998) noted that the population was not growing<br />

as fast as that predicted using the 1996 Department of Urban Planning and Affairs (DUAP,<br />

now Planning NSW) projections. These projections were based on the 1991 census. The<br />

study by Macoun kept the gradient of the DUAP low growth curve and corrected for the<br />

lower population.<br />

Since this study, population projections have become available from the Australian Bureau<br />

of Statistics based on the 1996 and 2001 census figures. Thus, in this IWCM strategy the<br />

population projections have been adjusted for the actual growth rate recorded in the shire<br />

and are shown in Table 6-1. Further detail on growth rates can be found in appendix E.<br />

Table 6-1 Population Projection<br />

Year Shire Population<br />

2001 33 140<br />

2004 34 694<br />

2009 37 085<br />

2014 39 422<br />

2019 41 697<br />

2024 43 932<br />

2029 46 173<br />

2032 47 514<br />

Table 6-1 shows that the shire population is predicted to increase by about 50% over the<br />

next 30 years. Growth is expected to be concentrated in the north of the shire, and this<br />

region is predicted to account for about 50% of the total growth. An independent study<br />

commissioned by Council (Census Applications Australia, 2002) confirms these projections.<br />

Population Growth Rate<br />

6%<br />

5%<br />

4%<br />

3%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

Historical<br />

ABS Forecast<br />

0%<br />

1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040<br />

Figure 6-3 Past and Future Growth Rates<br />

Five Years Ending<br />

Adjustment and Extrapolation<br />

of ABS Forecast<br />

39


40<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Although the rural population (that population living away from the coast) is only a small<br />

proportion of the total shire population, the recent deregulation of the dairy industry coupled<br />

with low demand for beef cattle has resulted in the subdivision of many farms. Council is<br />

proactively managing the subdivision of these farming properties to ensure the water cycle<br />

is managed sustainably within each property. Developing future growth and IWCM<br />

strategies for rural subdivisions is beyond the scope of this project.<br />

6.3.3 Population Served With Council <strong>Water</strong> Services<br />

Figure 6-4 shows the population currently serviced by Council’s water supply and sewerage<br />

system. This figure also represents the expected future demand of these services over the<br />

next 30 years.<br />

Population<br />

50,000<br />

45,000<br />

40,000<br />

35,000<br />

30,000<br />

25,000<br />

20,000<br />

15,000<br />

10,000<br />

5,000<br />

0<br />

1981 1991 2001 2011 2021 2031<br />

Year<br />

Figure 6-4 Population Served with <strong>Water</strong> and Sewerage Services<br />

Observed<br />

Adjusted ABS Forecast<br />

Rural Population<br />

Population Served with <strong>Water</strong><br />

Sewered Population<br />

Figure 6-4 shows that currently 82% of the shire population are provided with reticulated<br />

water from a Council-managed system. This figure also shows that 75% of the shire<br />

population is currently serviced with Council’s reticulated sewer system.<br />

6.3.4 Shire-wide Housing<br />

When examining the water services needs, it is important to consider not only the number<br />

of people but also the type of dwelling they live in. Analysis of the dwelling occupancy and<br />

ownership information shows that during the 1996 census about 52% of the dwellings were<br />

unoccupied and/or owned by people living outside the shire. The corresponding figures<br />

from the 2001 census revealed an increase in the proportion of dwellings being occupied by<br />

their owners. This shows that in addition to the growth in overall dwelling numbers, there<br />

are a higher number of existing dwellings becoming permanently occupied. The graphs<br />

below show the growth in new dwellings (Figure 6-5) and owner occupancy trends (Figure<br />

6-6 and Figure 6-7) over the last few years.


Number of Dwellings<br />

25,000<br />

20,000<br />

15,000<br />

10,000<br />

5,000<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

0<br />

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002<br />

Figure 6-5 Historical Dwelling Growth<br />

% Holiday Dwellings<br />

60%<br />

50%<br />

40%<br />

30%<br />

20%<br />

10%<br />

Year<br />

0%<br />

1981 1991 2001 2011 2021 2031<br />

Year<br />

Holiday Houses<br />

House<br />

Flats/Apartments<br />

Other Dwellings<br />

All Dwellings<br />

Holiday Semis and Flats<br />

Holiday Houses and Semis<br />

Holiday Flats<br />

Figure 6-6 Past and Future Holiday Dwellings as a Proportion of the Total Housing<br />

Stock<br />

41


42<br />

% Occupancy<br />

80%<br />

70%<br />

60%<br />

50%<br />

40%<br />

30%<br />

20%<br />

10%<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

0%<br />

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005<br />

Year<br />

Figure 6-7 Historical Occupancy Levels<br />

6.3.5 Residential Growth<br />

% occupied<br />

separate houses<br />

% Occupied Semidetached,<br />

row or<br />

terrace house,<br />

townhouse, flat, unit<br />

or apartment<br />

% occupied<br />

separate houses or<br />

semis<br />

% occupied flats<br />

Residential demand forecasts can be made by assessing rates and trends in demographic<br />

factors such as population growth, the number and type of residential dwellings, occupancy<br />

rates and dwelling consumption. The residential population in the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire has<br />

grown over time (as shown in Figure 6-2). Growth is expected to continue in the future but<br />

at a decreasing rate.<br />

Household Size<br />

3.0<br />

2.5<br />

2.0<br />

1.5<br />

1.0<br />

0.5<br />

0.0<br />

1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026 2031<br />

Year<br />

Figure 6-8 Past and Future Household Size<br />

Household size -<br />

occupied separate houses<br />

Household size -<br />

Occupied Semi-detached,<br />

row or terrace house,<br />

townhouse, flat, unit or<br />

apartment<br />

Household size -<br />

occupied separate houses<br />

or semis<br />

Household size -<br />

Occupied flat, unit or<br />

apartment


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Dwelling occupancy (the number of people per dwelling) has steadily declined over time. It<br />

is expected that occupancy ratios will continue to decline into the future, although the rate of<br />

decline is predicted to be slower than in the past. Figure 6-8 indicates that the average<br />

household size for flats, units or apartments is expected to decrease from 1.65 in 2011 to<br />

1.61 by 2032. The dwelling occupancy ratios for houses and semis are also expected to<br />

decrease from 2.3 in 2011 to 2.1 by 2032.<br />

6.3.6 Data Accuracy<br />

The various methods of data collection used in the past have resulted in a number of<br />

discrepancies, making it difficult to determine the number of water accounts in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>.<br />

A house count was carried out in 2001 for the Batemans Bay Sewerage <strong>Strategy</strong> that<br />

counted the number of dwellings connected to the Batemans Bay STP. In 2002 the<br />

remaining towns and villages connected to the regional scheme were counted. As a<br />

consequence there were dwellings in the Batemans Bay area connected to water but not<br />

sewered that were missed through this data collection procedure. In addition future<br />

projections were done at a reservoir zone level and did not consider houses supplied<br />

through pressure reducing valves.<br />

The house count data determined the number of flats in the shire. A query of the number of<br />

bills sent out showed that there are over 1 000 more bills sent out each year than meters<br />

read. This discrepancy is likely to arise from the vacant lots, which are billed the standing<br />

charge but are not metered. Some blocks of flats have only a single meter for the building;<br />

thereby a count of the meters underestimates the true number of flats. Records shows that<br />

the current house count is 15 227, meter count is 16 364 and billing count is 17 357.<br />

6.3.7 Tourist Impacts<br />

The shire’s commitment to maintain the natural and scenic landscape, combined with the<br />

mild climate and proximity to Canberra, makes the area a popular tourist and holiday<br />

destination. Available data shows that on average 30% of the holiday/tourist<br />

accommodation is occupied year-round. During the peak Christmas/New Year and school<br />

holiday period, the majority of the holiday accommodation is occupied.<br />

The varying peak tourist/holiday season load and the increase in the proportion of the<br />

dwellings with owner occupancy poses a challenge for water infrastructure planning. The<br />

aim is to minimise the provision of redundant infrastructure that is only utilised during peak<br />

load periods without compromising the catchment and specific water services objectives.<br />

Additionally, the IWCM strategies proposed in this plan need to be sufficiently flexible to<br />

accommodate unforeseen increases/decreases in the predicted population trends.<br />

6.4 Urban <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Issues<br />

Urban water management issues are a consequence of population increase and the<br />

associated urban development. It is expected that the current pattern of population growth<br />

will continue to be concentrated along the coastal areas of the shire. Therefore it is likely<br />

that current and future water cycle management impacts will reflect this pattern and be<br />

confined mainly to these coastal areas.<br />

43


44<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

6.4.1 Urban <strong>Water</strong> Use and Discharge – Past and Present<br />

Urban <strong>Water</strong> Use<br />

The current average water consumption of <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>’s urban population is about<br />

5 300 ML/a. The majority of this water is disinfected with chlorine and is delivered through<br />

Council’s regional water supply scheme. The water needs of the residents at Nelligen,<br />

South Durras and Congo are met privately by roof rainwater and backyard bore water.<br />

During periods of drought and prolonged low rainfall periods, the individual residents buy<br />

their water from the regional scheme. <strong>Water</strong> service issues relating to each town and<br />

village are discussed in more detail in part C.<br />

Historical water usage records available since the mid-1980s for the regional scheme<br />

suggests that the extraction of fresh water from the three rivers, namely Buckenboura,<br />

Moruya and Tuross Rivers, has steadily increased with population growth. Records show<br />

that in the past four years, the average annual water consumption (5 300 ML/a) serviced<br />

through the regional scheme fluctuated by as much as 11% over the same period. These<br />

fluctuations are due in part to climate effects and tourist numbers. Figure 6-9 below shows<br />

the proportion of water extracted from the three river sources.<br />

Yearly River Intake (ML)<br />

6,000<br />

5,000<br />

4,000<br />

3,000<br />

2,000<br />

1,000<br />

0<br />

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001<br />

Year<br />

Figure 6-9 Proportion of <strong>Water</strong> Harvested from Each River<br />

B/Boura<br />

Tuross River<br />

Moruya<br />

Figure 6-9 shows that the majority of the urban water demand is supplied by Moruya River.<br />

This correlates to the concentration of the shire’s population in the northern areas, and the<br />

northerly location of the off-stream storage. With the regional scheme being reliant on the<br />

Moruya River, urban water usage impacts on this river the most. The health of the river<br />

environment is also particularly vulnerable during periods of low river flows, as in most<br />

years low flow coincides with high urban water demand periods. Records show that the<br />

current average daily water use by the regional scheme consumers is approximately<br />

14.5 ML/d. This figure increases to 32 ML/d during the typical summer holiday period.<br />

Figure 6-10 shows the current urban annual water consumption profile.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Urban Irrigation<br />

0%<br />

Office/Retail<br />

9.90%<br />

Caravan Parks<br />

6.70%<br />

Motel<br />

3.90%<br />

Total Flats<br />

7.80%<br />

Industrial<br />

0.70%<br />

Institutional/Public<br />

8.30%<br />

Total Houses<br />

62.30%<br />

Figure 6-10 Urban Communities <strong>Water</strong> Consumption Profile<br />

Total Houses<br />

Total Flats<br />

Motel<br />

Caravan Parks<br />

Office/Retail<br />

Urban Irrigation<br />

Industrial<br />

Institutional/Public<br />

Figure 6-10 shows that the greatest proportion of urban water consumption is for residential<br />

use (62%), followed by retail/office and institutional use. Further analysis of the residential<br />

sector indicates that approximately 60% of water is used by permanent residents and the<br />

remainder by tourists and/or non-resident ratepayers. Records for the last three years<br />

indicate that the average annual consumption by permanent residents was approximately<br />

576 kL/a per property, with a positive variation of 28% due to climate variation. Table 6-2<br />

breaks residential water use into internal and external usage, and provides the quantity of<br />

water used by each dwelling type.<br />

Table 6-2 Internal and External <strong>Water</strong> Use by Dwelling Type<br />

Dwelling Type Use<br />

Permanent Houses<br />

Holiday Houses<br />

Permanent Flats<br />

Holiday Flats<br />

% of Total<br />

Dwelling Use<br />

Volume<br />

L/d/dwelling<br />

Internal 76.5% 441.3<br />

External 23.5% 135.6<br />

Internal 82.1% 341.2<br />

External 17.9% 74.4<br />

Internal 79.2% 323.4<br />

External 20.8% 84.9<br />

Internal 84.3% 251.5<br />

External 15.7% 46.8<br />

The past consumption data (Figure 6-11) also shows that since the introduction of the ‘user<br />

pays’ pricing model in 1993, average water usage per house, excluding climate influences,<br />

has remained relatively stable. Although the average water consumption in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> is<br />

low compared to most other coastal communities in the state, given the climatic condition of<br />

the area it is considered that there is scope to further improve water use through the<br />

adoption of more water-efficient and conservation practices. <strong>Water</strong> efficiency measures and<br />

conservation practices are discussed in part C.<br />

45


46<br />

Annual Volume (ML/Yr)<br />

2,500<br />

2,000<br />

1,500<br />

1,000<br />

500<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

0<br />

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002<br />

Year<br />

Permanent Houses Holiday Houses<br />

Figure 6-11 Historic Residential Demands<br />

Records show that non-metered consumption supplied through the regional scheme<br />

equates to an additional 16% (approximate) to the annual consumption. The reported<br />

system loss rates are high in comparison to other NSW town water supply systems (DLWC<br />

Performance Comparisons 2001)<br />

Figure 6-10 shows that the industrial demand supplied by the regional scheme is small. Any<br />

increase in future industrial water demand needs to be fulfilled by acquiring new<br />

entitlements in the market and/or by accommodating growing industrial water needs within<br />

the existing town water entitlements (see <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Act in section 6.1.1 for further<br />

details).<br />

Urban <strong>Water</strong> Discharge<br />

Urban wastewater has increased with population growth and currently stands at<br />

approximately 4 500 ML/a. Approximately 85% (3 820 ML/a) of wastewater produced in the<br />

urban areas of <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> receives secondary treatment at one of the Council’s five<br />

sewage treatment plants. Of the total secondary treated effluent, approximately 13%<br />

(500 ML/a) is beneficially reused for irrigation at local golf courses and playing fields. The<br />

remaining effluent is discharged to the ocean. On-site systems account for the remaining<br />

15% of urban wastewater not treated at an STP.<br />

The secondary treated effluent from four of the five plants undergoes passive or natural<br />

disinfection prior to discharge. The effluent from the Moruya plant is artificially disinfected<br />

using an ultraviolet irradiation plant before being discharged to the environment. The daily<br />

average wastewater treated by the five plants is approximately 8 ML/d, and this volume<br />

increases by approximately 20% during the peak holiday/tourist season.<br />

Wastewater from the villages of Nelligen, South Durras, Congo, Mystery Bay, Rosedale,<br />

Guerilla Bay, Bodalla, Potato Point, Central Tilba, Moruya Head, Turlinjah, Tilba Tilba and<br />

Akolele receives minimal treatment through on-site systems. This system of wastewater<br />

treatment represents a substantial risk to the local environment and the public health of the<br />

community. Council is currently implementing measures to improve the quality of the<br />

wastewater produced from Moruya Head, Turlinjah and Bodalla villages. Wastewater issues<br />

relating to each town and village are discussed in more detail in part C.<br />

The discharge of stormwater from the urban areas has also been increasing steadily with<br />

population growth and the expansion of the urban footprint. At present approximately,


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

68 ML/a of urban stormwater is discharged to the environment, consisting of approximately<br />

64 500 kg/a of total nitrogen and 8 500 kg/a of phosphorus (based on median year rainfall).<br />

Testing of urban stormwater from other coastal towns and villages suggests that urban<br />

stormwater also contains significant loads of sediment, litter, bacteria and other pathogenic<br />

organisms. At present there is limited urban stormwater quality control and management,<br />

and no beneficial reuse of stormwater. Continual urban development without considering<br />

appropriate stormwater management options will result in the continual decline of<br />

environmental water quality and represent an increased risk to public health. The<br />

stormwater issues relating to each individual town and village are discussed in more detail<br />

in part C.<br />

6.4.2 Urban <strong>Water</strong> Use and Discharge – Future Predictions<br />

Urban <strong>Water</strong> Use<br />

The population of the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire is expected to increase by 50% over the next three<br />

decades, with most of this increase being accommodated within the major coastal urban<br />

centres, as either new subdivision or as infill development within existing residential areas.<br />

This increase in population will correlate to a growing demand for water, and consequently<br />

increase wastewater and urban stormwater volumes.<br />

The future urban water demands have been projected using three approaches as follows:<br />

Traditional approach<br />

Contemporary approach<br />

Demand Managed approach (see section 8.1 for details)<br />

Traditional Approach – In this approach the water demands are projected by modelling<br />

the individual end uses for a typical property and then extrapolating this per property<br />

demand to the whole community. The model is then calibrated against actual metered<br />

quarterly consumption by estimating the residential indoor demand and the seasonal<br />

demand variations. Thus the only factor that is considered to affect demand is population<br />

growth. Macoun (1999) used this approach to forecast the demands. The population<br />

forecast used was based on the low population increase predicted by DUAP.<br />

Contemporary Approach – In predicting the water demands using this approach,<br />

consideration is given to the mandatory plumbing regulation governing the toilet cisterns<br />

and the future availability of plumbing fixtures and devices, and household white goods.<br />

Consideration is also given to Council’s current water conservation initiatives along with the<br />

past climatic and economic influences on demands. The population growth rate used in<br />

this approach incorporated the 2001 census and was lower than that used in the traditional<br />

approach as discussed earlier. The demand projected using this approach is referred to as<br />

‘baseline’ in Figure 6-12.<br />

Figure 6-12. shows the predicted annual water demands until year 2032.<br />

47


48<br />

Demand ML/a<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9,000<br />

8,000<br />

7,000<br />

6,000<br />

5,000<br />

4,000<br />

3,000<br />

2,000<br />

1,000<br />

0<br />

1982 1992 2002 2012 2022 2032<br />

Year<br />

Historical Calender Year<br />

Historical <strong>Water</strong> Year<br />

Traditional<br />

Baseline<br />

Demand <strong>Management</strong><br />

Figure 6-12 Forecast of Regional Schemes Average Annual <strong>Water</strong> Demand<br />

The figure shows that the water demands predicted using the traditional approach is about<br />

1000ML more than that predicted using the contemporary approach. Some of this extra<br />

demand could be attributed to the higher population projection in the traditional approach.<br />

Both the traditional and contemporary demand projection approaches assumes that the<br />

current water use practices and behaviour will continue as at present and the demand<br />

variation to climate and tourist inflow will also continue as at present. The Supplementary<br />

Demand Report prepared by DLWC provides additional information and assumptions<br />

relating to contemporary demand forecast approach used for this study.<br />

Figure 6-14 and Figure 6-13 shows the regional schemes current and future average<br />

annual and peak day water demand splits between the northern, central and southern<br />

urban areas.


<strong>Water</strong> Consumption ML/yr<br />

8,000<br />

7,000<br />

6,000<br />

5,000<br />

4,000<br />

3,000<br />

2,000<br />

1,000<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

0<br />

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035<br />

Year<br />

north<br />

central<br />

south<br />

Total<br />

Figure 6-14 Split of the Average Annual Regional Demands by Area – Contemporary<br />

Approach<br />

Demand (ML/d)<br />

50<br />

45<br />

40<br />

35<br />

30<br />

25<br />

20<br />

15<br />

10<br />

5<br />

0<br />

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035<br />

Year<br />

Figure 6-15 Peak Day Demand Forecast – Contemporary Approach<br />

Total<br />

North<br />

Central<br />

South<br />

49


50<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Figure 6-14 shows that the northern, southern and central areas are all expected to<br />

experience growing urban water demands, with the northern area likely to be the greatest<br />

contributor to the regional scheme’s demand increases. Similarly, Figure 6-15 shows that<br />

although all regions are expected to experience growing daily water demands, it is the<br />

northern area that is anticipated to experience the greatest rate of increase.<br />

Figure 6-16 shows that as a proportion of total residential demand, flats/units will increase<br />

from 15% to 28% and the separate house demand will decrease from 85% to 72%.<br />

Annual Volume (ML/Yr)<br />

4,500<br />

4,000<br />

3,500<br />

3,000<br />

2,500<br />

2,000<br />

1,500<br />

1,000<br />

500<br />

0<br />

1990<br />

1992<br />

1994<br />

1996<br />

1998<br />

2000<br />

2002<br />

2004<br />

2006<br />

2008<br />

2010<br />

2012<br />

Year<br />

2014<br />

2016<br />

2018<br />

2020<br />

2022<br />

2024<br />

2026<br />

2028<br />

2030<br />

2032<br />

Figure 6-16 Forecast of Regional Schemes Residential Demands<br />

Residential Houses<br />

Holiday Houses<br />

Residential Flats<br />

Holiday Flats<br />

Total<br />

In the absence of specific future development proposals it has been assumed that<br />

commercial and institutional water use will increase in line with residential demand. Further,<br />

the above forecasts assume that non-metered usage will remain steady at about<br />

67 L/d/capita. Non-metered usage is the difference between total supply and total metered<br />

consumption. It comprises:<br />

Meter inaccuracy<br />

Authorised non-metered usage<br />

Leakage<br />

Breaks, and<br />

Regular mains flushing to maintain the integrity of the delivery and distribution<br />

system.<br />

Urban <strong>Water</strong> Discharge<br />

In the next three decades wastewater produced by the shire’s urban community is expected<br />

to increase by 30% from 4 500 ML/a to 5 850 ML/a. It is expected that the average daily<br />

wastewater volume to be treated in the future by the seven treatment plants will be<br />

approximately 11.2 ML/d, with an increase of approximately 20% during the peak<br />

holiday/tourist season. Based on current information, it is expected that about 5 150 ML/a<br />

(88%) of the future wastewater flow would be treated at the seven treatment plants in<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> to a secondary standard before discharge to the environment. The expected<br />

increase in wastewater production requires appropriate management to ensure that the<br />

local environment and community health is not compromised. The opportunities available to<br />

further enhance the quality of the secondary treated effluent to increase its beneficial reuse<br />

is discussed in part C. Also discussed in part C is the best practice management and<br />

treatment standards for wastewater produced in the unsewered villages.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The volume of urban stormwater discharge will increase with the release and development<br />

of new urban subdivisions. Analysis indicates that if Council continues with its current urban<br />

stormwater management policy and practices the increase in urban stormwater quantity<br />

and quality discharge would be in the order of 20-30% more than current levels. These<br />

increases, if not managed adequately, will further impact on the local environment and may<br />

pose public safety issues. The opportunities available to further enhance the quality of<br />

stormwater discharges and to increase the potential for beneficial reuse is discussed in<br />

part C.<br />

6.5 Infrastructure Performance Issues<br />

The <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> water service system faces a number of infrastructure performancerelated<br />

issues that need to be addressed in this IWCM strategy.<br />

6.5.1 The Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

Description of Existing Scheme<br />

The regional scheme harvests run-of-river flows from the Buckenboura, Moruya and Tuross<br />

Rivers. The water harvested from the Moruya and Tuross Rivers is fed directly into the<br />

reticulation network after disinfection with chlorine. Excess water from the Moruya River<br />

and water from the Buckenboura River is stored in the Deep Creek Dam off-river storage.<br />

The dam has a capacity of 4 900 ML and maintains supply during drought conditions and<br />

during low and turbid river flow periods. The water from each source can be transferred<br />

along the coast from Long Beach in the north to Mystery Bay in the south.<br />

The Buckenboura River, a tributary of the Clyde River has historically been an unreliable<br />

water source that has failed during several periods of drought. The Buckenboura River<br />

supply infrastructure consists of a concrete weir across the river and a pumping facility with<br />

a single pumping capacity of 2.9 ML/d and a parallel operating capacity of 4.8 ML/d.<br />

The Moruya River is the main source of supply to the regional scheme. Harvested run-ofriver<br />

flows are normally supplied to the communities situated between Long Beach in the<br />

north and Tuross Head in the south. Despite no surface flows during the droughts of the<br />

1980s and 1990s, limited extraction was feasible to maintain emergency supply. The<br />

Moruya River supply infrastructure consists of a low and high head pumping facility with a<br />

transfer capacity of about 16.4 ML/d.<br />

The Tuross River is the main source of supply to the southern section of the regional<br />

scheme from Bodalla to Mystery Bay. Despite no surface flows during the droughts of the<br />

1980s and 1990s, limited extraction was feasible to maintain emergency supply. The<br />

Tuross River supply infrastructure consists of a low and high head pumping facility with a<br />

transfer capacity of about 6.7 ML/d.<br />

The Quality of the Source <strong>Water</strong>s<br />

Council routinely monitors the water quality of the supply sources and the distributed water<br />

at strategic locations. This routine monitoring is carried out in accordance with the NSW<br />

Health quality assurance requirements under the Public Health Act 1991, to monitor long<br />

term trends and for operational and emergency response management.<br />

In 1997 Council undertook a comprehensive water quality monitoring program over a<br />

twelve-month period. The aims of this study were to:<br />

Better understand the seasonal variation of the water quality from the various<br />

sources<br />

51


52<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Examine the performance and adequacy of the barriers and management<br />

procedures in place to minimise the supply of poor water quality<br />

Determine the water quality parameters that frequently exceed the failure criteria<br />

and the consequences of these failures.<br />

The Australian Drinking <strong>Water</strong> Quality Guidelines were used as the failure criteria when<br />

assessing the medium to long term consequences and service provision risk.<br />

The study found that the water quality of the supply sources is influenced by weather<br />

patterns and activities in the catchment. It concluded that whilst the combination of<br />

management procedures and barriers are effective in reducing the supply of poor water<br />

quality, they do not meet the current best management practice standards.<br />

Security of Supply<br />

Security of supply is a measurement of the reliability of the water supply headworks; in this<br />

case the source rivers and the dam, particularly during drought periods. Supply security is<br />

considered to be adequate when reasonable customer demands can be met on most<br />

occasions without restrictions.<br />

The NSW Government has defined ‘secure yield’ as the maximum supply rate that can be<br />

maintained by the supply system without exceeding any one of the following three<br />

acceptability criteria (NSW Government, <strong>Water</strong> Supply and Sewerage <strong>Management</strong><br />

Guidelines, 1991):<br />

Reliability – The proportion of the supply that is unrestricted. Over any extended<br />

period, restrictions should not be in place for more than 5% of the time. In<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> for example this would mean that based on 100 years of stream flow<br />

the total duration of water restrictions would be less than 60 months.<br />

Robustness – The average frequency of restriction should be less than once every<br />

10 years. More precisely there would be less than a 1-in-10 chance of having to<br />

impose restrictions in any one year.<br />

Security - The storage will not be drawn down to below a critical level that would<br />

prevent Council providing even a basic supply or require alternative supply<br />

measures. The IWCM strategy guards against this scenario by ensuring that the<br />

system can supply 80% of unrestricted demand from the time restrictions are<br />

imposed. This is based on the conservative assumption that the full drought of<br />

record could recommence at this time.<br />

The above three acceptability criteria are commonly referred to as the 5/10/20 rule. Implicit<br />

in this rule is the trade-off between risk, community costs and social expectations. This rule<br />

was developed and adopted by the NSW Government in the mid-1980s and has since been<br />

used in the water supply planning for nearly all country towns in NSW. Although the IWCM<br />

strategy guards against storage levels being drawn down to a critical level by ensuring that<br />

the system can supply 80% of unrestricted demand from the time restrictions are imposed,<br />

this margin will reduce over time with aggressive demand management.<br />

The calculation of secure yield requires modelling of the water supply source and system,<br />

which is related to the following:<br />

Weather pattern in the water supply catchment and the urban areas<br />

The environmental needs of the rivers including access sharing rules with other<br />

water users<br />

The quantity of water that can be stored


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The rate of storage depletion during drought and filling after drought<br />

The ability to conserve water during drought<br />

Setting the security of supply standard defines the yield of the system, and consequently<br />

the future supply infrastructure provision requirements. For a given level of demand<br />

reduction there is a trade-off between the setting of security of supply standards and the<br />

timing and extent of supply source development.<br />

At one end of the spectrum, an attempt to ‘drought proof’ the regional scheme would incur<br />

considerable capital expenditure and environmental costs, while at the other end insufficient<br />

supply source infrastructure will put the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> community at increased risk of running<br />

out of water, with associated economic and social impacts. The 5/10/20 rule aims to<br />

achieve this balance and allows the comparison of different systems. The rules allow a<br />

system to be developed that would provide sufficient storage and management of water<br />

supply through a worse drought than on record. <strong>Management</strong> during a drought would be<br />

assisted by Council’s restriction policy. Whatever drought it is designed for there is always a<br />

statistical possibility of a worse drought occurring.<br />

The <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire’s restriction policy aims to maintain a balance between minimising<br />

the frequency of restrictions and maximising the duration that stored water can be made to<br />

last in a drought. The key steps in Council’s current restriction policy are:<br />

Level 1 Restrictions<br />

Level 1 restrictions are implemented when the Deep Creek Dam storage level falls below<br />

80% and supplies from the rivers are no longer practical or very limited.<br />

There is a ban on the use of fixed watering devices such as sprinklers (including pop-ups)<br />

and unattended hoses with the exception of:<br />

Hand-held hoses<br />

Micro and drip irrigation systems<br />

Bowling and golf club greens<br />

Commercial market gardens and nurseries<br />

Turf wickets available to the general public<br />

Public or commercial swimming pools and essential areas.<br />

Level 2 Restrictions<br />

Level 2 restrictions are implemented when Deep Creek Dam storage level falls below 70%<br />

by volume.<br />

There is a complete ban on the use of fixed watering devices such as sprinklers (including<br />

pop-ups) and unattended hoses with the exception of:<br />

Bowling and golf club greens<br />

Commercial market gardens and nurseries<br />

Turf wickets available to the general public<br />

Public or commercial swimming pools<br />

53


54<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Essential areas (for reasons such as public health) with the concurrence of the<br />

<strong>Water</strong> and Waste Manager.<br />

Spring loaded taps are to be installed at boat ramps.<br />

Micro irrigation systems and hand-held hoses for garden watering and other external uses<br />

including motor vehicle, boat washing and supply to private swimming pools are restricted<br />

to a total of a 60-minute period between the hours of 6.00am and 8.00am or 5.00pm and<br />

8.00pm daily. Hand-held hoses are to be limited to one hose per property, and washing<br />

down of driveways and footpaths is not permitted, except by bucket.<br />

Businesses such as car yards, public passenger bus services, taxi companies and other<br />

organisations, required under regulations of the RTA to keep vehicles in a clean state, are<br />

restricted to washing vehicles between the hours of 10.00am and 12 noon daily.<br />

Level 3 Restrictions<br />

Level 3 restrictions are implemented when water can only be drawn from Deep Creek Dam<br />

and its storage level falls below 50% by volume.<br />

The restrictions are as per Level 2 with the permitted time reduced to a total of 30 minutes<br />

between the hours of 6.00am and 8.00am or 5.00pm and 8.00pm. Permissible days are<br />

reduced to Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.<br />

Businesses such as car yards, public passenger bus services, taxi companies and other<br />

organisations, required under regulations of RTA to keep vehicles in a clean state, are<br />

restricted to washing vehicles between the hours of 10.00am and 12 noon daily on<br />

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.<br />

Level 4 Restrictions<br />

Level 4 restrictions are implemented when water can only be drawn from Deep Creek Dam<br />

and its storage level falls below 40% by volume.<br />

There is a complete ban on the use of running hoses or taps for any external purpose, with<br />

no exemptions. <strong>Water</strong> is available for domestic use only and essential areas (for reasons of<br />

public health).<br />

Restrictions after the Drought has Broken<br />

The restrictions will remain in force depending on the storage levels in Deep Creek Dam to<br />

allow the water supply system to replenish the dam at maximum capacity.<br />

1. Deep Creek Dam volume is less than 50% - Level 2 restrictions to be applied.<br />

2. Deep Creek Dam volume is between 50% and 70% - Level 1 restrictions to be<br />

applied.<br />

3. Deep Creek Dam volume in excess of 70% and level rising - no restrictions to be<br />

applied.<br />

Modelling of the Regional Scheme<br />

The regional scheme was modelled using the last 104 years of daily stream flow sequence<br />

up to 2001, the above security of supply criteria and the current supply extraction licence<br />

conditions. The modelling shows that the existing supply infrastructure can maintain an<br />

annual supply of 8 200 ML/a (i.e. secure yield of 8 300 ML/a). This supply rate is far in<br />

excess of the current annual demand of 5 300 ML, however Council’s operating strategy<br />

limits run-of-river pumping during turbid stream flow periods (as this results in water being<br />

supplied to the consumer that does not meet the ADWG for turbidity). This limitation on


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

pumping effectively reduces the security of supply resulting in more frequent restrictions<br />

than predicted (3 times in the past 15 years compared with modelling parameters of 10<br />

restrictions every 100 years). A filtration plant would eliminate the need for turbidity limit on<br />

run-of-river pumping and would restore the original secure yield under the current licence<br />

conditions. The current licence condition allows all the water available at the intakes to be<br />

extracted to meet the urban demands. As a result there is no explicit protection of the<br />

downstream environment and water users particularly during low flow periods. However, in<br />

recognition of the social and environmental values, Council generally tends to cease<br />

pumping when flows in the rivers are low. This has also contributed to lower supply security<br />

and more frequent restrictions than the model suggests, which is based only on the licence<br />

condition.<br />

Current Security of Supply Status<br />

Figure 6-17 shows that the secure yield of the existing scheme based on the current licence<br />

conditions is about 8 200 ML/a. Based on population projections, the existing system of<br />

source infrastructure is adequate to supply demand for the next 40+ years. However, due to<br />

Council’s operating strategy, which limits extraction when the river water is turbid and<br />

protects low flows by ceasing to pump, the actual secure yield is likely to be substantially<br />

less. Due to the lack of operational turbidity data the secure yield based on the current<br />

operational strategy cannot be accurately quantified at this stage.<br />

Whilst the above observations are based on system modelling outcomes, in the<br />

development of the model care has been taken to ensure that it represents the actual<br />

situation as far as practical. There are still areas of uncertainty, and in developing the model<br />

the following assumptions have been made:<br />

Extraction is not constrained by water quality of the supply sources (e.g. turbidity)<br />

The accuracy of the system modelling outcome is limited by the extent and<br />

accuracy of the last 104 years of historic stream flow and rainfall data used<br />

Any changes to catchment land use and irrigation practices will not significantly<br />

alter the stream flow sequence<br />

Future climate will be statistically similar to the observed historic climate<br />

Future urban water use pattern will be statistically similar to observed historic usage<br />

patterns and that the current legislation and community ‘consciousness and<br />

awareness’ on conservation will continue<br />

The population of <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> will continue to increase albeit at a slower rate than<br />

in the past and that it will remain a popular tourist and holiday destination.<br />

Environmental Flow and Access Sharing<br />

As discussed in section 6.1.1, the <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Act will affect how much water is<br />

available for harvesting during low flow periods. Leaving water for the river environment will<br />

improve the environmental health and the long term sustainability of the river, however it<br />

also reduces the secure yield of the water supply system. The quantity of water required for<br />

the environmental flows has yet to be decided by the water management committees. At<br />

the inter-agency meeting (October 2002) it was agreed that the future planning should<br />

consider the following cease to pump and flow access conditions as the base level cases<br />

for the three supply sources:<br />

Within the first 10 year cycle of the water sharing plan, cease to pump when<br />

Moruya, Tuross and Buckenboura Rivers flow drops below 12 ML/d, 17 ML/d and<br />

1 ML/d respectively at the water supply intake (95 th percentile).<br />

55


56<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

In subsequent reviews of the water sharing plans the cease to pump level may be<br />

conservation and an 80 th percentile cease to pump level should also be evaluated.<br />

In both the above cases, when flow is above the cease to pump level, maximum<br />

water extracted by all users should not exceed 30% of the total flow.<br />

All local runoff from the catchment of the Deep Creek off-river storage will be<br />

retained in the storage.<br />

Figure 6-17 shows the impact of the proposed 95/30 licence conditions on the secure yield<br />

of the regional scheme.<br />

Consumption ML<br />

9,000<br />

8,000<br />

7,000<br />

6,000<br />

5,000<br />

4,000<br />

3,000<br />

2,000<br />

1,000<br />

0<br />

1980 1990 2000 2010<br />

Year<br />

2020 2030 2040<br />

Historical Annual Demands<br />

New Baseline<br />

With Demand <strong>Management</strong><br />

Current Secure Yield<br />

Secure Yield with 95/30<br />

access<br />

Figure 6-17 The Effect of a 95 th Percentile 30% Access Licence Condition on Secure<br />

Yield<br />

Figure 6-17 show that through incorporating the 95/30 supply constraints, the existing<br />

system of source infrastructure is adequate to supply the demand for the next few years,<br />

beyond which an increase in supply transfer rate and storage is required to supply the long<br />

term demands.<br />

Figure 6-18 presents the impact of the 80/30 conditions on the secure yield of the regional<br />

scheme. This graph shows that the implementation of the 80/30 supply constraints would<br />

significantly reduce the secure yield below the current demands necessitating an immediate<br />

expansion to the transfer rate and storage capacity.


Consumption ML<br />

9,000<br />

8,000<br />

7,000<br />

6,000<br />

5,000<br />

4,000<br />

3,000<br />

2,000<br />

1,000<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

0<br />

1980 1990 2000 2010<br />

Year<br />

2020 2030 2040<br />

Historical Annual Demands<br />

New Baseline<br />

With Demand <strong>Management</strong><br />

Current Secure Yield<br />

Secure Yield with 80/30<br />

access<br />

Figure 6-18 The Effect of an 80 th Percentile 30% Access Licence Condition on Secure<br />

Yield<br />

From this analysis it is concluded that alteration to the current licence conditions to formally<br />

incorporate low flow and percentage of total flow protection will reduce the ability of the<br />

existing system of source infrastructure to supply demands in the future. To meet this<br />

source infrastructure shortfall, water conservation and supply development strategies are<br />

outlined in subsequent chapters. These measures together will maintain security of supply<br />

during drought while catering for population growth and development.<br />

6.5.2 Sewage Treatment Issues<br />

The following is an overview of the sewage treatment issues in the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire.<br />

The Batemans Bay sewerage system is under stress and experiences sewage<br />

overflows from the sewer network<br />

Odour complaints<br />

Pollution reduction programs (PRPs) have been issued for Moruya and Batemans<br />

Bay STP<br />

Unsewered villages in sensitive areas pose a significant environmental and health<br />

risk<br />

Sewerage systems are vulnerable to power blackouts<br />

Lack of storage and detention within systems<br />

Peak loads in tourist/ holiday season becoming longer duration as retirees settle.<br />

57


6.5.3 Stormwater Issues<br />

58<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Stormwater Issues and <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities (Ref. 3) report<br />

has identified the main stormwater issues in the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> area (Appendix W). A<br />

summary of these issues is given below.<br />

Aging pipes and incomplete network causing localised flooding<br />

Impact of occasional sewer overflows on stormwater quality<br />

Nature and state of the infrastructure is unknown<br />

Poor quality stormwater is affecting water quality<br />

Discharges to SEPP 14 wetlands<br />

Stormwater flooding<br />

Stormwater inflows into sewer system.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Part C<br />

How Do We Fix the Issues<br />

This Part develops solutions to the issues. Solutions<br />

are developed at regional, local and shire-wide level.<br />

59


60<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

This page is intentionally blank


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

7 Part C Introduction<br />

In this part, the ‘how to fix’ or in other words ‘how to get to where we want to be’ question is<br />

considered and addressed using the IWCM concept.<br />

Since the urban areas are distributed and the issues are unique to each area, this requires<br />

unique solutions to meet the aspirations and demands of each community and the local<br />

environment. There is a need to consider the ‘how to’ at both the regional and local levels.<br />

The IWCM options identified at both levels are then combined to form shire-wide scenarios.<br />

Accordingly, this part of the report evaluates opportunities at both the regional and local<br />

levels, and then provides the shire-wide solutions.<br />

It is important to realise that the ‘how to’ could be achieved in a number of ways which do<br />

not necessarily rely solely on the provision of new infrastructure. Other measures include<br />

non-build management opportunities. Thus the ‘how to’ consists of both structural and nonstructural<br />

solutions.<br />

In assessing the opportunities and options available, a triple bottom line (environment,<br />

social and economic) ranking was used as part of the balanced outcomes planning. For<br />

each of the opportunities and options identified, a score ranging from 0 to 3 has been<br />

assigned. A score of 0 is representative that the opportunity does not meet the criteria, and<br />

a score of 3 means that the opportunity is well suited to achieving the objectives of the<br />

criteria.<br />

61


62<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

This page is intentionally blank


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

8 Regional <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

Opportunities<br />

8.1 Opportunities for Managing the Regional <strong>Water</strong> Demands<br />

8.1.1 Status of Current Measures<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> has made significant gains in water conservation and demand reduction. For<br />

example:<br />

The ‘user pays’ pricing and community awareness programs have resulted in the<br />

household water consumption being on average 20-30% lower than many other<br />

coastal towns in NSW.<br />

About 10% of the total reclaimed water produced is recycled.<br />

Planning and building controls that actively promote energy efficiency have also<br />

significantly contributed to lower water consumption and the reduction of<br />

greenhouse gas emissions.<br />

8.1.2 Introduction<br />

Whilst the current demand reduction measures have been successful in reducing per capita<br />

water consumption, the annual water consumption will continue to grow as the population<br />

increases resulting in environmental impacts. The community and Council together have<br />

the opportunity to develop further strategies at their own discretion to slow the growth in<br />

water consumption. It is important to note that in order to protect and sustainably manage<br />

the water resources for the future, <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> would need to continue a sustained pursuit<br />

of a multi-faceted approach to water conservation and demand reduction.<br />

Recommended water conservation and demand reduction programs to be implemented by<br />

Council should include elements such as, water demand reduction through appropriate<br />

planning controls, improved water efficiency, increasing water conservation awareness<br />

through promotion and education, distribution system loss reduction, pricing, urban water<br />

harvesting and water recycling. Effective initiatives are also required to ensure sustainable<br />

commercial growth as increased future commercial water requirements will not be<br />

accommodated for by the new licensing regime under the <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Act.<br />

It is crucial that these efforts be sustained and the benefits achieved a decade in advance<br />

of future supply augmentation decisions. The best way to ensure that any water<br />

conservation strategy undertaken will provide long term results is for Council to make a firm<br />

commitment to the program. This commitment may take many forms, some of which<br />

include providing an upper level Council policy covering water conservation, providing<br />

adequate staffing resources and making funds available to implement and effectively<br />

monitor the program options, and including Council’s operations as an integral part of the<br />

program.<br />

The specific staging of the individual options may change depending on the uptake levels<br />

and demand reductions achieved by the water conservation strategy. Therefore it is<br />

important that Council provide resources to monitor the effectiveness of measures that<br />

have been implemented. The direct effects of some components of the demand<br />

63


64<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

management program such as the education campaign will be difficult to quantify in<br />

isolation of concurrently run measures.<br />

The main advantage of water conservation measures from both the residential and nonresidential<br />

sector is the downsizing and deferral of future water supply augmentation costs.<br />

There are also benefits by way of reduced annual operating costs for water treatment and<br />

distribution and reduced annual operating costs for wastewater collection, treatment and<br />

recycling. Some water conservation measures will also reduce household energy bills.<br />

8.1.3 Planning Controls<br />

During the community consultation period, several of the villages were opposed to the<br />

provision of reticulated water and sewerage services as it is seen as a means to facilitate<br />

medium density development. However strategic planning via environmental planning<br />

instruments (EPIs) offers a means by which to regulate development and ensure that it is<br />

undertaken in a sustainable manner. The preparation of EPIs is a transparent process,<br />

which encourages community participation and review. Limiting development should<br />

therefore be effectively achieved through planning controls such as zoning, rather than<br />

limiting the provision of water and sewerage services.<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Council has addressed the energy efficiency of residential housing in its<br />

Residential Design and Development Guidelines Development Control Plan (Ref. 3). The<br />

DCP contains specifics on the energy efficiency and the associated greenhouse gas<br />

emissions for various elements of residential housing. This includes hot water systems,<br />

however the efficiency of water using appliances and practices that affect other areas of the<br />

water cycle such as water sensitive urban design are not specifically covered.<br />

Planning Control Opportunity<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Efficiency<br />

There is scope for Council to include water efficiency clauses in the Residential Design and<br />

Development Guidelines DCP because in many instances water efficiency indirectly<br />

promotes energy efficiency. For example the installation of AAA rated shower heads and<br />

energy efficient clothes washing machines will reduce hot water consumption and thus<br />

energy consumption. The inclusion of other water efficiency measures such as low flow<br />

dual flush toilets and the planting of drought-resistant native plant species for households<br />

may portray a greater water conservation message in the Residential Design and<br />

Development Guidelines DCP.<br />

Council has the opportunity to increase water efficiency in new residential dwellings by<br />

including specific clauses in this DCP that cover minimum performance standards for all<br />

water using fixtures. <strong>Water</strong> efficient appliance and fittings such as water efficient shower<br />

roses and aerated taps with Aqualoc tap valves or similar can be installed in new houses at<br />

little or no extra cost. Some measures are already included in the local <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire<br />

building code and inclusion in development control plans has been proposed.<br />

<strong>Water</strong>-Sensitive Urban Design<br />

<strong>Water</strong>-sensitive urban design (WSUD) incorporates both the temporary and permanent<br />

storage of stormwater to reduce the peak flow velocity and the volume of water leaving the<br />

urban environment. It aims to keep the balance between infiltration and runoff from the<br />

urban allotment as close as possible to the pre-development balance. Typical urban<br />

designs increase stormwater runoff by 30% or more due to the addition of impervious<br />

surfaces to the landscape. Better control of the flow and retention of stormwater in the<br />

urban landscape can reduce garden water and landscape water needs at little or no extra<br />

cost. Techniques to reduce flow velocities and volumes from the block can be achieved<br />

through the use of rainwater tanks, natural filtration, surface storage and infiltration into<br />

aquifers. The benefit of incorporating WSUD in new developments extends beyond solely


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

reducing the pressure on drainage systems, with WSUD able to achieve a significant<br />

reduction in the volume of pollutant loads entering the environment.<br />

Thus to gain maximum benefit from this opportunity the Residential Design and<br />

Development Guidelines DCP is extended to cover the following elements as a minimum:<br />

AAA water efficient appliances including low flow shower heads, 6 L/3 L dual flush<br />

toilets and aerated taps<br />

Elements of water-sensitive urban design<br />

Rainwater tanks plumbed for garden watering, toilet flushing and washing machine<br />

use (see Appendix Z on roofwater harvesting), and<br />

Site runoff and nutrient loads limited to less than 5% of undeveloped runoff (in<br />

accordance with Draft Strategic Business Objectives in Appendix A).<br />

This opportunity assists Council in meeting its Draft Strategic Business Objectives<br />

(Appendix A) of 100% of development proposals incorporating water resource conservation<br />

concepts.<br />

8.1.4 <strong>Water</strong> Conservation Education<br />

Promoting the water conservation message through current Council educational programs<br />

has raised the community’s awareness to important water related issues. This awareness<br />

has been heightened by the low storage levels and water restrictions that currently exist<br />

within <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire and other areas of NSW. The challenge for Council is to ensure<br />

that this increased awareness is translated into lasting behavioural change of customers’<br />

patterns of water use. Residential outdoor water use, which includes garden watering, car<br />

washing, hosing down of hard surfaces and the filling of swimming pools is one area that<br />

has the potential for significant water savings from improved customer education. Changing<br />

the wasteful outdoor water practices of permanent residents and tourists and holidaymakers<br />

alike is a key goal of a water conservation education campaign. Further<br />

opportunities to enhance the water conservation message include increasing community<br />

involvement at a local level, targeting specific groups within the community with specially<br />

tailored sessions and promoting the Standards Australia <strong>Water</strong> Conservation Rating and<br />

Labelling Scheme for water-using appliances.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Conservation Education Opportunity<br />

Target Groups<br />

Experience elsewhere shows that generic efficiency programs targeting all customer<br />

categories are not as effective as programs that specifically target a portion of the<br />

community. The residential sector is the largest collective water user within the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong><br />

Shire. Therefore an effective program that specifically addresses domestic water-efficient<br />

appliances has probably the greatest capacity to produce significant savings in water use.<br />

Opportunities are also available to reduce the demands for non-residential users by tailoring<br />

efficiency programs based on the type of industry and the customer’s specific water use.<br />

The community is in a key position to become actively involved in the development of water<br />

conservation programs. Incorporating valuable community knowledge is advantageous in<br />

many respects, but perhaps the greatest benefit is the sense of ownership that the<br />

community can claim for programs that they have helped develop. This in turn will lead to<br />

increased uptake levels for any programs that are implemented and therefore improved<br />

results.<br />

65


66<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

While Council has implemented many educational programs aimed at schools and the<br />

general community, it is recommended that Council develop programs that specifically<br />

target other groups.<br />

Builders and plumbers are one such group that will provide extra benefits to the<br />

overall results of a water savings program. Specifically targeting builders and<br />

plumbers as part of a water conservation education program will yield benefits<br />

because of their technical knowledge and the personal contact that they have with<br />

home owners. They are also independent of Council’s operations and provide<br />

another avenue to spread the water conservation message.<br />

Architects, landscape gardeners, nursery owners and property developers can also<br />

play an important part in conveying the message of water conservation to new and<br />

existing home owners if they are targeted appropriately. Hunter <strong>Water</strong>, in<br />

conjunction with the Master Builders Association, has implemented the EcoBuild<br />

advisory service for both building professionals and residential customers, which<br />

provides information regarding water conservation technologies to incorporate into<br />

new or existing dwellings.<br />

Council staff can also be targeted for special education sessions that cover watersaving<br />

practices both at work and in the home. This will have the benefit of directly<br />

reducing Council’s water use but will also provide a positive example to friends and<br />

neighbours of staff members. Tourists and holiday-makers represent another group<br />

that Council should consider targeting with a specific education campaign. The<br />

influx of tourists, predominantly during the hottest months of the year when peak<br />

demand is at its greatest, represents a significant contributor to excessive water<br />

usage.<br />

Labelling of <strong>Water</strong>-Efficient Appliances<br />

The Standards Australia <strong>Water</strong> Conservation Rating and Labelling Scheme is a national<br />

initiative that is designed to provide an easy to understand rating system for the efficiency of<br />

domestic water-using fixtures. The scheme provides each appliance with a rating of either<br />

‘A’, ‘AA’ or ‘AAA’ in a scale of increased water efficiency. This allows customers to make<br />

more informed decisions when purchasing water-using appliances.<br />

As public awareness regarding water conservation issues improves and new technologies<br />

become available, it is assumed that customers will be more prepared to alter their water<br />

usage practices so that overall consumption is reduced.<br />

Garden <strong>Water</strong>ing and Other Outdoor <strong>Water</strong> Uses<br />

Improved garden watering practices has the potential to produce significant water savings.<br />

Areas of garden watering that are available to ESC to target include higher efficiency<br />

watering systems, appropriate watering times, and planting drought-resistant species and<br />

appropriately landscaped gardens.<br />

Studies have shown that households that use fixed watering systems consume up to 35%<br />

more water than the average household does. A study into outdoor water use in Canberra<br />

conducted by the CSIRO estimated that watering the garden only twice a week would result<br />

in a 25% saving in outdoor water consumption. Also, using a tap timer would provide a 20%<br />

saving and installing a drip system would yield a 10% saving in outdoor water usage. New<br />

technologies are available on the market that are less water intensive than existing<br />

methods of watering such as sensor-controlled systems that only water the roots of plants<br />

once the soil moisture reaches a set value.<br />

<strong>Water</strong>ing gardens in the early morning and evening will reduce evaporation as well as<br />

keeping grass at a reasonable length rather than very short. Using hand-held sprinklers for<br />

garden watering uses less water than automatic and fixed sprinkler systems and has the


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

added advantages of better coverage and being able to reduce waste by better targeting<br />

the actual garden area to be watered.<br />

More appropriate gardens and landscaping also reduce water usage. Drought-resistant<br />

native flora species, converting lawn areas that require large amounts of water to mulch<br />

and altering watering habits will also reduce external water demand. Home owners who<br />

water their lawns less regularly force the root system to grow deeper into the soil and thus<br />

be more efficient at extracting moisture from the soil.<br />

While garden watering is the major component of residential outdoor water consumption,<br />

car washing, hosing down of hard surfaces and filling swimming pools collectively also<br />

represent significant water use. Because of many wasteful practices in this area there is<br />

considerable scope to reduce water consumption from these end uses through a water<br />

conservation education program.<br />

Washing cars with a bucket rather than with a hose, sweeping hard surfaces rather than<br />

hosing down and keeping swimming pools covered to reduce evaporation losses are all<br />

improvements to outdoor water usage practices that can be relayed to customers through<br />

the education program. Washing cars over grassed areas rather than on hard surfaces will<br />

also have benefits for the stormwater drainage system.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Audit and Retrofit Program<br />

A retrofit program (discussed in Section 8.1.5 and 8.1.6) coupled with a water audit can<br />

form an important component of the information provided to customers in an education<br />

campaign. Conducting a water audit by a suitably experienced officer provides a face-toface<br />

contact that is important in delivering the water conservation message. <strong>Water</strong> audits<br />

can be carried out for both residential and non-residential customers, however the water<br />

usage assessment will change for different non-residential industries.<br />

The officer will provide an assessment of each customer’s current water use and the<br />

efficiency of existing water-using appliances. This will allow recommendations to be made<br />

as to how the customer can further reduce water consumption. It is also important to<br />

emphasise the dollar savings that are available to customers who implement the<br />

recommended water conservation measures, in addition to the benefits to both Council and<br />

the environment,. The costs and benefits of this part of an education program are included<br />

in the retrofit program rather than as part of the water conservation education opportunity.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Conservation Education Costs<br />

An allowance of $50 000 per annum for the first 4 years and $25 000 per annum for the<br />

subsequent 4 years and then $10 000 per annum thereafter has been made for the<br />

development and implementation of a coordinated water conservation and education<br />

program incorporating the measures discussed above. It is estimated that this program<br />

could save 0.57 ML/d. Ideally a coordinator would be employed to manage the education<br />

program, or alternatively hire consultants with marketing and PR experience in running<br />

similar programs. Having an ESC staff member manage the education program and the<br />

overall demand management strategy would provide better control and results.<br />

Demonstration House<br />

Another important component for ESC to consider in improving the efficiency of water use<br />

and as part of an education campaign is a water-efficient demonstration house. This would<br />

provide practical, easy-to-use and inexpensive examples of water-efficient appliances that<br />

customers can implement in their own homes. New technologies that reduce the water<br />

consumption for both internal and external end uses should be included in the<br />

demonstration house.<br />

To help offset the capital costs associated with building the demonstration house,<br />

sponsorship can be sought from companies with water-efficient products, which would allow<br />

67


68<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

their products to be used and provide exposure to home owners. A whole range of more<br />

sustainable solutions could be included in the demonstration house such as improved<br />

energy efficient appliances, which would yield greater sponsorship opportunities. The costs<br />

involved with a demonstration house would be significant and any undertaking would need<br />

to be thoroughly assessed by ESC before commencement.<br />

8.1.5 Residential <strong>Water</strong> Efficiency Program<br />

Current and Future Residential <strong>Water</strong> Consumption<br />

In section 6.4.1 the current water use in the shire was examined. Figure 6-10 showed that<br />

the residential water consumption accounts for 70.1% of the total shire usage, therefore a<br />

program to target residential water usage is recommended.<br />

Figure 8-1 shows the daily residential end uses for an average household for 2002 and how<br />

they have been modelled to change by 2032.<br />

Average <strong>Water</strong> Consumption (L/Dwelling/day)<br />

180<br />

160<br />

140<br />

120<br />

100<br />

80<br />

60<br />

40<br />

20<br />

0<br />

Toilets Baths Showers Taps/Sinks Dishwashing Laundry Internal<br />

Leakage<br />

Residential <strong>Water</strong> Use<br />

Outdoor<br />

Figure 8-1 Typical Residential <strong>Water</strong> End Uses for 2002 and 2032 with natural<br />

propagation of water efficient appliances<br />

Figure 8-1 above shows that on average, in excess of 80% of the water used in households<br />

may be attributed to showering, garden watering, clothes washing and toilet flushing. Any<br />

program to reduce residential water consumption should therefore target these areas. The<br />

figure also shows how the typical residential water uses will change over the planning<br />

horizon due to the natural propagation of water-efficient appliances such as toilets, shower<br />

heads and clothes washing machines. It can be seen that the toilet demand will significantly<br />

reduce between 2002 and 2032. The water consumption for both shower roses and clothes<br />

washing machines will also fall over this period but to a lesser extent. The reason for the<br />

significant fall in water demand for toilet flushing is due to the mandatory installation of<br />

water-efficient dual flush toilets through plumbing codes. The installation of other watersaving<br />

fixtures however is governed by consumer choice and market forces.<br />

2002<br />

2032


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Active Retrofit Opportunity<br />

Rather than wait for the natural propagation of water-efficient appliances to occur over time<br />

as old models are replaced, ESC have the option to speed up this process through an<br />

active residential retrofit program. This program involves retrofitting existing houses, rather<br />

than new dwellings, with water-using appliances and fittings of increased water efficiency.<br />

This usually involves replacing the appliance before it has worn out. Therefore financial<br />

incentives are often required from the water utility to encourage customers to install more<br />

water-efficient appliances in the home. New technologies to reduce outdoor water usage<br />

such as drip sprinkler systems and soil moisture sensors that control the operation of<br />

automatic sprinkler systems are now available on the market, however financial incentives<br />

may also be needed to increase sales.<br />

Implementation<br />

As part of this strategy study, a preliminary analysis has been carried out. However, before<br />

a retrofit program is undertaken a detailed demand management strategy is required to<br />

determine the most cost effective retrofit program. Rather than simply increasing the<br />

quantity of efficient end use fixtures over the whole shire, different residential customer<br />

groups can be targeted depending on their water consumption habits. Home owners with<br />

substantial areas of lawn and garden, and especially those who live in new subdivisions<br />

with newly established gardens, can be targeted for outdoor education and financial<br />

incentives. Pensioners who live in older houses can be targeted for retrofitting of low flush<br />

volume toilets or cistern displacement devices and tap aerators. All state housing dwellings<br />

can be included in an indoor retrofit program and include tenants in an outdoor water use<br />

education campaign.<br />

From the data regarding the relative demands and the replacement costs of the residential<br />

end use fixtures, any retrofit demand management program that targets residential<br />

customers should be in the following order of priority;<br />

Shower roses<br />

Garden watering systems<br />

Clothes washing machines<br />

Tap aerators, and<br />

Toilets.<br />

A preliminary analysis has been carried out that indicates that an active retrofit targeting the<br />

replacement of shower heads with AAA rated shower heads would achieve an annual water<br />

saving of 0.69 ML/d on its own. The cost if an active retrofit program has been estimated at<br />

$100 000 per annum for four years. A trial program should be initially undertaken by Council<br />

to gauge community acceptance and uptake levels for the retrofit scheme and to assess<br />

specific customer groups and areas to target.<br />

Financial incentive programs to encourage the purchase of more efficient washing<br />

machines and garden watering systems may be considered after the shower head<br />

replacement program has been run. Actual uptake levels from the showerhead retrofit<br />

program could be used as an indicator for other proposed programs. The replacement of<br />

11 L single flush toilets with 6 L/3 L dual flush toilets may be justified later within the period<br />

covered by this study.<br />

8.1.6 Non-residential <strong>Water</strong> Efficiency Program<br />

From Figure 6-10 in section 6.4.1 it was shown that the metered consumption for the nonresidential<br />

sector accounts for 29.9% of the total shire water demand. Therefore reducing<br />

water consumption in the non-residential sector can provide significant savings to overall<br />

consumption. The best method of reducing the water consumption of non-residential<br />

customers is by undertaking water audits, which are similar to those discussed in section<br />

69


70<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

8.1.4 for the residential sector. These audits may be conducted as a free service by Council<br />

at a nominal cost and provide advice to the organisation on how to best conserve water and<br />

hence reduce their water bills. The customers targeted by such a scheme could be<br />

identified through the volume of water used from water bills or by their particular industry.<br />

Program Based on Industry Type<br />

Conducting water audits on an industry-by-industry basis allows programs to be initiated<br />

that have similar salient features for different companies. By analysing the metered<br />

consumption records it is possible to determine which industries have the highest individual<br />

water use. The industries that contribute the greatest to water consumption in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong><br />

Shire include hospitality such as motels and clubs, hospitals, caravan parks, retirement<br />

homes grouped by category type. The industries that contain the 35 highest water users in<br />

the shire are shown diagrammatically in Figure 8-2 below.<br />

27.3<br />

29.3<br />

18.2<br />

62.7<br />

11.8<br />

10.9<br />

56.4<br />

101.7<br />

Figure 8-2 Major <strong>Water</strong> Users by Customer Category (ML)<br />

Caravan Parks (10)<br />

Houses (5)<br />

Clubs (9)<br />

Business (3)<br />

Retirement Homes (2)<br />

Motels (3)<br />

Community Centre (1)<br />

Hospitals (2)<br />

From Figure 8-2 it can be seen that caravan parks and motels are the largest nonresidential<br />

contributors on an industry basis to water demand. Therefore these would be<br />

specific customer categories that would yield significant water savings from water audits<br />

and therefore be high on the list of industries for water audits to target.. Interestingly,<br />

residential dwellings also appear among the highest water users.<br />

Council water use should not be exempt from the water audit process. Many of ESC<br />

operations could potentially benefit from more water-efficient practices, such as irrigation of<br />

council gardens and parks, public toilets and beach showers. These demands may be<br />

unmetered and as such are easy to overlook in a demand management strategy.<br />

8.1.7 Unaccounted for <strong>Water</strong> Assessment and Loss Reduction<br />

It is important for ESC to accurately understand the current level of unaccounted for water<br />

(UFW). Unaccounted-for water is usually in the range of 7–25% of bulk water supply and in<br />

general this figure is related to the age of the distribution system and distribution pressure.<br />

Anecdotal evidence suggests that water utilities tend to have a base UFW level of about 7–<br />

8% for fire fighting, mains flushing and other utility activities. This figure also covers<br />

breakages, overflows and difficult to trace illegal connections. Therefore an UFW level of 7–<br />

8% is difficult to improve upon. However ESC’s UFW level of around 15% offers scope for


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

improvement, with potentially substantial financial gains to Council available through<br />

reducing the system leakage.<br />

Council’s annual bulk production and metered consumption figures and the resulting<br />

unaccounted-for water level from 1995 to 2001 are given in Table 8-1 below.<br />

Table 8-1 Annual Unaccounted-for <strong>Water</strong> Figures From 1995 to 2001<br />

Year<br />

Production<br />

(ML/a)<br />

Consumption<br />

(ML/a)<br />

Unaccountedfor<br />

<strong>Water</strong> (ML/a)<br />

Unaccountedfor<br />

<strong>Water</strong> (%)<br />

1995 4 294 3 257 1 037 24.1%<br />

1996 4 201 3 378 823 19.6%<br />

1997 4 890 4 010 880 18.0%<br />

1998 4 000 3 546 454 11.4%<br />

1999 4 755 3 996 758 15.9%<br />

2000 5 032 4 181 851 16.9%<br />

2001 4 694 4 536 158 3.4%<br />

It can be seen from the above table that the level of UFW has generally been between 10<br />

and 20% of bulk production. The 1995 figure was higher than this range and the value for<br />

2001 was 3.4%, which would reflect metering inconsistencies rather than real data. An<br />

average figure of 16.4% has been assumed for this study (DLWC <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> Plan Supplementary Demand Report, 2002). Comparison of the<br />

bulk production, metered consumption and UFW figures are shown graphically in Figure<br />

8-3 below.<br />

Annual Demand (ML/a)<br />

6,000<br />

5,000<br />

4,000<br />

3,000<br />

2,000<br />

1,000<br />

0<br />

1995 1996 1997 1998<br />

Year<br />

1999 2000 2001<br />

Annual Consumption<br />

Annual Production<br />

Unaccounted for <strong>Water</strong><br />

Figure 8-3 Bulk Production, Metered Consumption and UFW Figures From 1995 to<br />

2001<br />

Experience with other NSW councils that have implemented various metering and loss<br />

reduction measures, suggests that an unaccounted-for water figure of about 15% could be<br />

reduced to 8-9% (DLWC Performance Comparisons, 2000/01). A two-stage approach is<br />

71


72<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

recommended to achieve this, with the first stage determining the current level of<br />

unaccounted-for water, which would include assessing the existing metering system and<br />

initiating metering improvements wherever necessary. The second stage is the loss<br />

reduction program, which involves implementing various techniques to reduce system<br />

losses.<br />

Unaccounted for <strong>Water</strong> Assessment Opportunity<br />

The determination of the current levels of unaccounted-for water would be achieved<br />

through assessing the existing system and installing additional bulk water metering where<br />

necessary, specifically at key reservoirs and pipelines in the short term, with expansion to<br />

all reservoirs in the long term. This critical assessment of ESC’s distribution system will<br />

ensure the detection of any flows that are not currently measured. In addition known points<br />

of water use should be metered, including overhead fillers and Council sites. A program to<br />

regularly calibrate the existing bulk water meters should be commenced and any faulty<br />

meters be either repaired or replaced. The calibration of existing bulk water meters can be<br />

carried out in conjunction with reservoir draw-down tests. An assessment of customer water<br />

meters that have been in service for over 10 years would yield a number of low or zero<br />

reading meters. Replacing faulty customer meters would provide more accurate<br />

consumption records and increased revenue for Council.<br />

Loss Reduction Opportunity<br />

Once the existing system flows are determined and all bulk water meters are reading<br />

accurately, preliminary water balances can be used to prioritise the areas for loss reduction<br />

programs. These priorities can be refined until the target level of unaccounted-for water is<br />

met. <strong>Water</strong> balances and minimum nightly flow tests can be undertaken at a reducing scale<br />

to narrow the leakage search area. At the individual pipeline scale, physical detection<br />

equipment such as spikes and transmitters or correlators that are operated by suitably<br />

experienced personnel is required. The identification of areas of high pressure in the<br />

distribution system and the installation of pressure reducing valves will help to reduce the<br />

overall system losses by reducing the incidence of burst mains and also the flows from any<br />

ruptures.<br />

Benefits and Costs<br />

As part of the regional supply strategy, this opportunity has been costed at $100 000/a for<br />

the first four years and $20 000/a thereafter and is estimated to save 910 kL/a.<br />

8.1.8 <strong>Water</strong> Pricing Opportunity<br />

A major instrument of demand management in the urban water sector has been price<br />

reform. The key element of this reform has been the move away from a ‘rating’ structure<br />

based on property value to a ‘pay for service’ system that involves charging for water based<br />

on the volume of water consumed. ESC introduced a ‘user pays’ pricing structure in 1993.<br />

This has resulted in a reduction in water consumption in the non-residential sectors.<br />

ESC’s current water charges comprise:<br />

<strong>Water</strong> access charge – a fixed charge that varies only according to meter size.<br />

Most domestic customers have a standard 20 mm diameter meter and therefore<br />

currently pay a uniform water access charge. Consumers with larger meters pay<br />

higher access charges.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> usage charges - these charges are applied to measured consumption at the<br />

customer’s meter. Thus every drop if water that passes through the meter is<br />

charged. The current charge is $0.65/kL.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

ESC’s strong belief that water conservation can be promoted through appropriate pricing<br />

has been put into practice with the progressive increase in water prices over a number of<br />

years. <strong>Water</strong> pricing has increased by 5c/kL/a over the past five years. However, ESC also<br />

recognises that it is desirable to have prices cost-reflective to ensure that those consumers<br />

on low incomes and businesses (and associated employment opportunities) are not<br />

disadvantaged. Current water prices are not sufficient to promote conservation practices by<br />

affluent water customers, and also do not adequately reflect the externalities of water use<br />

such as the cost to the shire for environmental degradation caused by volume extractions.<br />

There are novel approaches to water pricing currently being trialled water authorities both in<br />

Australia and overseas that may bring about reductions in water demand. Two tier water<br />

usage charges can be introduced that have a lower charge below a certain limit and an<br />

increased charge for higher users. The charges can be set so that low income earners are<br />

not disadvantaged and that the more affluent customers have an incentive to use water<br />

more efficiently.<br />

Another pricing option available to Council may be to provide increased water usage<br />

charges during periods of peak demands or periods of hot, dry weather. <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire<br />

has a large influx of holiday-makers during the summer period and these people may not be<br />

as sensitive to the local water conservation issues as permanent residents. Therefore<br />

introducing increased water prices during these periods could provide a strong message to<br />

all water users that water demands need to be reduced.<br />

Council will need to couple any price increase with an extensive educational campaign to<br />

explain the reasons behind these decisions and the benefits to the community and to the<br />

environment.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> pricing is an important demand management tool. Under NSW <strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

Sewerage and Trade Waste Pricing Guidelines (DLWC), water usage charges should<br />

provide users with the appropriate pricing signal. Under best-practice pricing principles, the<br />

price should reflect the long run marginal cost (LRMC) of the water supply system.<br />

Marginal cost calculations result in a usage charge/kL that reflects the cost of supply. The<br />

current usage charge is 65c/kL which is significantly lower than the LRMC. This results in<br />

inefficient use of water resources and leads to a number of cross-subsidies between water<br />

users. It is estimated that a real increase in the usage charge to around $1.20/kL is<br />

appropriate, with a significant decrease in the fixed access charge. The increased usage<br />

charge will result in a reduction in demand of approximately 0.11ML/day.<br />

Transition to the new pricing structure can be immediate, with the fixed charge being<br />

reduced at the same time to maintain Council's revenue base at an appropriate level. To<br />

minimise anxiety in the community, it should be explained that as both the usage charge<br />

and fixed charge are being adjusted, average water bills will remain at current levels. It<br />

should also be emphasised that low and moderate water users will benefit from the pricing<br />

adjustment and that all users will benefit from the demand reduction effect of the change<br />

through lower treatment and transfer and capital investment costs that will be passed onto<br />

consumers through lower water bills.<br />

8.1.9 <strong>Water</strong> Waste Ordinance Opportunity<br />

<strong>Water</strong> waste ordinance can be viewed as a method of water conservation, however<br />

because of limited community acceptance should only be introduced out of necessity.<br />

Members of the community may consider restrictions as an imposition and take up an<br />

emotive debate over their introduction. <strong>Water</strong> restrictions can adversely impact upon the<br />

high proportion of retirees in the area who spend a large amount of their leisure time<br />

gardening. Allegations may also be made by the community that inadequate management<br />

of the water resources has lead to the need for water restrictions. Therefore it is important<br />

that a rational, thorough and transparent decision-making process is followed and that the<br />

conclusions reached are conveyed to the community.<br />

73


74<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Even though water restrictions are generally viewed as an effective method of demand<br />

management, there is evidence to suggest that in some circumstances they may initially,<br />

result in increasing demand. Rather than instilling a conservation mentality in customer’s<br />

minds, some water users may not have realised that water was in short supply but feel that<br />

their present situation is too important to reduce consumption and instead increase their<br />

water use. This is usually seen when restrictions have only recently been introduced and<br />

the level is not very strict. Increased demand reduction will generally occur as the level of<br />

restrictions is increased and the need to conserve water is conveyed to the community.<br />

Also the ability of Council to enforce these restrictions through fines and penalties is<br />

important to the community’s adherence to them.<br />

The present community sentiment toward water restrictions is that they are an imposition<br />

from Council and are only required during periods of severe drought. However, there is an<br />

opportunity to use the introduction of water restrictions in a broader context within in a<br />

demand management framework. Restricting garden watering to early morning and<br />

evening is one water restriction strategy that could be applied permanently. This strategy<br />

not only achieves positive outcomes in terms of water efficiency, but it is more beneficial for<br />

general plant health and growth. One of the major challenges facing ESC through the<br />

implementation of the water conservation strategy is to change customers’ current<br />

behavioural patterns of water use. As community awareness of water conservation issues<br />

increases through the implementation of a successful demand management program, a<br />

greater acceptance toward these issues is likely to result. This may also result in a change<br />

to the community’s current perception of water restrictions. Rather than only introduce<br />

restrictions during periods of severe drought, they could be used to help raise awareness<br />

and reduce peak seasonal summer demands by introducing mild restrictions every<br />

summer. The political repercussions of any decision made with regard to water restrictions<br />

would need to be determined by Council prior to their introduction.


Table 8-2 Triple Bottom Line Assessment for Regional <strong>Water</strong> Demand Opportunities<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Efficiency<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Planning Controls <strong>Water</strong> Conservation Education <strong>Water</strong> Use Efficiency<br />

WSUD<br />

DCP Content<br />

Target Groups<br />

Efficient use of fresh water resource 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3<br />

Minimises low flow water extractions 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3<br />

Minimises greenhouse gas emissions 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3<br />

Minimises pollutants being discharged to the aquatic environment 1 3 2 1 1 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0<br />

Minimises urban stormwater volumes 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0<br />

Ensure sustainable practices 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 2 2<br />

Environmental Sum 13 18 17 12 13 13 11 11 12 13 13 13 13 11 11<br />

Environmental Rank 3 1 2 10 3 3 12 12 10 3 3 3 3 12 12<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water supply 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 1 3 3 2 3 3 2<br />

Improves the quality of drinking water 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0<br />

Improves urban water service levels 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 2 2<br />

Increases public awareness of urban water issues 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 3 3<br />

Minimises non-compliance to policy and legislation 3 3 3 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 2<br />

Protects public health 0 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0<br />

Social Sum 10 12 12 8 8 8 6 6 5 8 8 7 11 11 9<br />

Social Rank 5 1 1 7 7 7 13 13 15 7 7 12 3 3 6<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

Benefit / Cost ratio (Council) - - - - - 16 1.0 2.0 - 4.8 1.4 0.6 14 119 -<br />

Financial Rank - - - - 2 7 5 - 4 6 8 3 1<br />

TBL Score - - - - - 12 32 30 - 14 16 22 9 16 -<br />

TBL Rank - - - - - 2 7 6 - 3 4 5 1 4 -<br />

Note: There is a lack of data for the water savings achievable with elements with a – in the Benefit cost ratio row . All planning options have been carried forward to the comprehensive demand management program.<br />

Labelling of water<br />

appliances<br />

Garden <strong>Water</strong>ing<br />

Residential <strong>Water</strong><br />

Audit<br />

Non - Residential<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Audit<br />

Demonstration<br />

House<br />

Showerhead<br />

Retrofit<br />

Toilet Retrofit<br />

Washing Machine<br />

Rebate<br />

UFW and Loss<br />

Reduction<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Pricing<br />

<strong>Water</strong> waste<br />

ordinance<br />

75


76<br />

This page is intentionally blank<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong>


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

8.1.10 Comprehensive demand management program<br />

The opportunities for managing the regional water demand have been assessed on a TBL<br />

basis. The opportunities which give the best outcomes on a triple bottom line basis have<br />

been bundled together to form the comprehensive demand management program. The<br />

elements of this program are:<br />

Planing control by means of a DCP covering water sensitive urban design and<br />

water efficiency for all new developments and extensions<br />

Best practice water pricing<br />

Unaccounted for water assessment and loss reduction program<br />

An education program explaining the labelling of water efficient devices<br />

An active showerhead retrofit<br />

A water conservation education program targeting outdoor and non-residential<br />

water use<br />

The potential water saving of the comprehensive demand management program,<br />

compared to the baseline case is shown in Figure 8-1.<br />

Demand ML/a<br />

8000<br />

7000<br />

6000<br />

5000<br />

4000<br />

3000<br />

2000<br />

1000<br />

0<br />

2002 2007 2012 2017 2022 2027 2032<br />

Year<br />

Baseline<br />

Demand <strong>Management</strong><br />

Figure 8-4 Potential <strong>Water</strong> Savings Through a Comprehensive Demand <strong>Management</strong><br />

Program<br />

This comprehensive demand management program should be reassessed when the IWCM<br />

strategy is reviewed in 5 years time.<br />

77


78<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

8.2 Opportunities for Developing the Local Supply Sources<br />

8.2.1 Roof <strong>Water</strong> Harvesting<br />

In high rainfall areas, it is possible to harvest considerable amounts of roofwater using<br />

rainwater tanks. Recovery of roof water is not only a function of rainfall and tank size and<br />

roof size, but also a function of water use. The use of rainwater tanks as a supply source<br />

and water conservation measure in highly developed urban areas has increased in recent<br />

years due to varied water applications and improved installations and technology.<br />

In this study the roofwater harvesting using rainwater tanks was modelled as a<br />

supplementary source of supply for the mains water. That is, when available, the harvested<br />

roof water is used first, with mains water meeting the residual demand.<br />

The rainwater tanks installation scenarios analysed included:<br />

All new homes (permanent and holiday)<br />

All new homes plus 20% of existing homes<br />

All new homes plus 40% of existing homes.<br />

For each of the above scenarios the harvested roof water was used for the following uses:<br />

Garden watering only<br />

Garden watering plus toilet flushing<br />

Garden watering, toilet flushing and washing machines.<br />

Modelling was conducted on an individual allotment basis and as part of the regional<br />

scheme. The modelling assumptions, input parameters and the modelling process and<br />

outputs, are discussed in detail in the ‘Yield Study Report’ (see appendix G) and the<br />

Rainwater Tank appendix (appendix Z)<br />

Table 8-4 below presents the percentage of the annual regional demand that can be<br />

supplied by the harvested roof water for the various rainwater tanks installation and<br />

nominated end use scenarios.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 8-3 Percentage of Total Regional Demand That Can Be Supplied Through<br />

Rainwater Tanks (With No Other Demand Measures)<br />

Rainwater Use<br />

5 kL<br />

Tank<br />

10 kL<br />

Tank<br />

15 kL<br />

Tank<br />

20 kL<br />

Tank<br />

Garden <strong>Water</strong>ing 3% 3% 4% 4%<br />

New houses only Garden and Toilet Use 4% 5% 5% 5%<br />

(7 430 dwellings) Garden, Toilet and<br />

Washing Machines Use<br />

5% 6% 7% 7%<br />

New houses and<br />

20% of existing<br />

houses<br />

(10 120 dwellings)<br />

New houses and<br />

40% of existing<br />

houses<br />

(12 810 dwellings)<br />

Rebates<br />

Garden <strong>Water</strong>ing 4% 5% 5% 5%<br />

Garden and Toilet Use 5% 6% 7% 7%<br />

Garden, Toilet and<br />

Washing Machines Use<br />

6% 8% 9% 10%<br />

Garden <strong>Water</strong>ing 5% 6% 6% 7%<br />

Garden and Toilet Use 6% 8% 9% 9%<br />

Garden, Toilet and<br />

Washing Machines Use<br />

8% 10% 12% 13%<br />

Council can consider passing on their capital and operational cost saving to landowners<br />

who install rainwater tanks as a rebate (Table 8-4). These calculations, taking into account<br />

the saving to Council in capital and operational costs, can be found in Appendix Z.<br />

Table 8-4 Proposed Rebates For Rainwater Tank Installation<br />

5 kL 10 kL 20 kL+<br />

Garden use only $470 $640 $735<br />

Garden use plus toilet and/or washing machines $510 $680 $780<br />

Rainwater Tanks In All New Developments Opportunity<br />

In this opportunity, 10 kL rainwater tanks could be mandated for all new developments, for<br />

garden watering, toilet and washing machine use. This has the potential to reduced the<br />

demands of the system by 425 ML/a or 6% of the regional water demands. Rebates could<br />

be offered either on installation or through developer contributions.<br />

Rainwater Tanks In All New Developments And 20% Of Existing Developments<br />

Opportunity<br />

In this opportunity, 10 kL rainwater tanks could be mandated for all new developments, for<br />

garden watering, toilet and washing machines use. A rebate could also be offered for the<br />

installation of rainwater tanks for garden watering into existing developments. An uptake of<br />

20% may be achieved through the requirements to retrofit extensions to existing houses<br />

with rainwater tanks. For existing houses rebates could be offered to offset the owner’s<br />

cost. The opportunity has the potential to reduce the system demands by 510 ML/a or 7% of<br />

total regional demands.<br />

79


80<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Rainwater Tanks In All New Developments And 40% Of Existing Developments<br />

Opportunity<br />

In this opportunity, 10 kL rainwater tanks could be mandated for all new developments, for<br />

garden watering, toilet and washing machines use. A rebate could also be offered for the<br />

installation of rainwater tanks for garden watering into existing developments. In trying to<br />

reach an uptake of 40% of existing houses an active promotion program is required. This<br />

opportunity has the potential to reduce regional water demands by 600 ML/a or 9% in an<br />

average year.<br />

Community Costs of Rainwater Tanks<br />

The cost for a householder to install a tank – taking into account the rebate offered by<br />

council is shown in Table 8-5<br />

Table 8-5 Single Household Cost to Rainwater Tank With Council Rebate<br />

5 kL 10 kL 20 kL<br />

Garden $1 730 $1 860 $2 765<br />

Garden + internal use $1 620 $1 580 $2 385<br />

Note: Further details on installation costs can be found in appendix Z<br />

The yearly community costs to install rainwater tanks in<br />

all new houses<br />

all new houses and 20% of existing houses<br />

all new houses and 40% of existing houses<br />

within a 30 year period are shown in Table 8-6. The capital outlay costs do not include any<br />

ongoing Council costs for management of rainwater tanks or householder costs for<br />

operation, maintenance and renewal of tanks and pressure pumps.<br />

Table 8-6 Total Yearly Community Costs for Rainwater Tanks Installation (including<br />

rebate)<br />

New Houses<br />

New + 20% of<br />

existing houses<br />

New + 40% of<br />

existing houses<br />

Use 5 kL 10 kL 20 kL<br />

Garden $428 579 $460 784 $684 983<br />

Garden + internal use $401 328 $391 419 $590 844<br />

Garden $583 644 $627 502 $932 819<br />

Garden + internal use $546 534 $533 039 $804 620<br />

Garden $738 710 $794 220 $1 180 655<br />

Garden + internal use $691 740 $674 660 $1 018 395


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 8-7 Triple Bottom Line Assessment for the Regional Rainwater Tanks<br />

Opportunities<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Ensures the efficient use of the<br />

fresh water resource<br />

Minimises water extractions and<br />

protects low flows<br />

Minimises greenhouse gas<br />

emissions<br />

Minimises pollutants being<br />

discharged to the aquatic<br />

environment<br />

Minimises urban stormwater<br />

volumes<br />

10 kL RWTs in all<br />

new<br />

developments<br />

10 kL RWTs in all<br />

new<br />

developments<br />

plus 20%<br />

existing houses<br />

10 kL RWTs in all<br />

new<br />

developments<br />

plus 40%<br />

existing house<br />

1 2 3<br />

1 2 3<br />

2 2 2<br />

2 2 2<br />

1 2 3<br />

Ensures sustainable practices 1 2 3<br />

Environmental Sum 8 12 16<br />

Environmental Rank 3 2 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water<br />

supply<br />

Improves the quality of drinking<br />

water<br />

3 3 3<br />

0 0 0<br />

Improves urban water service levels 2 2 2<br />

Increases public awareness of<br />

urban water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance to<br />

legislation<br />

2 3 3<br />

2 2 2<br />

Protects public health 0 0 0<br />

Social Sum 9 10 10<br />

Social Rank 3 1 1<br />

FINANCIAL (Community Costs)<br />

NPV ($m over 30 years) 4.86 6.93 9.00<br />

Financial Rank 1 2 3<br />

TBL Sum 7 5 5<br />

TBL Rank 3 1 1<br />

Technically Council will not incur any costs with the implementation of the above rainwater<br />

tank opportunities. The cost of employing these options would be incurred by the<br />

landowner, who would then be eligible for a rebate. This rebate would reflect the capital and<br />

operating savings to Council as a result of the reduced impacts on the water supply system.<br />

The financial costs given in the table reflect the costs that will be experienced by the<br />

community with the implementation of each of the rainwater opportunities. According to the<br />

81


82<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

above TBL assessment, mandating rainwater tanks in all new developments and in 20%<br />

and 40% of existing houses rank as equally suitable options in terms of environmental,<br />

social and financial criteria. Whilst opportunity 3 achieves the best environmental outcomes,<br />

it is the most expensive option in terms of community costs.<br />

It is important to note that rainwater tanks are a relatively new concept to many people living<br />

in areas supplied with reclaimed water and it is therefore difficult to predict their uptake by<br />

the community. Whilst Council should aim to retrofit rainwater tanks in 40% of existing<br />

houses, this in reality may be difficult to achieve.<br />

Council has the opportunity to incorporate provisions into its DCP that make any<br />

development application for house extensions or alterations exceeding a certain amount<br />

(say $100 000) be subject to the mandatory installation of a rainwater tank. Through taking<br />

this approach it may be possible to achieve a goal of a 20% retrofit of rainwater tanks in<br />

existing houses.<br />

Having taken into account the various issues surrounding rainwater tanks, mandating<br />

rainwater tanks in all new developments plus 20% of existing houses has been carried<br />

through to the regional supply options.<br />

8.2.2 Stormwater Harvesting<br />

There is the potential to incorporate stormwater harvesting into local stormwater detention<br />

and water quality control features. Preliminary calculations for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire rainfall<br />

conditions indicate that a 100 ha catchment draining to a 5 ML water quality control pond<br />

would yield up to 50 ML of water for open space irrigation in a year of average rainfall and<br />

about 30 ML in a dry year.<br />

The potential for stormwater harvesting in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire will vary considerably<br />

depending on local topography and other factors. The cost of stormwater control ponds is<br />

site specific, so the unit cost of water from stormwater harvesting systems can vary<br />

considerably. It is likely to be more cost effective to utilise harvested stormwater in water<br />

quality control ponds for public landscape needs rather than to supply residential<br />

consumers. Public open space within <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> was assessed for its suitability for<br />

stormwater harvesting. This is discussed further in the local water management plans and<br />

in section 6 of appendix W). Incorporating stormwater harvesting in new urban subdivisions<br />

in most cases would be cheaper option. This should be covered by the development control<br />

plan discussed in section 8.1.3.<br />

Stormwater harvesting needs to be balanced with environmental considerations. While it is<br />

beneficial to harvest excess stormwater runoff, harvesting all of the stormwater during dry<br />

periods may impact adversely on local streams and waterways. In high rainfall locations<br />

such as <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>, with limited irrigation opportunities, it can be argued that it is more<br />

beneficial environmentally to maximise use of reclaimed water first before implementing<br />

stormwater harvesting systems.<br />

8.2.3 Residential Greywater Reuse<br />

Specific greywater reuse is discussed further in the local water management opportunities.<br />

The provision of sewerage systems in currently unsewered areas allows the utilisation of<br />

suitable treatment systems for local greywater reuse. As there are currently no approved<br />

greywater treatment devices (besides those approved for on-site treatment of wastewater)<br />

no recommendations have been made for greywater systems in currently sewered areas. In<br />

areas Council is proposing to provide a reticulated sewerage system, there is the<br />

opportunity for residents to retain their septic tanks and on-site treatment devices for<br />

irrigation purposes.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

8.2.4 Benefits of Utilising Local <strong>Water</strong> Sources<br />

The advantages of harvesting water in the local area are:<br />

Increased yields during droughts<br />

The economic benefits of freeing up peak day capacity in the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> system<br />

to serve other users<br />

The garden water benefits to householders, particularly during droughts<br />

The environmental benefits of reduced freshwater diversions above the tidal limit<br />

The environmental benefits of reduced reclaimed water and stormwater discharges<br />

to the estuary or the ocean<br />

Reduced stormwater infrastructure<br />

8.3 Opportunities for Developing the Regional Supply Sources<br />

8.3.1 General Overview<br />

The introduction of environmental flow regime and water-sharing rules under the <strong>Water</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> Act limits the secure yield of the existing regional water supply system.<br />

Among other factors the size and timing of the source infrastructure expansion also<br />

depends on the environmental flow regime and water-sharing rule that will be added to any<br />

new licence condition.<br />

Since it is widely accepted that the ecosystems and the conservation values can become<br />

stressed during low stream flows, in the future water extraction for the regional scheme<br />

would predominantly be during high stream flows. This necessitates filtration of the supply<br />

sources in the short term to protect public health and targeted remedial works, and<br />

protection of the riparian zones to improve the stream water quality in the long term. Thus<br />

all supply opportunities considered include filtration of the surface water supplies. The<br />

recommended filtration processes include the mechanical and chemical-based dissolved air<br />

flotation sand filtration process and the physical and possibly chemical-free membrane<br />

filtration process.<br />

In the long term, the base case environmental flow regime and total flow protection supply<br />

access conditions could be accommodated either by providing new sources of supply (e.g.<br />

new off-river storage or desalination) and/or by utilising the existing sources more<br />

efficiently. Supply opportunities have been developed based on both approaches and the<br />

risks and benefits of each opportunity are also outlined. Since all opportunities have social<br />

and environmental impacts (e.g. other water users, ecosystems, conservation values, etc.),<br />

any decision to expand existing supply infrastructure and/or provide additional sources<br />

would be subject to extensive environmental impact assessment processes, including<br />

community consultation and detailed engineering studies.<br />

Since the timing of the supply source expansions depends on a number of factors such as<br />

extraction regime, restriction policy and demand growth, the order in which the<br />

infrastructure is expanded is crucial to the security of supply. The preferred order is to<br />

improve the existing system reliability and then expand the extraction/transfer capacities<br />

along with water filtration, followed by the expansion of drought storage facility. The first two<br />

measures are referred to as immediate and short term measures, and the<br />

expansion/provision of the drought storage facility is considered as the long term option.<br />

83


8.3.2 Immediate Measures<br />

84<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The existing supply scheme has some inherent deficiencies. These deficiencies could be<br />

easily overcome with appropriate immediate measures. Implementing the immediate<br />

measures will greatly assist Council to recover from the current drought and improve the<br />

system reliability. The deficiencies and the recommended immediate measures are<br />

discussed below.<br />

One of the problems Council regularly experiences after drought or after periods of being<br />

solely reliant on the dam is the long period it takes to fill the Deep Creek Dam. Additionally,<br />

Council is also reliant on Deep Creek Dam water to meet peak demands in the Batemans<br />

Bay area, the reason for this being:<br />

the small gravity transfer rate between Moruya Main Reservoir and the dam<br />

the design and operational problems associated with the Malua Bay booster<br />

pumping station, and<br />

the inability of Moruya River pumps to run in parallel.<br />

Hydraulic analysis (see appendix I) indicates that the transfer rate from Moruya main to<br />

Batemans Bay could be increased by either relocating the existing Malua Bay booster<br />

pumps and electrics to the disused Mossy Point booster pumping station, or by installing a<br />

smaller pump within the existing Malua Bay booster pumping station.<br />

Analysis shows that relocating the existing pumps and the electrical components is a more<br />

viable option than installing a smaller pump. This is due to the better dual functionality (i.e.<br />

relative ability to transfer more water in both directions by the same pump) achievable at<br />

Mossy Point compared to Malua Bay. Upgrading the power supply to the Moruya River<br />

pumps will enable parallel operation of the pumps and the ability to harvest more water.<br />

The second issue currently faced by Council is the inability of the Tuross River system to<br />

meet peak demands due to inherent river extraction problems, the flow mismatch between<br />

the low and high head pumps, and the inadequate power supply to run pumps in parallel.<br />

Council is currently implementing measures to overcome the river extraction problems.<br />

Council should also consider eliminating the flow mismatch between the low and high head<br />

pumps by either installing variable speed drives on existing pumps or by installing newer<br />

pumps. The power supply upgrade to the Tuross River pump station should also be<br />

expedited.<br />

The third issue is the inability of the existing telemetry and the control elements on the<br />

reservoirs and valves to operate in a narrow and more efficient range. Newer technologies<br />

are now available to improve this situation. Therefore Council should consider undertaking<br />

a review of the current operating concept with a view to improving efficiency and capacity.<br />

The fourth issue is maintaining an appropriate chlorine residual throught the system. To<br />

addess this requires the provision of rechlorination facilities at strategic locations.<br />

8.3.3 Short term Measures<br />

Short term measures include both the ability to harvest higher river flows and the ability to<br />

transfer and store water quickly in Deep Creek Dam. This could be achieved by<br />

implementing the following works.<br />

A dedicated pipeline between Moruya River intake and Deep Creek Dam. It is<br />

proposed to locate the pipeline along the existing high voltage transmission<br />

easement. This will minimise environmental and social impacts during construction<br />

and contain development within existing disturbed area. Economic analysis


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

indicates that the optimum pipe diameter is 600 mm (see appendix J for additional<br />

information).<br />

Filtration of the water supplied to the consumers. This could be achieved with two<br />

filtration plants utilising either the dissolved air flotation with sand/coal filtration or<br />

membrane filtration process (see appendix H for a discussion of water treatment<br />

processes). One plant will be located near Denhams Beach reservoir (or near<br />

Moruya main reservoir, See Appendix I) to serve the population between Long<br />

Beach and Tuross Head under normal periods and up to Central Tilba during<br />

drought periods. This plant will filter water sourced from the Buckenboura and<br />

Moruya Rivers as well as that stored in Deep Creek Dam. The other plant will be<br />

located near the Tuross River Intake and will filter water sourced from the Tuross<br />

River. It will predominantly serve the southern population from Bodalla to Central<br />

Tilba. The capacity of both treatment plants is dependent on the extent of bundling<br />

with the other sources and measures.<br />

Active water conservation program to bring about behavioural and cultural change<br />

in the use of water among the consumers. This program would be an extension of<br />

Council’s current program and should include school, community and interest group<br />

education through a number of communication channels.<br />

8.3.4 Long term Regional Supply Opportunities<br />

The long term regional supply opportunities are related to securing a water source or<br />

storage to meet drought needs. This could be provided by enlarging the existing Deep<br />

Creek Dam, a new off-river storage and/or by the desalinisation of seawater. A review was<br />

undertaken to evaluate the feasibility and cost of enlarging Deep Creek Dam and to identify<br />

and cost new alternative dam sites in the central and southern area of the shire. The results<br />

of this review are included as appendix K. In summary the review identified two preferred<br />

sites in the southern area (Stoney Creek No. 2 and Tuross No. 2) and one preferred site<br />

(Barretts Creek) in the central area.<br />

Table 8-8 provides the scheme cost of the regional water supply using the regional supply<br />

opportunities. These scheme costs are based on meeting the base case environmental flow<br />

extraction regime of 95/30. Scheme costs to meet a more conservative than the base case<br />

environmental flow extraction regime is provided at the end of this Section for comparison<br />

purposes (80/30 extraction).<br />

Table 8-8 Scheme Estimates of Long Term Regional Supply Opportunities<br />

Opportunity $/ML of Yield<br />

1 Raise Deep Creek Dam 7.7-9.5 1<br />

2 New southern off-river storage 8.7<br />

3 New central off-river storage 12.6<br />

4 Desalination as new supply source 8.1<br />

The cost of all opportunities includes common immediate and short term measures<br />

Note 1 Costs vary depending on the location of the water filtration plant the northern area of the shire<br />

Appendix L on regional water supply costs and present value analysis provides the detailed<br />

costing information.<br />

85


86<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Opportunity 1: Raise Deep Creek Dam<br />

In this opportunity drought storage is increased by raising Deep Creek Dam. The<br />

opportunity limits the environmental footprint of off-river storage mainly to previously<br />

disturbed areas and maximises use of the existing assets. The disadvantages of this option<br />

are that the whole scheme’s drought security is confined to one storage and there is a limit<br />

on Deep Creek Dam’s capacity for expansion. Thus in the unlikely event of any major water<br />

quality and/or structural problem with the dam, the ability of the headworks to meet<br />

demands would be reduced. This opportunity would further stress the already stressed<br />

Moruya River by increasing extraction.<br />

Opportunity 2: New Southern Off-River Storage<br />

This opportunity involves a Southern off-river storage to be filled by high flow band water<br />

from the Tuross River. This option spreads drought security over two storages, resulting in<br />

a reduced risk from water quality and/or structural problems. This opportunity also improves<br />

operational flexibility of the scheme whereby water could be selectively pumped from three<br />

river sources and moved in both directions to the demand centres. It also reduces the<br />

impact that a trunk main break between Moruya and Narooma would have on supply to the<br />

south of the shire.<br />

Further this opportunity helps to minimise urban extraction stress of the Moruya River by<br />

sharing extraction with the Tuross River. In the long term this opportunity would assist in<br />

meeting peak day demand in both Southern and Central areas of the shire without major<br />

distribution pipeline upgrades. It will also enable Council to meet at minimal cost any future<br />

conservative river flow access regime.<br />

Analysis indicates that it is possible to locate the storage high in a catchment to reduce the<br />

environmental impacts of a storage on the downstream catchment. Further, it is also<br />

possible to select a site that can be raised in the future to increase storage capacity.<br />

Opportunity 3: New Central Off-River Storage<br />

This opportunity is based on a central off-river storage to be filled from the high flow bands<br />

of the Moruya River. Extraction of water from the Tuross River would cease, protecting this<br />

river from urban extraction. However, this opportunity would result in increasing urban<br />

expansion stress on Moruya River and risk to regional water supply through greater reliance<br />

on a single source.<br />

Unlike opportunity 1 the drought security risk is spread over two storages resulting in<br />

reduced supply security risks from water quality and dam structural problems. Although, in<br />

this opportunity, the regional scheme could be supplied from a single water filtration plant,<br />

in the long term the coastal distribution pipelines may require significant upgrading to meet<br />

peak day demands.<br />

Unlike opportunity 2, in this opportunity any breakage in the trunk main to Narooma could<br />

result in prolonged supply interruptions. Any future conservative river extraction regimes<br />

would result in significant headworks costs.<br />

Analysis indicates that it is possible to locate the storage high in a catchment to reduce the<br />

environmental impact of storage on the catchment. It is also possible to select a site that<br />

can be raised in the future to increase storage capacity. However suitable locations for such<br />

a storage will incur high pumping costs.<br />

Opportunity 4: Desalination as New Supply Source<br />

This opportunity is based on either a 5 ML/d reverse osmosis unit driven by energy from the<br />

grid or a 5 ML/d composite MED-RO system driven by about 35 solar dishes. Additional<br />

information on desalination processes, unit costs and factors influencing site selection are<br />

provided in appendix M. There are two ways in which desalination could be used in


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong>. The two options are either as a long term regular water source or as a drought<br />

contingency option.<br />

A desalination plant provides a drought proof supply source and the novel technology has<br />

potential to attract tourist visitation. It reduces the dependence on surface waters, however<br />

it produces a brine stream that must be disposed of. The plant needs to be located on the<br />

coast, which may reduce the visual amenity of the area and may be located on a potential<br />

development area. Desalination plants can be expensive to operate due to their high energy<br />

use, which can result in greenhouse gas emission. Like opportunities 2 and 3, it spreads<br />

risks associated with water supply including reducing reliance on extended delivery mains.<br />

Social and Environmental Aspects of the Long term Supply Opportunities<br />

The above opportunities, whilst being developed based on a 50-year planning horizon, will<br />

be implemented in stages. The TBL assessment table below provides the comparative<br />

environmental, social and economic benefit of each strategy option.<br />

Table 8-9 Social and Environmental Aspects – Long term Supply Opportunities<br />

Opportunities Social Environmental<br />

Opportunity 1<br />

Raise Deep Creek Dam<br />

Opportunity 2 New<br />

Southern Off-River Storage<br />

Opportunity 3 New Central<br />

Off-River Storage<br />

Opportunity 4 Desalination<br />

Maximises use of existing assets<br />

Drought security confined to one storage<br />

Limited construction work<br />

Spreads drought security (and water quality)<br />

risk between two storages and two supply<br />

sources<br />

Acceptance (and social impact) of proposal to<br />

build new storage<br />

Reduced reliance on extended delivery mains<br />

Spreads drought security risk between two<br />

storages but extraction based on one supply<br />

source<br />

More water available to environment and<br />

irrigators on Tuross River<br />

Acceptance (and social impact) of proposal to<br />

build new storage<br />

High pumping costs<br />

Plant located on possible development area<br />

Technology has potential to attract tourist<br />

visitation<br />

Public acceptance of this option for potable<br />

uses (unknown)<br />

Enhances drought-proofing of the scheme<br />

Reduced reliance on extended delivery mains<br />

Expensive to operate<br />

Proposal footprint<br />

predominantly confined to<br />

previously disturbed areas<br />

Further increases extraction<br />

from Moruya River, although in<br />

high flows<br />

River harvesting shared<br />

between two sources<br />

Creates a new footprint and<br />

associated environmental<br />

impact<br />

Increased reliance on Moruya<br />

River and higher environmental<br />

impacts to river environment<br />

Tuross River environment<br />

protected<br />

High energy use, resulting in<br />

greenhouse gas emission<br />

Potential issues with brine<br />

disposal<br />

Reduced dependence on<br />

surface waters<br />

The Project Team ranked the above opportunities. The triple bottom line assessment<br />

represented in Table 8-10 provides the relative ranking of each strategy option.<br />

87


88<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 8-10 Triple Bottom Line Assessment of Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply Opportunities<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Deep Creek<br />

Dam<br />

Southern<br />

Dam<br />

Central Dam<br />

Desalination<br />

1 2 3 4<br />

Ensures efficient use of the fresh water resource 1 1 1 2<br />

Minimises water extractions and protects low flows 1 1 1 3<br />

Minimises greenhouse gas emissions 1 1 0 0<br />

Minimises pollutants being discharged to the<br />

aquatic environment<br />

2 2 3 0<br />

Minimises urban stormwater volumes 0 0 0 0<br />

Ensures sustainable practices 1 1 0 0<br />

Environmental Sum 6 6 5 5<br />

Environmental Rank 1 1 4 4<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water supply 2 3 2 3<br />

Improves the quality of drinking water 3 3 3 2<br />

Improves urban water service levels 2 3 2 3<br />

Increases public awareness of urban water issues 1 1 1 1<br />

Minimises non-compliance to legislation 2 3 2 2<br />

Protects public health 2 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 12 16 13 14<br />

Social Rank 6 1 3 2<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

$/ML 7.7-9.5 8.7 12.6 8.1<br />

Financial Rank 1 3 4 2<br />

TBL Sum 8 5 11 8<br />

TBL Rank 2 1 4 2<br />

Note: Ranking are done on $/ML to asses to cost of each supply opportunity to meet the needs of the regional<br />

scheme. The quality of water required by the scheme is determined in section 10<br />

The ranking in the balanced score card suggests that if in the future the existing drought<br />

storage needs to be enhanced then the preferred strategy would be to develop a new offriver<br />

storage facility in the south of the shire. This off-river storage would be filled by<br />

harvesting high flow bands from Tuross River (i.e. Opportunity 2).<br />

Sensitivity of Preferred Opportunity to Demand-Supply Variations<br />

The system modelling was carried out on demand projections based in current and future<br />

average annual demands. The secure yield and thus the opportunities are sensitive to the<br />

following aspects of system modelling.<br />

Increases in water needs during drought periods relative to average annual<br />

demands<br />

The 20% demand reduction during drought restrictions


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Environmental flow protection regime<br />

Climatic variation including catchment land use<br />

Demand reduction program suggested in this report<br />

These individual impacts are discussed below for Opportunity 2.<br />

Increased <strong>Water</strong> Needs<br />

Modelling is based on the average demand (not the drought demands). It is important to<br />

note that unrestricted demands are usually higher during drought periods due to higher<br />

evaporation and lower rainfall resulting in greater garden water needs. Demand increase<br />

may be in the range of 10% to 12%. Early restrictions may reduce this impact.<br />

Sensitivity to 20% Demand Reduction During Drought Restrictions<br />

The modelling of the water supply system assumes that a 20% reduction in demand can be<br />

achieved with the imposition of restrictions. Experience from other NSW coastal country<br />

towns has shown that the natural propagation of water efficiency measures and the<br />

voluntary conservative use of water have in many instances reduced the ability of<br />

restrictions to reduce the demands during droughts. Increased water needs during droughts<br />

may exacerbate the effect. The sensitivity analysis on the preferred opportunity with no<br />

demand reduction during a drought shows that the secure yield would reduce by about<br />

14%. To maintain the same secure yield the new drought storage capacity in the south<br />

would need to be about 1 400 ML instead of 100 ML. Alternatively, the construction of the<br />

new southern drought storage would need to be brought forward by about 5–10 years.<br />

Sensitivity to Environmental Flow Protection Regime<br />

During the agency meeting (October 2002 at Batemans Bay), it was suggested that future<br />

water-sharing plans might require a higher low flow protection regime. Whilst such changes<br />

are not expected until at least 2020, the analysis shows that the impact of moving from the<br />

base case 95/30 low flow protection rule to a higher 80/30 low flow protection rule is<br />

significant.<br />

The modelling results show that the existing headworks with higher low flow protection are<br />

inadequate to supply the current demands and therefore larger off-river storage is required<br />

by 2020. As an example, for a yield of 6 980 ML, a 2 800 ML off-creek storage is required<br />

for 80/30 extraction compared to 200 ML with 95/30.<br />

The main social benefit of moving to a higher low flow protection includes the possible<br />

higher economic return from agricultural and oyster farmers resulting in an overall improved<br />

sustainability of these industries. The environmental benefits include the increased<br />

sustainability of rivers and estuaries, and those species that rely on them.<br />

Sensitivity to Climate and Land Use Changes<br />

Evaporation increases due to global warming may lead to increased urban water demands<br />

for outdoor uses. Analysis indicates that this increase could be as high as 10% during<br />

drought periods. It is very likely that this increase in future demand could be offset by the<br />

demand reductions achieved through natural propagation of water efficiency appliances and<br />

fittings, education campaigns and reduced outdoor water use.<br />

Global warming could also have an impact on the streamflows. Climate modelling predicts<br />

that the annual runoffs could vary significantly in the next 50 years. The variation could<br />

result in an increase or decrease in streamflows.<br />

Catchment landuse practices also have an impact on the streamflows. For instance after<br />

the 1939 bushfires in the Melbourne water supply catchment, the streamflows initially<br />

89


90<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

increased and then significantly reduced for a prolonged period as a result of the higher<br />

water usage by the forest during their regrowth phase.<br />

Sensitivity analysis with a 10% reduction in the historical streamflows shows little impact on<br />

the secure yield. A 10% decrease in streamflows increases the drought storage<br />

requirements by 200 ML (2032).<br />

Sensitivity to Demand Reduction Programs<br />

The demand reduction programs suggested in a previous Section of this report have the<br />

potential to reduce the base demand by about 12% in the next 30 years.<br />

This will defer the need for the new southern dam by about 15 years. Further it will also<br />

deliver consumer savings in water and energy cost and lessens the environmental impact<br />

of population increases on water resources.<br />

Comparison of the Sensitivity Analysis<br />

Table 8-11 below provides the economic implication of each demand and supply variable to<br />

the preferred opportunity 2. Opportunity 2 is based on the future storage in the south of the<br />

shire.<br />

Table 8-11 Comparative Costs for Stand Alone Supply Demand Sensitivities<br />

Cost Estimates ($m)<br />

Stand Alone Sensitivity to Opportunity 2<br />

Capital Cost NPV @ 7%<br />

Demand reduction during drought restrictions 82.0 66.8<br />

Higher environmental flow protection 84.8 73.5<br />

Climate and land use changes 55.8 64.9<br />

Demand reduction programs 55.3 64.6<br />

However it should be noted that the economic impact of two or more supply-demand<br />

variations occurring together would be significantly different to that shown in the above<br />

table. Detailed cost information is contained in Appendix L<br />

8.4 Opportunities for Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> Use<br />

ESC aims to recycle and reuse reclaimed water to achieve environmental and social<br />

benefits where it is economically viable and socially acceptable. The environmental and<br />

social benefits include:<br />

Conserving the water resources by reducing water extractions<br />

Reducing the direct discharge of reclaimed water to waterways<br />

Replacing where appropriate the use of town water with more reliable reclaimed<br />

water<br />

Enhancing the quality and sustainability of ground and surface waters<br />

Supporting and enhancing the local agricultural industry.


8.4.1 Project Initiatives<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

In 1998 Council undertook a shire-wide reclaimed water and biosolids reuse study, which<br />

canvassed both local and regional land-based reuse opportunities. In view of the high cost<br />

associated with the regional schemes, Council has been focusing on some of the local<br />

opportunities. Current reuse and recycling initiatives include:<br />

Reuse at Batemans Bay and Moruya golf clubs<br />

Reuse at Moruya sporting fields<br />

Proposed reuse distribution main for the agricultural and industrial areas near<br />

Moruya.<br />

The project to reuse reclaimed water from a reed bed on Tuross golf course, whilst having<br />

secured Government funds, was shelved due to community objections. The use of<br />

reclaimed water from Bingie STP for irrigating Tuross Golf Course is still supported by the<br />

community.<br />

The current reuse projects use about 5% of the average dry weather reclaimed water<br />

volumes produced in the shire. The additional initiatives proposed for the area would use an<br />

additional 5% of the current dry weather shire flows.<br />

8.4.2 Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> Volumes<br />

Reclaimed water is currently produced at the five sewage treatment plants owned and<br />

operated by Council. Table 8-12 below shows the current and forecast future volumes<br />

expected to be produced in the next 30 years from the five plants. Additional volumes may<br />

become available if sewage from the currently unsewered villages were to be centrally<br />

treated by Council to secondary standards.<br />

Table 8-12 Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> Volume Projections<br />

Description<br />

Batemans Bay and<br />

Surrounds<br />

Volume<br />

Average Daily (ML/d) Annual (ML/a)<br />

Current Future Current Future<br />

4.0 5.0 1 900 2 300<br />

Tomakin and Surrounds 1.0 1.5 450 700<br />

Moruya and Surrounds 0.8 1.0 380 450<br />

Tuross 0.7 0.8 330 380<br />

Narooma and Surrounds 1.6 2.4 760 1 100<br />

Other Villages - 0.4 - 200<br />

Shire Total 8.1 11.1 3 820 5 130<br />

Table 8-12 shows that in the next 30 years the reclaimed water volume for the shire will<br />

potentially increase by about 35%.<br />

8.4.3 Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> Use<br />

It is important to recognise that the required reclaimed water quality differs for each<br />

intended end use. Therefore, it is important to provide a quality product that is acceptable to<br />

91


92<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

that end use. Whilst technology is available to produce reclaimed water of highest purity<br />

devoid of any contaminants, for most end uses this level of treatment is not warranted. See<br />

appendix D for the minimum acceptable quality for most end uses. In <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> the main<br />

uses for reclaimed water are:<br />

Urban open space<br />

Industrial<br />

Agriculture (broad acre and constructed environment)<br />

Residential non-potable<br />

Potable (direct and indirect)<br />

Environmental<br />

At the inter-agency meeting held in October 2002, the Department of Health asserted that it<br />

would not support potable (direct and indirect) reclaimed water reuse.<br />

Urban Open Space and Industrial<br />

Reclaimed water is currently reused at Batemans Bay and Moruya golf courses. There may<br />

be scope to extend recycled water systems to irrigate other urban open space areas<br />

including:<br />

Batemans Bay Hanging Rock Gardens (16 ha)<br />

Tuross Golf course and Parks (28 ha)<br />

Moruya Racecourse (47 ha)<br />

Narooma Golf course (15 ha)<br />

Tomakin Captain Oldrey Park, The Oaks Ranch Country Golf Club,<br />

Sports Club Park<br />

It is estimated that utilising reclaimed water for these areas would result in the reuse of an<br />

additional 5% of current total shire flow. Currently the abovementioned open space areas<br />

do not use town water supplies, however utilising reclaimed water on these sites would<br />

provide an aesthetic appeal to the area by keeping the grass green all year round including<br />

during drought periods.<br />

Residential Non-Potable<br />

NSW has pioneered the development of water recycling for residential use in Australia. The<br />

1993 NSW Guidelines for Urban and Residential Use of Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> were the first of<br />

its kind in Australia. The major residential reuse scheme in Newington Village at Sydney<br />

Olympic Park was commissioned in April 2001. The major residential reuse system at<br />

Rouse Hill in north-western Sydney has been up and running for 18 months. Another major<br />

residential reuse scheme is under construction at Mawson Lakes in Adelaide.<br />

An examination has been made of a possible residential reuse system for the Rosedale<br />

development. The system would feature a service reservoir as a central storage, and a<br />

reticulation system specifically constructed for the delivery of reclaimed water for garden<br />

watering, toilet flushing and washing machines (cold water only). Recycled water for<br />

household use must meet the NSW Guidelines for Urban and Residential Use of Reclaimed<br />

<strong>Water</strong> developed by the NSW Recycled <strong>Water</strong> Co-ordination Committee. These guidelines<br />

include limits for microbiological and physical criteria along with general guidelines for<br />

nutrients and trace contaminants. Delivery from a water reclamation facility including


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

membrane filtration and disinfection at the Tomakin STP would be more cost effective than<br />

sewer mining.<br />

Considerable effort is being applied worldwide to the development of appropriate<br />

technologies and management systems for on-site wastewater management systems.<br />

There are a variety of new on-site and decentralised treatment systems coming on to the<br />

market which provide potential to undertake water recycling on a household, neighbourhood<br />

or subdivision scale at a similar or less overall cost than a fully reticulated water recycling<br />

system from a centralised treatment system. A number of these systems have been<br />

successfully implemented in the USA. Factors important for a successful system include a<br />

careful evaluation of the site capability to ensure that there will not be adverse health and<br />

environmental impacts, and the adoption of centralised management of decentralised<br />

treatment and recycling systems.<br />

The bulk supply of reclaimed water to large urban landscaping and industrial customers is<br />

usually more cost effective than residential reuse. Due to the small number of large<br />

commercial and industrial consumers in the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire, the potential for commercial<br />

and industrial reuse is minimal.<br />

It might be possible to justify the development of a dual reticulation reclaimed water system<br />

for Rosedale and other new development areas when account is taken of:<br />

The benefits of increased yield in droughts<br />

The economic benefits of freeing up peak day capacity in the system to serve other<br />

users<br />

The garden water benefits to householders, particularly during droughts<br />

The environmental benefits of reduced freshwater diversions above the tidal limit,<br />

and<br />

The environmental benefits of reduced reclaimed water discharges to the estuary<br />

or the ocean.<br />

Previous analysis indicates that the capital cost associated with a second reclaimed water<br />

reticulation network is about $2 560/lot. This cost includes the plumbing costs. The annual<br />

operating, maintenance, compliance and monitoring costs are about 10% of the capital<br />

cost. Therefore to service 1 000 new lots would cost around $2.6m.<br />

Agriculture – Cropping in Natural and Constructed Environment<br />

Agricultural cropping in the natural environment refers to the conventional practice of broad<br />

acre farming. There are many examples of ‘cropping in the natural environment’ agricultural<br />

reuse schemes in Australia, however most of these are undertaken in areas with lower<br />

rainfall. Examples include irrigation of sugar cane crops along the drier parts of the<br />

Queensland coast, the major scheme to irrigate dairy pasture now under construction in the<br />

northern Shoalhaven area near Nowra in NSW, and irrigation of horticultural crops at<br />

Virginia in South Australia.<br />

Agricultural cropping in a constructed environment includes nurseries and open and<br />

covered hydroponic systems. Although there are currently no such enterprises within<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong>, Council could promote these types of enterprises given their high margins and<br />

the water use of these types of enterprises. Additional information on these types of<br />

enterprises is contained in appendix N2.<br />

The shire-wide reclaimed water reuse review has identified the Moruya and Tuross River<br />

flats as the two major dairy and agricultural regions in the shire. The Moruya region<br />

comprises approximately 1 000 ha of dairy land and the agricultural and the Tuross region<br />

contains about 1 500 ha.<br />

93


94<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The high rainfall within the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire would restrict the reuse opportunities available<br />

particularly for cropping in natural environment systems. The high rainfall and the highly<br />

seasonal nature of the NSW south coast climate means that the reuse potential for<br />

cropping under natural conditions is highest during the dry season in late spring and early<br />

summer. Therefore it may be likely that there will be lengthy periods during the wet season<br />

from December to April when little or no reuse is viable. Thus, practical reuse strategies<br />

should aim to reuse a high percentage of dry weather flows, in combination with appropriate<br />

alternative arrangements to treat all wet weather flows to a standard suitable for direct<br />

discharge to the environment.<br />

Two regional schemes could be developed based on opportunistic reuse (i.e. when there is<br />

a demand). These scheme options are discussed below. However, it should be noted that<br />

there are a number of significant constraints to agricultural reuse in the natural environment<br />

such as:<br />

Landforms and land slopes<br />

High water tables on many areas of the floodplain<br />

Shallow acid sulfate soils<br />

Large environmental protection zones<br />

The potential for elevated sodicity to cause deterioration in soil structure.<br />

Northern Region Scheme<br />

In the northern scheme, the dairy area around Moruya River could be supplied with<br />

reclaimed water produced from the sewage treatment plants located north of Moruya. The<br />

shire-wide reuse study proposed to use a dedicated main to transfer reclaimed water from<br />

the Batemans Bay and Tomakin sewage treatment plants to this area. The shire-wide study<br />

also considered a wet weather/peak demand balancing storage near Moruya to manage the<br />

supply and demand peaks.<br />

A review of the shire-wide reuse study within the integrated water management context<br />

indicated that an alternative option to constructing a new main from Batemans Bay would<br />

be to utilise the existing old 250 mm water supply main. This water main runs parallel to the<br />

new 450 mm main and could be used for transporting the reclaimed water. The disused<br />

Catalina 1 reservoir could then be used as the balancing storage if required. The hydraulic<br />

analysis of the regional water supply indicates that the water supply demands could be met<br />

through the existing 450 mm main and no augmentation to the 450 mm main would be<br />

required if the northern water filtration plant was located near Denhams Beach Reservoir.<br />

The schematic of this scheme concept is shown in Figure 8-5.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Figure 8-5 Topographic Layout of Northern Regional Scheme<br />

Southern Region Scheme<br />

The southern scheme is based on irrigating the agricultural and dairy farms around the<br />

Tuross River region. Similar to the shire-wide study, it is proposed to use a dedicated main<br />

to transfer reclaimed water from both the Tuross Head and Narooma sewage treatment<br />

plants. However, unlike in the shire-wide study, no wet weather/peak demand balancing<br />

storage is proposed. Farmers would be required to provide their own operational storage,<br />

which would be topped-up from the regional pipe main. The schematic of this scheme<br />

concept is shown below.<br />

95


96<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Figure 8-6 Southern Regional Reuse Scheme


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Environmental Reuse<br />

Environmental reuse involves the discharge of highly treated reclaimed water back to the<br />

river or aquifer system to improve the sustainability of the water resources. The reclaimed<br />

water quality in most instances would be of a better quality than that of the receiving water.<br />

In <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>, opportunities for environmental reuse include discharging upstream of<br />

irrigators on the Duea/Moruya River and recharging coastal aquifers such as the Broulee<br />

aquifer. The benefits of both the reuse options are discussed below.<br />

Environmental Flows<br />

Under the NSW <strong>Water</strong> Reforms, river flow objectives have been developed which give the<br />

environment priority of water use during low flow periods with water only able to be diverted<br />

for human use when minimum environmental needs have been satisfied. In most cases this<br />

requires the construction of additional storage facilities to meet water needs during drought.<br />

Under the <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Act, if there are users downstream of the discharge point<br />

(including the environment), then the return of highly treated reclaimed water can be<br />

credited against the extraction limit. Therefore if the environmental flow needs could be met<br />

with reclaimed water, it may be possible to increase the yield of the water supply system<br />

and make savings in water supply augmentation costs. The WM Act supports ‘in principle’<br />

the sustainable use of treated reclaimed water as substitute for environmental flows. It is<br />

understood that the relevant regulatory agencies are developing the rules under which<br />

environmental flow credits would apply for reclaimed water.<br />

There may be the potential to use reclaimed water from the northern regional agricultural<br />

reuse scheme to meet the needs of water extractors. The reclaimed water used for<br />

environmental flow substitution would need to be treated to a high standard to be<br />

acceptable for this purpose. This reuse strategy has the potential to defer the need for<br />

additional water storage in the regional water supply scheme. Environmental return flows<br />

are most needed in dry periods, which tend to coincide with high irrigation demand periods.<br />

It is likely that further studies would be required to demonstrate the environmental<br />

acceptability of this opportunity.<br />

Preliminary yield analysis indicates that every megalitre of reclaimed water substituted for<br />

environmental flow in the Moruya River would provide about 1 ML of extra yield. For<br />

example, 5 ML/d of highly treated reclaimed water with a one-to-three dilution would give an<br />

annual yield of 1 000 ML/a. In assessing and sizing the major scheme components of this<br />

opportunity, it has been assumed that reclaimed water will be available on demand from<br />

Batemans Bay, Tomakin and Moruya. The reclaimed water that would be used as<br />

environmental flow substitute upstream of the water extractors will be filtered in a<br />

membrane plant and disinfected using UV. Performance monitoring results obtained from<br />

reclaimed water plants using this treatment process train show that the reclaimed water<br />

produced is free of pathogens and has water quality comparable to the NSW Guidelines for<br />

Urban and Residential Use of Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> (Ref. 2).<br />

In a recent inter-agency meeting (October 2002, Batemans Bay) it was suggested that the<br />

following activities should be undertaken to further establish the feasibility of this<br />

opportunity.<br />

A comprehensive risk analysis to demonstrate that the reclaimed water does not<br />

pose any public health or environmental risks including to water users and the<br />

dependent ecosystems.<br />

A water balance analysis to demonstrate that the sustainability of the river is<br />

maintained and protected, particularly at low flows.<br />

A study to establish the minimum reclaimed water quality to maintain river<br />

sustainability.<br />

97


98<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Consultation with the affected property owners and with the <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

Committee.<br />

Groundwater Recharge<br />

Another environmental reuse opportunity is the use of stormwater and reclaimed water to<br />

recharge groundwater aquifers. Implementing this type of opportunity would be heavily<br />

dependent on having favourable aquifer conditions.<br />

Extensive groundwater investigations to prove the suitability of the aquifer and to establish<br />

design parameters would be essential before considering this reuse opportunity. Areas<br />

where the opportunity may be viable include South Durras and Broulee.<br />

When evaluating if the Broulee and South Durras Aquifers are appropriate for water storage<br />

and reuse, consideration needs to be given to the designated beneficial uses for the<br />

groundwater. The designated beneficial uses such as irrigation and ecosystem support are<br />

determine from:<br />

Background groundwater quality, taking into consideration the National <strong>Water</strong><br />

Quality <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong> (1992) which specify guideline values for water<br />

quality parameters for different beneficial uses and<br />

Local historical and continuing uses of those aquifers where these differ from<br />

national and state guidelines.<br />

Further information on aquifer storage and recovery can be found in the report by the<br />

Centre For Groundwater Studies (2000)<br />

Costs<br />

The costs for the Northern and Southern reuse schemes are presented in Table 8-13.<br />

Table 8-13 Costs for the Regional Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> Scheme<br />

Capital ($1000) NPV 7% ($m)<br />

Northern Scheme 4 842 5 769<br />

Southern Scheme 10 500 11 415<br />

8.5 Regional <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Options<br />

8.5.1 Overview<br />

Having evaluated the range of water resource opportunities using the IWCM process, the<br />

next step involves combining these opportunities to form integrated water resources<br />

options. These are developed for both the regional water scheme, and for each<br />

village/town.<br />

Traditionally, water utilities have focused on developing greater supply sources to meet the<br />

growing water needs and community expectations. These strategies have been based on<br />

traditional engineering solutions such as developing facilities for supply, treatment, storage<br />

and distribution. With the emphasis solely on maintaining reliable water supplies, little<br />

consideration has been given to the environment.<br />

It has been assessed that on balance, higher protection of the river flows of the existing<br />

supply sources in the future is preferable (i.e. 95/30 environmental flow regime until 2020


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

and 80/30thereafter). In addition, if in the future off-river storage is required it would be<br />

more feasible to construct a facility in the south of the shire to harvest and store high flows<br />

of the Tuross River. Modelling has revealed that with the implementation of the immediate<br />

and short term measures, based on existing supply sources the regional scheme would be<br />

able to meet a water demand of 6 400 ML/a while providing 95 th percentile low flow<br />

protection. Future implementation of 80 th percentile low flow would reduce secure yield of<br />

the supply system to 4 500 ML/a and necessitate the provision of additional water storage to<br />

maintain supply during droughts. The integrated options described below are based on new<br />

off-river storage in the south of the shire being implemented by 2020.<br />

Table 8-14 below shows how the various opportunities could be bundled to form integrated<br />

options to meet the projected year 2032 water needs.<br />

Table 8-14 Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply <strong>Integrated</strong> Options<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> options<br />

Traditional<br />

1 2 3 4 5 6 7<br />

Limited Demand <strong>Management</strong> <br />

Comprehensive Demand <strong>Management</strong> <br />

10 kL rainwater tanks in all new<br />

developments and 20% existing<br />

houses<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to<br />

high priority villages<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to<br />

low priority villages<br />

Reclaimed<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Reuse<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

Agriculture <br />

Non-potable water in<br />

new developments<br />

(dual reticulation)<br />

Aquifer recharge for<br />

subsequent nonpotable<br />

water use<br />

Environmental flow<br />

substitution<br />

Southern dam for the regional scheme<br />

(x 1000 ML)<br />

<br />

<br />

5.6 1.5 0.9 0.93 1.01 1.01 0.84 0<br />

8.5.2 Description of the Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply <strong>Integrated</strong> Options<br />

Traditional<br />

This option consists of:<br />

Immediate and short term measures as discussion in section 8.3.3. Initially the<br />

northern and southern filtration plants would be 45 ML/d and 15 ML/d respectively<br />

A waterwise education program<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high priority villages<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to low priority villages<br />

Maximised reclaimed water reuse for agriculture<br />

<br />

99


100<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

A southern dam (5 600 ML).<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Option 1: Enhance Existing Supply Scheme Plus Southern Dam and<br />

Comprehensive Demand <strong>Management</strong><br />

This option consists of:<br />

Immediate and short term measures as discussion in section 8.3.3. The initial<br />

capacity of northern and southern filtration plants would be 26 ML/d and 10 ML/d<br />

respectively.<br />

A comprehensive demand management comprising:<br />

− Community education targeting outdoor irrigation<br />

− A active program to retrofit water efficient fittings and equipment, such as<br />

shower roses and aerated taps<br />

− Pricing adjustments<br />

− Active system leak detection and repair<br />

A southern dam (1 500 ML).<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Option 2: Enhanced Existing Supply Scheme Plus Southern Dam,<br />

Comprehensive Demand <strong>Management</strong> and Rainwater Tanks<br />

This option consists of:<br />

Immediate and short term measures as discussion in section 8.3.3. The initial<br />

capacity of northern and southern filtration plants would be 24.5 ML/d and 9.5 ML/d<br />

respectively.<br />

A comprehensive demand management comprising:<br />

− Community education targeting outdoor irrigation<br />

− A active program to retrofit water efficient fittings and equipment, such as<br />

shower roses and aerated taps<br />

− Pricing adjustments<br />

− Active system leak detection and repair<br />

10 kL rainwater tank for all new developments with water used for garden watering,<br />

toilet flushing and washing machines, and a retrofit of 10 kL rainwater tanks in 20%<br />

of existing houses<br />

A southern dam (900 ML).<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Option 3: Option 2 plus Reticulated <strong>Water</strong> to High Priority Villages<br />

This option consists of:<br />

Immediate and short term measures as discussion in section 8.3.3. The initial<br />

capacity of northern and southern filtration plants would be 24.5 ML/d and 9.5 ML/d<br />

respectively.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

10 kL rainwater tank for all new developments with water used for garden watering,<br />

toilet flushing and washing machines, and a retrofit of 10 kL rainwater tanks in 20%<br />

of existing houses<br />

A comprehensive demand management comprising:<br />

− Community education targeting outdoor irrigation<br />

− A active program to retrofit water efficient fittings and equipment, such as<br />

shower roses and aerated taps<br />

− Pricing adjustments<br />

− Active system leak detection and repair<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high priority villages<br />

A southern dam (930 ML).<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Option 4: Enhanced Existing Supply Scheme Plus Southern Dam, Demand<br />

<strong>Management</strong>, Rainwater tanks and Reticulated <strong>Water</strong> to All Villages<br />

This option consists of:<br />

Immediate and short term measures as discussion in section 8.3.3. The initial<br />

capacity of northern and southern filtration plants would be 25 ML/d and 9.5 ML/d<br />

A comprehensive demand management comprising:<br />

− Community education targeting outdoor irrigation<br />

− A active program to retrofit water efficient fittings and equipment, such as<br />

shower roses and aerated taps<br />

− Pricing adjustments<br />

− Active system leak detection and repair<br />

10 kL rainwater tank for all new developments with water used for garden watering,<br />

toilet flushing and washing machines, and a retrofit of 10 kL rainwater tanks in 20%<br />

of existing houses<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high priority villages<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to low priority villages<br />

A southern dam (1 010 ML).<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Option 5: Option 4 plus Agricultural Reuse<br />

This option consists of:<br />

Immediate and short term measures as discussion in section 8.3.3. The initial<br />

capacity of northern and southern filtration plants would be 25 ML/d and 9.5 ML/d<br />

A comprehensive demand management comprising:<br />

− Community education targeting outdoor irrigation<br />

101


102<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

− A active program to retrofit water efficient fittings and equipment, such as<br />

shower roses and aerated taps<br />

− Pricing adjustments<br />

− Active system leak detection and repair<br />

10 kL rainwater tank for all new developments with water used for garden watering,<br />

toilet flushing and washing machines, and a retrofit of 10 kL rainwater tanks in 20%<br />

of existing houses<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high priority villages<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to low priority villages<br />

Opportunistic reclaimed water reuse for agriculture<br />

A southern dam (1 010 ML)<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Option 6: Option 5 Plus Dual Reticulation and Aquifer Recharge<br />

This option consists of:<br />

Immediate and short term measures as discussion in section 8.3.3. The initial<br />

capacity of northern and southern filtration plants would be 24 ML/d and 9 ML/d<br />

A comprehensive demand management comprising:<br />

− Community education targeting outdoor irrigation<br />

− A active program to retrofit water efficient fittings and equipment, such as<br />

shower roses and aerated taps<br />

− Pricing adjustments<br />

− Active system leak detection and repair<br />

10 kL rainwater tank for all new developments with water used for garden watering,<br />

toilet flushing and washing machines, and a retrofit of 10 kL rainwater tanks in 20%<br />

of existing houses<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high priority villages<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to low priority villages<br />

Opportunistic reclaimed water reuse for agriculture<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for aquifer recharge for subsequent non-potable water use<br />

(e.g. Broulee)<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for non-potable water use in new developments (dual<br />

reticulation) for 1 200 houses (e.g. Rosedale)<br />

A southern dam (840 ML)<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Option 7: Option 6 Plus Environmental Flow Substitution<br />

This option consists of:


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Immediate and short term measures as discussion in section 8.3.3. The initial<br />

capacity of northern and southern filtration plants would be 23.5 ML/d and 9 ML/d<br />

A comprehensive demand management comprising:<br />

− Community education targeting outdoor irrigation<br />

− A active program to retrofit water efficient fittings and equipment, such as<br />

shower roses and aerated taps<br />

− Pricing adjustments<br />

− Active system leak detection and repair<br />

10 kL rainwater tank for all new developments with water used for garden, toilet<br />

flushing and washing machines, and a retrofit of 10 kL rainwater tanks in 20% of<br />

existing houses<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high priority villages<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to low priority villages<br />

Opportunistic reclaimed water reuse for agriculture<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for aquifer recharge for subsequent non-potable water use<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for non-potable water use in new developments (dual<br />

reticulation)<br />

Environmental flow substitution in the Moruya River upstream of irrigators on a<br />

greater than 1:3 dilution basis<br />

Non-potable water reuse for garden watering and toilet flushing in new<br />

developments and/or by injecting reclaimed water into the aquifer near Broulee for<br />

subsequent use by the householders through their individual spear points.<br />

Analysis shows that this will defer the need for the southern dam. Analysis indicates that the<br />

Southern dam will be needed between year 2035 and 2040.<br />

103


104<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 8-15 TBL Assessment for the Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply Options<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Ensures the efficient use of the<br />

fresh water resource<br />

Minimises water extractions and<br />

protects low flows<br />

Minimises greenhouse gas<br />

emissions<br />

Minimises pollutants being<br />

discharged to the aquatic<br />

environment<br />

Minimises urban stormwater<br />

volumes<br />

Trad. <strong>Integrated</strong> Options<br />

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7<br />

0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3<br />

0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3<br />

1 3 3 2 1 1 1 2<br />

0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2<br />

0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2<br />

Ensure sustainable practices 0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3<br />

Environmental Sum 2 6 11 10 9 14 14 15<br />

Environmental Rank 8 7 4 5 6 2 2 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water<br />

supply<br />

Improves the quality of drinking<br />

water<br />

Improves urban water service<br />

levels<br />

Increases public awareness of<br />

urban water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance to<br />

legislation<br />

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3<br />

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3<br />

1 1 2 2 3 3 3 3<br />

0 2 3 3 3 3 3 3<br />

0 1 1 2 3 3 3 3<br />

Protects public health 0 0 0 2 3 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 7 10 12 15 18 18 18 18<br />

Social Rank 8 7 6 5 1 1 1 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV $m over 30 years (with<br />

Rainwater Tanks)<br />

149.1 64.2 73.2 74.7 76.8 86.3 86.8 80.7<br />

Financial Rank 8 1 2 3 4 6 7 5<br />

TBL Sum 24 15 12 13 11 9 10 7<br />

TBL Rank 8 7 5 6 4 2 3 1<br />

From the triple bottom line assessment, integrated option 7 provides the best social,<br />

environmental and financial outcomes. This option eliminates the need for a dam within the<br />

next 30 years through the integration of options including rainwater tanks, comprehensive<br />

demand management and environmental flow substitution.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9 Local <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

Opportunities<br />

9.1 Introduction<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire is comprised of 15 towns and villages. IWCM strategies have been<br />

proposed for each town and village to address the local landscape, water services and<br />

community issues.<br />

Although community presentation and information sessions were undertaken as part of this<br />

study process, it is generally accepted that these sessions were more regionally focused<br />

and therefore were held at the major urban areas. Thus further consultation will be<br />

undertaken at various villages to gain a greater focus on local issues and management<br />

strategies before any option is selected as the preferred solution for the respective<br />

community.<br />

The ranking process used for the TBL assessment is based on scoring each integrated<br />

option from 0-3. The score is based on the appropriateness of each option in achieving the<br />

specified environmental, social and economic criteria, with 0 representing a poor outcome<br />

and 3 representing the most appropriate option. Equal weighting is given to the<br />

environmental, social and economic criteria.<br />

It is important to note that the discrepancies in the data between dwelling numbers and onsite<br />

sewerage systems is due to the data originating from two differing sources, namely the<br />

ABS and Council’s Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The discrepancy can be<br />

attributed to unregistered on-site systems and properties having more than one on-site<br />

facility, and the ABS having collection districts different to the village areas.<br />

105


9.2 South Durras<br />

9.2.1 Background<br />

106<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The Village Landscape<br />

South Durras is located in the most north easterly part of the shire. The village is divided<br />

into two main regions, the area south of Durras Lake (an intermittently opening lagoon) and<br />

the area behind the dunes, north-west of Mill Point headland. Urban development is<br />

predominantly concentrated on the foreshores of the Tasman Sea. Access to the village is<br />

from the Princes Highway through South Durras Road, see Figure 9-1 below.<br />

Figure 9-1 South Durras Location<br />

The area surrounding the village consists of sensitive wetlands, Murramarang National Park<br />

and coastal dunes and lakes. These areas act as a natural barrier making it difficult to<br />

expand the current footprint/boundary of the village. However, South Durras contains about<br />

59 vacant lots, which once developed, will reach the maximum dwelling numbers. Council’s<br />

current planning instruments only allow single dwelling developments and require the<br />

development to blend with the natural landscape to minimise the impacts on land and water<br />

management. It is the community expectation that this urban setting/characteristic will be<br />

retained in the future. The village also has three caravan parks and a small commercial<br />

area. South Durras has a population of 326 and 313 houses (ABS 2001). This population<br />

almost doubles during the peak summer holiday season. The 1996 housing monitor<br />

indicated that the vacant lots are being developed at an annual rate of 8. Based on this<br />

figure all vacant lots will be developed by 2005.<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

The village residents rely on rainwater tanks for their potable water needs. Some residents<br />

also extract groundwater using private backyard bores to water their gardens. The caravan<br />

parks use both the harvested roof rain runoff and private bores to meet their water needs.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

During periods of drought and low rainfall the individual property owners purchase water<br />

externally, which in most instances is sourced from the shire’s regional water scheme.<br />

The village residents’ sewerage needs are serviced by their own on-site wastewater<br />

management systems. Council’s GIS records show that there are about 296 on-site<br />

treatment facilities. Of these, 74% are septic tanks with effluent disposal by adsorption<br />

trench and an additional 20% are septic tanks with effluent pump-out. Property owners<br />

arrange for their own septic tank pumpout, which in most instances is treated in one of the<br />

sewage treatment plants in the Shire. The remaining 6% of the systems utilise aerated<br />

processes with on-site effluent irrigation that give higher levels of nutrient removal than<br />

septic systems.<br />

The village has two stormwater catchments. Most of the catchment area is pervious with<br />

underlying sandy soils. Therefore surface runoff is negligible and confined to the roads<br />

within the village. The first catchment drains to Durras Lake and the second catchment to<br />

the sea. There are about 0.97 km of stormwater pipeline and 57 pits along the village roads<br />

that predominantly carry the runoff from the roads.<br />

Figure 9-2 Aerial Photograph of South Durras<br />

9.2.2 What Are the Issues?<br />

The issues associated with the South Durras landscape and water management system<br />

are classified into environmental and social issues, and are discussed below. Other<br />

community services related issues are not included as part of this study.<br />

Environmental Issues<br />

Acid sulfate soils exposed from past development are impacting on the water<br />

quality of the lake.<br />

The groundwater levels and the extraction rates are not monitored. Anecdotal<br />

evidence suggests that the water level falls during long periods of no rain. However<br />

107


108<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

no analysis has been undertaken to quantify the sustainability of current<br />

extractions.<br />

Due to the sandy nature of the soil it is commonly acknowledged that<br />

sewage/effluent from on-site wastewater management systems will infiltrate the<br />

groundwater aquifer and ultimately end up in the waterways, in this instance into<br />

Durras Lake. This is not acceptable given the comprehensive protection<br />

classification given to Durras Lake by the Independent Inquiry Into Coastal Lakes<br />

(HRC, 2001).<br />

Groundwater quality results (taken in mid-1980s) show elevated nitrate levels and<br />

the presence of faecal bacteria confirming the contamination of the groundwater<br />

from poorly managed on-site wastewater management systems. No additional<br />

water quality information is available due to the lack of a monitoring program.<br />

Stormwater entering the lake from the developed area may also impact on the<br />

health and visual quality of the lake. The likely pollutants are hydrocarbons from the<br />

roads, litter particularly from the hot spots (e.g. caravan park and commercial area),<br />

and nutrients and particles associated with the sediments. In the absence of<br />

stormwater quantity and quality monitoring, preliminary estimates suggest an<br />

annual flow of 565 kL, with corresponding nitrogen and phosphorus loads of 680 kg<br />

and 90 kg respectively.<br />

Degradation of sensitive natural wetlands from stormwater discharge and the<br />

invasion of exotic weeds.<br />

Social Issues<br />

Due to the popular nature of the village and its surrounds, there are concerns that<br />

development density will increase or the village footprint will be expanded.<br />

Dependence on rainfall has, at times, reduced the reliability of the individual water<br />

systems.<br />

Current on-site wastewater management practices are posing a public health risk<br />

particularly during rainy periods.<br />

South Durras records the highest number of complaints relating to on-site<br />

wastewater management in the shire.<br />

There is no formal approach to stormwater management in the village to promote<br />

the better management and efficient use of this resource.<br />

The village residents do not receive ‘tips’ on how to save water and on how to<br />

better manage their on-site wastewater systems.<br />

There is no local water provision to fight building fires within the village.<br />

9.2.3 How Do We Fix the Problems?<br />

Overview<br />

South Durras’s water cycle needs to be managed sustainably. This could be achieved<br />

through the implementation of appropriate planning controls. The issues of future<br />

development and acid sulfate soil runoff could be managed by amending the Local<br />

Environmental Plan and development control plans. For instance South Durras is opposed<br />

to the provision of a reticulated water and sewerage system, citing that this will allow the<br />

zoning of the village to change and may result in more medium density development.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

However, zoning and development control plans could be used to maintain the village’s<br />

character.<br />

The management of Durras Lake requires a coordinated management approach by both<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> and Shoalhaven councils as the local government boundary splits the lake into<br />

two; South and North Durras. Further, although not discussed in this strategy, there could<br />

be opportunity for integrated and joint management of the water cycle in both villages, as<br />

well as the opportunity for the two councils to develop a joint local environmental plan.<br />

There are a number of opportunities available to manage the water cycle of South Durras.<br />

Traditionally, all opportunities available for the water supply, wastewater and stormwater<br />

were often evaluated in isolation. In this strategy, all available opportunities were identified<br />

and coarse screened (see appendix C). The short-listed water cycle management<br />

opportunities are discussed below.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

There are both short and medium term measures to improve the water cycle management<br />

at South Durras. The short term measures should be implemented as a matter of priority to<br />

achieve best practice standard immaterial of the medium term opportunities.<br />

Short term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Identification of all private bores and improving the sustainability of the current<br />

aquifer usage including regular water quality and water level monitoring.<br />

Regular monitoring of the on-site wastewater management systems for<br />

performance and integrity.<br />

Systematic monitoring of the local waterways and the urban stormwater quality and<br />

quantity.<br />

Regular mail-outs of ways to maintain on-site water and wastewater systems<br />

including information on water conservation.<br />

The above short term measures are complimentary to the proposed medium-term<br />

measures and would help Council and the community to manage their water cycle more<br />

sustainably.<br />

Medium to Long term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

Medium-term opportunities are measures related to improving the long term sustainability<br />

of the water cycle. In addition, these opportunities will also reduce the public health and<br />

environmental impacts and enhance the service standards for the water services. The table<br />

below presents these opportunities along with their capital and present value at an annual<br />

discount rate of 7%.<br />

109


110<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-1 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for South Durras<br />

Cost Estimate<br />

Capital ($m) NPV @ 7% ($m)<br />

Improved management of existing water supply - 2.0<br />

Harvested roof water<br />

supplemented with<br />

Local water source 1.6 2.3<br />

reticulated water Regional water source 2.1 2.3<br />

Provision of full Local water source 2.0 2.6<br />

reticulated water<br />

system Regional water source 2.4 2.7<br />

Improved management of existing on-site facilities 0.49 2.7<br />

Enhanced management of existing on-site<br />

facilities<br />

Enhanced management of existing on-site<br />

facilities with greywater reuse<br />

Centralised management of effluent from on-site<br />

facilities with local treatment<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated sewerage<br />

system<br />

Local treatment and<br />

management<br />

Transfer to Batemans<br />

Bay system<br />

1.42 1.79<br />

3.5 5.0<br />

3.19 2.49<br />

3.26 2.53<br />

3.46 2.50<br />

Note: NPV’s for on-site systems are based on a rolling program commencing in 2003. NPV’s for sewering South<br />

Durras are based on work commencing in 2009. NPV’s for water are based on work commencing in 2003<br />

Improved <strong>Management</strong> of Existing <strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

Conserving water and using it more efficiently could improve the reliability of the existing<br />

rainwater tank supply. This may be achieved through utilising water efficient appliances and<br />

fixtures such as dual flush toilet, aerated taps, smart and efficient shower roses and<br />

washing machines. Improved reliability could also be achieved by utilising groundwater<br />

obtained from backyard bores for toilet flushing, clothes washing and garden watering. The<br />

water quality from rainwater tanks could be improved through better management practices<br />

such as by installing a first flush device, a coarse filter at the inlet and by regular cleaning.<br />

Harvested Roofwater Supplemented with Reticulated <strong>Water</strong><br />

This opportunity continues to utilise existing rainwater tanks for toilet flushing and garden<br />

watering, with a supplemented reticulated water supply for other potable purposes and to<br />

top up the rainwater tanks when needed. This option would eliminate the need to import<br />

water in periods of low rainfall and drought, and would provide water that meets the<br />

Australian Drinking <strong>Water</strong> Guidelines. The reticulated water could be sourced either:<br />

Locally from the coastal aquifer, or<br />

From the regional scheme.<br />

In both cases, the reticulation pipes required would be smaller than that required for the<br />

provision of a full reticulated water supply. In this case the average annual and peak<br />

reticulated water demands for the full development situation would be about 68 ML/a and<br />

0.22 ML/d respectively.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

<strong>Water</strong> sourced from the local bore is likely to have a low pH and be high in iron. The nitrate<br />

value of 4 mg/L recorded in mid-1980s, although high, is still within the recommended<br />

Australian Drinking <strong>Water</strong> Guidelines. Thus bore water would be required to undergo basic<br />

treatment consisting of aeration followed by filtration. A reticulation scheme based on a<br />

local source would consist of a borefield with at least two bores, a water filtration facility, a<br />

small reservoir, pumping facilities and 50 mm reticulation pipes.<br />

The alternative option of sourcing water from the regional scheme would require a pumping<br />

facility at Batemans Bay, 14 km raising/gravity main, a small reservoir, and approximately<br />

50 mm reticulation pipes.<br />

In both cases no fire fighting provision will be provided in the reticulation pipes.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated <strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

Rainwater tanks can be less reliable than town water supplies and if gutters, roof surfaces<br />

and tanks are not well maintained the resulting water quality may be of a considerably<br />

poorer quality than that from a full reticulated town water supply. A full reticulated system<br />

without the reliance on rainwater tanks would eliminate the need for homeowners to import<br />

water during low rainfall and drought periods, and would provide water that meets the<br />

Australian Drinking <strong>Water</strong> Quality Guidelines.<br />

Similar to the previous opportunity reticulated water could be sourced from the:<br />

Local coastal aquifer, or<br />

Regional scheme.<br />

In this case the average annual and peak reticulated water demands for the full<br />

development situation would be about 80 ML/a and 0.33 ML/d respectively.<br />

The scheme facilities required for both the source water options would be similar to those<br />

required in the previous opportunity, except the facility and component sizes will be slightly<br />

larger. The provision of larger pipes and facilities enables the provision of urban fire fighting<br />

services at minimal extra cost.<br />

Improved <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

The seepage from existing on-site wastewater management systems could be reduced by<br />

regularly emptying the contents of the septic tanks and installing monitoring systems to<br />

prevent septic tank overflows and to allow for the ongoing assessment of the integrity of the<br />

tanks.<br />

A single contract could be arranged by the Council or by the community such that the septic<br />

tanks are pumped at set time intervals. This would cover both effluent and sullage<br />

pumpout. The pumpout cost could be evenly divided among the residents. To facilitate<br />

pumping every tank would require a small holding tank or pumpout facility.<br />

This opportunity would eliminate the risk of effluent contaminating the aquifer and<br />

waterways. Potential disadvantages include odours and noise during pumpouts and the<br />

frequent movement of trucks in the neighbourhood.<br />

Enhanced <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

There are several options available to upgrade the existing on-site wastewater<br />

management systems to achieve greater public health and environmental outcomes. The<br />

first option is to retain the existing septic tank and upgrade the on-site effluent management<br />

system. An example of this would be the replacement of the adsorption trenches with lined<br />

evapotranspiration beds that achieve a higher level of water and nutrient uptake through<br />

plants.<br />

111


112<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Another alternative is to upgrade the septic system to one that achieves nutrient removal<br />

and therefore results in a higher quality effluent discharge (e.g. aerated tanks). This would<br />

increase the potential uses available for the resulting treated effluent.<br />

Both these options would minimise the potential of groundwater contamination and its<br />

associated environmental impacts, as well as reducing the likelihood of public health issues<br />

and odour complaints.<br />

Enhanced <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Facilities with Greywater Reuse<br />

In this opportunity blackwater (water from kitchen sink and toilet), and greywater (water<br />

from laundry and bathroom), would be managed separately. The blackwater would be<br />

treated in the existing septic tanks with regular pumpouts and the greywater would be<br />

treated on-site using an advanced technology such as aerated tanks. The treated effluent<br />

could then be recycled for garden watering and toilet flushing.<br />

In addition to reducing the amount of imported reticulated water, this would conserve<br />

harvested roof rainwater. With the implementation of an appropriate monitoring system,<br />

long term environmental and water resource sustainability and public health protection<br />

could be achieved.<br />

Centralised <strong>Management</strong> of Effluent from On-site Facilities<br />

As an alternative to providing a full reticulated sewage system, the effluent from existing onsite<br />

systems (e.g. septic tanks) could be collected and transported to a central treatment<br />

facility. This type of system relies on smaller pipes than those required for a conventional<br />

reticulated sewerage system. Pipes can be laid in the ground at a lesser gradient and at a<br />

more shallow depth than that of conventional gravity sewerage, as the pipes carry only<br />

liquid effluent. The solids are captured by the on-site system.<br />

The effluent could be treated locally or transported to Batemans Bay STP. Appendix P<br />

provides information on the various effluent transport and local treatment options.<br />

Treating effluent at a local facility would result in a number of options for the management<br />

of reclaimed water. Preliminary appraisal suggests dunal infiltration, agricultural reuse<br />

(possibly at the Princess Highway) and controlled groundwater injection for subsequent<br />

extraction as the most suitable options worthy of further evaluation.<br />

Costs in Table 9-1 are based on centralised effluent drainage (CED) for transport, a local<br />

package plant for treatment and dunal infiltration.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated Sewerage System<br />

An alternative to on-site treatment facilities is to transfer wastewater (i.e. black and<br />

greywater) through a centralised sewer transport network to either a local treatment facility<br />

as discussed for the previous opportunity or to the Batemans Bay treatment works. Unlike<br />

the previous opportunity, the sewer transport pipes would need to be larger and possibly<br />

installed at greater depths.<br />

Appendix P provides a detailed description of the available transport and local treatment<br />

options. The shortlisted reclaimed water management options are the same as those<br />

discussed for the above opportunity.<br />

Costs in Table 9-1 are based on a modified gravity transport system, a local package<br />

extended aeration treatment plant and dunal infiltration.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Social and Environmental Aspects of Medium to Long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

The TBL assessment (Table 9-2) provides the comparative environmental and social<br />

benefits of each water cycle management opportunity.<br />

Table 9-2 Social and Environmental Aspects of the Medium to Long Term<br />

Opportunities for South Durras<br />

Opportunity Social Environmental<br />

Improved management of existing<br />

water supply<br />

Harvested roof<br />

water<br />

supplemented<br />

with reticulated<br />

water<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated water<br />

system<br />

Local water<br />

source<br />

Regional water<br />

source<br />

Local water<br />

source<br />

Regional water<br />

source<br />

Improved management of existing onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Reduces demands for water and<br />

increases security<br />

Increases public awareness of<br />

water conservation issues<br />

Decreases public health risks<br />

and increases security<br />

Eliminates the need to import<br />

water<br />

<strong>Water</strong> for potable uses would<br />

meet the Australian Drinking<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Guidelines<br />

Decreases public health risk and<br />

increases security<br />

Eliminates the need to import<br />

water<br />

<strong>Water</strong> for potable uses would<br />

meet the Australian Drinking<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Guidelines<br />

Decreases public health risk and<br />

increases security<br />

Eliminates the need to import<br />

water<br />

Provision available for fire<br />

fighting purposes<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction,<br />

i.e. noise, vehicle movement<br />

<strong>Water</strong> for potable uses would<br />

meet the Australian Drinking<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Guidelines<br />

Decreases public health risk and<br />

increases security<br />

Eliminates the need to import<br />

water<br />

Provision available for fire<br />

fighting purposes<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction,<br />

i.e. noise, vehicle movement<br />

<strong>Water</strong> for potable uses would<br />

meet the Australian Drinking<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Guidelines<br />

Associated odour and noise<br />

impacts<br />

Inconvenience of pumpout<br />

trucks in the area<br />

More conservative/efficient use<br />

of water.<br />

Incorporates sustainable use of<br />

water resources<br />

<strong>Water</strong> extraction could place<br />

pressure on the local aquifer<br />

and the environment<br />

Incorporates sustainable use of<br />

water resources<br />

Reduces pressure on the local<br />

aquifer<br />

Less pressure on local<br />

environments, however<br />

increases pressure on regional<br />

water sources<br />

<strong>Water</strong> extraction could place<br />

pressure on the local aquifer<br />

and the environment<br />

Increases runoff, which may<br />

result in increased pollutant<br />

loads entering the environment<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Less pressure on local<br />

environments, however<br />

increases pressure on regional<br />

water sources<br />

Increases runoff, which may<br />

result in increased pollutant<br />

loads entering the environment<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Improves environmental<br />

outcomes, minimises the<br />

incidence of septic effluent<br />

contaminating groundwater<br />

113


114<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Opportunity Social Environmental<br />

Enhanced management of existing onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Enhanced management of existing onsite<br />

facilities with greywater reuse<br />

Centralised<br />

management of<br />

effluent from onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated<br />

sewerage system<br />

Local treatment<br />

and<br />

management<br />

Transfer to<br />

Batemans Bay<br />

system<br />

Local treatment<br />

and<br />

management<br />

Transfer to<br />

Batemans Bay<br />

system<br />

Improves air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Enhances aesthetic appeal for<br />

the local area, good for tourism<br />

and recreational activities<br />

Improves air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Potential disturbance during<br />

construction period<br />

Enhances aesthetic appeal for<br />

the local area<br />

Decreases demand for water,<br />

increases security<br />

Solution would be tailored to<br />

match local requirements<br />

Potential short term disturbance<br />

during construction period<br />

Limited additional treatment<br />

infrastructure required<br />

Existing resources can be<br />

utilised<br />

Potential short term disturbance<br />

during construction period<br />

Solution would be tailored to<br />

match local requirements<br />

Larger capital investment<br />

required<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction i.e.<br />

noise, vehicle movement<br />

Limited additional treatment<br />

infrastructure required<br />

Existing resources can be<br />

utilised<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction i.e.<br />

noise, vehicle movement<br />

9.2.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

Reduces impact to local aquifer<br />

and the environment<br />

Reduces impact to local aquifer<br />

and the environment<br />

Maximises water resource use<br />

Would encourage local reuse<br />

and recycling<br />

Less overall environmental<br />

impacts than conventional<br />

gravity systems<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Less overall environmental<br />

impacts than conventional<br />

gravity systems<br />

May allow for regional reuse<br />

Improves quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Increases opportunities for<br />

effluent reuse<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Significantly reduces likelihood<br />

of groundwater contamination<br />

Improved quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Increased opportunities for<br />

effluent reuse<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Significantly reduced likelihood<br />

of groundwater contamination<br />

Using the bundling process, the above water management opportunities can be combined<br />

into integrated scenarios. Table 9-3 presents examples of integrated scenarios. Other<br />

scenarios may be developed and considered in subsequent study phases.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-3 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios for South Durras<br />

Improved management of existing water<br />

supply<br />

Harvested roof<br />

water<br />

supplemented with<br />

reticulated water<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated water<br />

system<br />

Minimal<br />

<br />

Traditional<br />

Solution<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios<br />

3 4 5<br />

Local water source <br />

Regional water<br />

source<br />

Local water source<br />

Regional water<br />

source<br />

Improved management of existing on-site<br />

facilities<br />

Enhanced management of existing on-site<br />

facilities<br />

Enhanced management of existing on-site<br />

facilities with greywater reuse<br />

Centralised management of effluent from<br />

on-site facilities with local treatment<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated<br />

sewerage system<br />

Local treatment and<br />

management<br />

Transfer to<br />

Batemans Bay<br />

system<br />

<br />

Minimal Improved management of existing water supply and improved management of existing onsite<br />

facilities.<br />

Traditional Provision of reticulated water systems from the regional supply, and the provision of full<br />

reticulated sewerage systems with transfer to the Batemans Bay system.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3 Harvested roof water supplemented with reticulated water from the regional<br />

supply, and centralised management of effluent from on-site facilities with local treatment and<br />

management.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 4 Harvested roof water supplemented with reticulated water from a local supply<br />

source and enhanced management of existing on-site facilities.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 5 Harvested roof water supplemented with reticulated water from a local supply<br />

source and enhanced management of existing on-site facilities with greywater reuse.<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

115


116<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-4 Triple Bottom Line Reporting for South Durras<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Efficient use of fresh water<br />

resource<br />

Minimises low flow water<br />

extractions<br />

Minimises greenhouse gas<br />

emissions<br />

Minimises pollutants being<br />

discharged to the aquatic<br />

environment<br />

Minimises urban stormwater<br />

volumes<br />

Minimal<br />

Traditional<br />

Approach<br />

3 4 5<br />

3 1 2 3 3<br />

3 1 2 3 3<br />

3 1 1 2 2<br />

2 2 2 2 2<br />

3 0 2 2 2<br />

Ensures sustainable practices 2 1 1 2 3<br />

Environmental Sum 16 6 10 14 15<br />

Environmental Rank 1 5 4 3 2<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water<br />

supply<br />

Improves the quality of drinking<br />

water<br />

Improves urban water service<br />

levels<br />

Increases public awareness of<br />

urban water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance to<br />

policy and legislation<br />

0 3 3 3 3<br />

1 3 3 3 3<br />

1 3 3 3 3<br />

3 1 2 3 3<br />

1 3 3 3 3<br />

Protects public health 1 3 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 7 16 17 18 18<br />

Social Rank 5 4 3 1 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV ($m over 30 years) $2.8 $5.0 $4.8 $3.59 $6.80<br />

Financial Rank 1 4 3 2 5<br />

TBL Sum 9 13 10 6 8<br />

TBL Rank 3 5 4 1 2<br />

Using the criteria above Option 4, harvested roof water supplemented with reticulated water from<br />

a local supply source and enhanced management of existing on-site facilities is the preferred<br />

solution. This option performs well in all of the three TBL categories.


9.3 Nelligen<br />

9.3.1 Background<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The Village Landscape<br />

Nelligen is located on the brackish reaches of the Clyde River, which has been identified as<br />

a high value catchment. The 2001 census recorded 219 people in Nelligen. The 1996<br />

housing monitor stated there were 58 vacant lots in Nelligen, with an annual demand of 3<br />

lots. This analysis indicates that there will be a land shortage in the village in 2015. Figure<br />

9-3 contains a locality diagram of Nelligen.<br />

Figure 9-3 Nelligen Location<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

Nelligen is not connected to the regional town water supply and depends solely on water<br />

from rainwater tanks. Sewage is also treated on site. According to the GIS, there are 95 onsite<br />

treatment systems in the village. 81% of these are septic tanks with effluent disposal by<br />

adsorption trench, and an additional 14% are septic tanks with effluent pumpout. The<br />

remaining systems utilise aerated processes that give higher levels of nutrient removal.<br />

Being located on the Clyde River, stormwater discharge from Nelligen can impact adversely<br />

on water quality in this high conservation value catchment. Stormwater issues for the village<br />

have not been identified in the stormwater quality management plan due to the village’s<br />

size. Only one stormwater pipe has been identified on the GIS. Figure 9-4 shows the<br />

stormwater catchments for Nelligen.<br />

117


118<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Figure 9-4 Aerial Photograph of Nelligen<br />

9.3.2 What are the Issues<br />

The issues associated with the village landscape and water management system are<br />

classified into environmental and social issues, and are discussed below. Other community<br />

services-related issues are not part of this study.<br />

Environmental Issues<br />

Stormwater from the developed area may impact on the health and visual quality of<br />

the river. In the absence of stormwater quantity and quality monitoring, preliminary<br />

estimates suggest 400 kL/a of stormwater is generated in Nelligen, containing<br />

480 kg of nitrogen and 64 kg of phosphorus.<br />

The current on-site management practices may pose environmental risks, due to<br />

overflows, less than ideal soil types, the slope of the land and oyster farming<br />

downstream from Nelligen.<br />

Social Issues<br />

The current residents would support the provision of water and sewerage services<br />

as it would allow further development of the village<br />

The current on-site management practices may pose a potential public health risk<br />

The community does not have access to a secure water supply<br />

The area has a high tourist load<br />

The river is popular with recreational visitors for such activities as water skiing and<br />

fishing<br />

Oyster farming is undertaken downstream of Nelligen.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.3.3 How Do We Fix the Problems<br />

Overview<br />

It is vital that water management be undertaken in a sustainable manner. One important<br />

mechanism to aid in the achievement of sustainable water management is through planning<br />

controls. Many social and environmental issues such as protecting the amenity and medium<br />

density housing can be addressed through a local environmental plan or development<br />

control plan. Consultation meetings have shown that the community supports further<br />

development in Nelligen. Ensuring this development is undertaken in a sustainable manner<br />

is best achieved through strategic planning via planning instruments. Planning instruments<br />

also provide a forum for public review and participation requiring a mandatory exhibition and<br />

submission period.<br />

The traditional approach to water management is to separate water, wastewater and<br />

stormwater and treat each in isolation. In this strategy, all available opportunities have been<br />

identified and coarse screened (see appendix C). The shortlisted water cycle management<br />

opportunities are discussed below.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

There are both short and medium term measures to improve the water cycle management<br />

at Nelligen. The short term measures should be implemented as a matter of priority to<br />

achieve best practice standard immaterial of the medium term opportunities.<br />

Short term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Regular monitoring of the on-site wastewater management systems for<br />

performance and integrity<br />

Systematic monitoring of local waterways and urban stormwater quality and<br />

quantity<br />

Regular mail-outs of ways to maintain on-site water and wastewater systems<br />

including information on water conservation.<br />

The above short term measures are complimentary to the proposed medium-term<br />

measures and would help Council and the community to manage their water cycle more<br />

sustainably.<br />

Medium to Long term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

Medium-term opportunities are measures related to improving the long term sustainability<br />

of the water cycle. In addition, these opportunities will also reduce public health and<br />

environmental impacts and enhance the standards for the water services. The table below<br />

presents these opportunities along with their capital and present value at an annual<br />

discount rate of 7%.<br />

119


120<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-5 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for Nelligen<br />

Cost Estimate<br />

Capital ($m) NPV @ 7% ($m)<br />

Improved management of existing water supply - 0.06<br />

Harvested roof water supplemented with reticulated water from<br />

the regional scheme<br />

Provision of full reticulated water system from the regional<br />

scheme<br />

1.5 1.7<br />

1.7 1.9<br />

Improved management of existing on-site facilities 0.18 0.96<br />

Enhanced management of existing on-site facilities 1<br />

0.46 0.61<br />

Centralised management of effluent from on-site facilities with<br />

1 2.83 1.10<br />

local treatment<br />

Local treatment and management 1<br />

2.89 1.254<br />

Transfer to Batemans Bay system 1<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated sewerage<br />

1.55 0.27<br />

system Transfer to Batemans Bay system<br />

2<br />

with greywater reuse<br />

1.55 0.27<br />

Note 1: NPV’s for on-site systems are based on a rolling program commencing in 2003. NPV’s for sewering<br />

Nelligen are based on work commencing in 2012. NPV’s for water are based on works commencing in 2003<br />

Note 2: The savings achieved by Council treating less effluent have not been taken take into account in the study<br />

and the costs associated with greywater reuse are community costs<br />

Improved <strong>Management</strong> of Present <strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

The reliability of the existing rainwater tank supply could be improved by conserving water<br />

through more efficient use. Utilising water efficient appliances and fixtures such as dual<br />

flush toilet, aerated taps, smart and efficient shower roses and washing machines are a few<br />

examples.<br />

Harvested Roof <strong>Water</strong> Supplemented with Reticulated <strong>Water</strong><br />

Nelligen is totally dependent upon rainwater tanks for its water supply. Installing a<br />

reticulated system to supplement rainwater supplies would increase the water security. This<br />

type of system would offer a good quality potable water supply whilst continuing to utilise<br />

rainwater tanks for uses such as toilet flushing, washing machines and gardening.<br />

Significant community and health benefits would be expected with a supplemented potable<br />

supply meeting the Australian Drinking <strong>Water</strong> Guidelines. The reticulated water could be<br />

sourced from the regional scheme. This option would also increase security and eliminate<br />

the need to import water in periods of low rainfall.<br />

The pipes required for a supplemented reticulation scheme would be smaller than for a full<br />

reticulated water supply provision. In this case the average annual and peak reticulated<br />

water demands for the full development situation would be about 24 ML/a and 0.13 ML/d<br />

respectively.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated <strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

Rainwater tanks can be less reliable than town water supplies and if gutters, roof surfaces<br />

and tanks are not well maintained they may result in poor quality water. A full reticulated<br />

town water supply with no rainwater tanks would significantly reduce public health risks<br />

through ensuring that the water supply meets the Australian Drinking <strong>Water</strong> Quality<br />

Guidelines. This option would also eliminate the need for homeowners to import water<br />

during low rainfall and drought periods.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Connecting Nelligen to the region’s water supply from Batemans Bay would require a pipe<br />

extension of 7.2 km from Batemans Bay along the existing road line. The average annual<br />

and peak reticulated water demands for the full development situation would be about<br />

28 ML/a and 0.20 ML/d respectively.<br />

The scheme facilities necessary to provide a full reticulated water supply to Nelligen would<br />

be similar to those required for a supplemented reticulated supply as discussed previously.<br />

The facility and component sizes will, however, need to be slightly larger. The provision of<br />

larger pipes and facilities enables the provision of fire fighting services at minimal extra<br />

cost.<br />

Improved <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

Sewage in Nelligen is currently treated by on-site systems. It is recommended that Council<br />

consider the management options for sewage treatment for the village. The seepage from<br />

existing on-site wastewater management systems could be reduced by regularly emptying<br />

the contents of the septic tanks and installing monitoring systems to prevent septic tank<br />

overflows and to assess the integrity of the tanks. Regular pumpouts and monitoring have<br />

the potential to minimise many of the environmental and public health impacts associated<br />

with the operation of septic systems.<br />

A single contract could be arranged by the Council or by the community such that the septic<br />

tanks are pumped at set time intervals. This would cover both effluent and sullage<br />

pumpout. The cost of this pumpout could be evenly split between the residents. To facilitate<br />

pumping every tank would require a smaller holding tank or pumpout facility.<br />

Although this opportunity would reduce the potential of waterway and aquifer contamination,<br />

it may result in additional community impacts, such as odour complaints associated with<br />

pumpouts and the movement of trucks in the neighbourhood.<br />

Enhanced <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

There are several options available to upgrade the existing on-site wastewater<br />

management systems to achieve greater public health and environmental outcomes. The<br />

first option is to retain the existing septic tank and upgrade the on-site effluent management<br />

system. An example of this would be the replacement of the adsorption trenches with lined<br />

evapotranspiration beds, which achieve a higher level of water and nutrient uptake through<br />

plants.<br />

Another alternative is to upgrade the septic system to one that achieves nutrient removal<br />

and therefore results in a higher quality effluent discharge (e.g. aerated tanks). This would<br />

increase the potential uses available to the resulting treated effluent.<br />

Both these options would minimise the potential of groundwater contamination and its<br />

associated environmental problems, as well as reducing the likelihood of public health<br />

issues and odour complaints.<br />

Centralised <strong>Management</strong> of Effluent from On-site Facilities<br />

As an alternative to providing a full reticulated sewage system, the effluent from existing onsite<br />

systems (e.g. septic tanks) could be collected and transported to a central treatment<br />

facility. This type of system relies on smaller pipes than those required for a conventional<br />

reticulated sewerage system. Pipes can be laid in the ground at a lesser gradient and at a<br />

more shallow depth than that of conventional gravity sewerage, as the pipes carry only<br />

entrained solids thus having minimal self-cleaning velocity requirements.<br />

The effluent could be treated locally or transported to Batemans Bay STP. Appendix P<br />

provides information on the various effluent transport and local treatment options.<br />

121


122<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Treating effluent at a local facility would result in a number of options for the management<br />

of reclaimed water. Appendix P provides a detailed description of the available<br />

management options. Preliminary appraisal suggests river disposal, or agricultural reuse as<br />

the most suitable options worthy of further evaluation.<br />

Costs in Table 9-5 are based on centralised effluent drainage (CED) for transport, a local<br />

package plant for treatment and river disposal.<br />

Provision of a Full Reticulated Sewerage System<br />

An alternative to providing any on-site treatment facilities is to transfer wastewater (i.e.<br />

black and greywater) through a centralised sewer transport network to either a local<br />

treatment facility as discussed for the previous opportunity or to the Batemans Bay STP. A<br />

slight variation on this option would be to incorporate local greywater reuse and only<br />

transfer blackwater to the Batemans Bay STP.<br />

Unlike in the previous opportunity, the sewer transport pipes would need to be larger and<br />

possibly installed at greater depths.<br />

Appendix P provides a detailed description of the available transport and local treatment<br />

options. The shortlisted reclaimed water management options are the same as those<br />

discussed for the above opportunity.<br />

Costs in Table 9-5 are based on a modified gravity transport system, a local package<br />

extended aeration treatment plant and river disposal.<br />

Provision of Full System with Greywater Reuse<br />

On-site systems that achieve a suitable level of treatment for greywater would be<br />

maintained, and blackwater only would be transported to the Batemans Bay STP using the<br />

reticulation systems described above. The resulting greywater could then be utilised for a<br />

variety of outdoor uses and for toilet flushing. Maintaining current aerated systems in<br />

Nelligen for greywater reuse would reduce the volume of wastewater requiring treatment by<br />

0.325 ML/a. If in addition, current septic tanks were converted to rainwater tanks for reuse<br />

purposes an additional 3.6 ML/a could be saved. In addition to reducing the volume of<br />

imported or reticulated water required for Nelligen, this would reduce the hydraulic load on<br />

the Batemans Bay STP. With the implementation of appropriate monitoring systems, long<br />

term environmental and water resource sustainability and public health protection could be<br />

achieved.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-6 Social and Environmental Aspects of the Medium to Long Term<br />

Opportunities for Nelligen<br />

Opportunities Social Environmental<br />

Improved management of existing<br />

water supply<br />

Harvested roof water supplemented<br />

with reticulated water from the regional<br />

scheme<br />

Provision of full reticulated water<br />

system from the regional scheme<br />

Improved management of existing onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Enhanced management of existing onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Centralised<br />

management of<br />

effluent from onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Local treatment<br />

and management<br />

Transfer to<br />

Batemans Bay<br />

system<br />

Reduces demands for water and<br />

increases security<br />

Increases public awareness of<br />

water conservation issues<br />

Decreases public health risks<br />

and increases security<br />

Eliminates the need to import<br />

water<br />

<strong>Water</strong> for potable uses would<br />

meet the Australian Drinking<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Guidelines<br />

Decreases public health risk and<br />

increases security<br />

Eliminates the need to import<br />

water<br />

Provision available for fire<br />

fighting purposes<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction,<br />

i.e. noise, vehicle movement<br />

<strong>Water</strong> for potable uses would<br />

meet the Australian Drinking<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Guidelines<br />

Associated odour and noise<br />

impacts<br />

Inconvenience of pumpout<br />

trucks in the area<br />

Improves air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Enhances aesthetic appeal for<br />

the local area, good for tourism<br />

and recreational activities<br />

Solution would be tailored to<br />

match local requirements<br />

Limited additional infrastructure<br />

required<br />

Lower cost than conventional<br />

gravity<br />

Existing resources can be<br />

utilised<br />

More conservative/efficient<br />

water use<br />

Incorporates sustainable use of<br />

water resources<br />

Increases pressure on regional<br />

water sources<br />

Less pressure on local<br />

environments, however<br />

increases pressure on regional<br />

water sources<br />

Increases runoff, which may<br />

result in increased pollutant<br />

loads entering the environment<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Improves environmental<br />

outcomes, minimises the<br />

incidence of septic effluent<br />

contaminating local waterways<br />

Reduces impact to local<br />

waterways and the environment<br />

Less overall environmental<br />

impacts than conventional<br />

gravity systems<br />

Less overall environmental<br />

impacts than conventional<br />

gravity systems<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

May allow for regional reuse<br />

123


124<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated<br />

sewerage<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Opportunities Social Environmental<br />

Local treatment<br />

and management<br />

Transfer to<br />

Batemans Bay<br />

system<br />

Transfer to<br />

Batemans Bay<br />

system with<br />

greywater reuse<br />

Generally accepted by the<br />

community<br />

Solution would be tailored to<br />

match local requirements<br />

Larger capital investment<br />

required<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during constructions<br />

i.e. noise, vehicle movement<br />

Limited additional treatment<br />

infrastructure required<br />

Existing resources can be<br />

utilised<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction,<br />

i.e. noise, vehicle movement<br />

Reduces water demand<br />

Reduces hydraulic and<br />

biological load on the Batemans<br />

Bay system<br />

Limited additional treatment<br />

infrastructure required<br />

Existing resources can be<br />

utilised<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction,<br />

i.e. noise, vehicle movement<br />

9.3.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

Improves quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Increases opportunities for<br />

effluent reuse<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Significantly reduces likelihood<br />

of river contamination<br />

Improves quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Increases opportunities for<br />

effluent reuse<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Significantly reduces likelihood<br />

of river contamination<br />

Improves quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Incorporates sustainable use of<br />

water resources<br />

Reduces demands on water<br />

resources<br />

Using the bundling process the above water management opportunities can be combined<br />

into integrated scenarios. Table 9-7 presents examples of integrated scenarios.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-7 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios for Nelligen<br />

Minimal<br />

Improved management of existing water supply <br />

Harvested roof water supplemented with<br />

reticulated water from the regional scheme<br />

Provision of full reticulated water system from the<br />

regional scheme<br />

Improved management of existing on-site facilities <br />

Enhanced management of existing on-site<br />

facilities<br />

Centralised<br />

management of<br />

effluent from onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated<br />

sewerage<br />

system<br />

Local treatment and<br />

management<br />

Transfer to Batemans Bay<br />

system<br />

Local treatment and<br />

management<br />

Transfer to Batemans Bay<br />

system<br />

Transfer to Batemans Bay<br />

system with greywater reuse<br />

Traditional<br />

Solution<br />

<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios<br />

3 4 5<br />

<br />

Minimal Improved management of existing water supply and improved management of existing onsite<br />

facilities.<br />

Traditional Provision of full reticulated water systems from the regional supply scheme, and the<br />

provision of full reticulated sewerage systems with transfer to the Batemans Bay system.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3 Harvested roof water supplemented with reticulated water from the regional<br />

supply scheme, and centralised management of effluent from on-site facilities with transfer to a local<br />

treatment plant.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 4 Harvested roof water supplemented with reticulated water from the regional<br />

supply scheme and enhanced management of existing on-site facilities.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 5 Harvested roof water supplemented with reticulated water from the regional<br />

supply scheme and provision of full reticulated sewerage system, transfer to Batemans Bay with<br />

greywater reuse.<br />

The triple bottom line assessment below presents the comparative environmental, social<br />

and economic benefits of each integrated scenario example.<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

125


126<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-8 Triple Bottom Line Assessment for Nelligen<br />

Opportunities Minimal<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Efficient use of fresh water<br />

resource<br />

Minimises low flow water<br />

extractions<br />

Minimises greenhouse gas<br />

emissions<br />

Minimises pollutants being<br />

discharged to the aquatic<br />

environment<br />

Minimises urban stormwater<br />

volumes<br />

Traditional<br />

Approach<br />

3 4 5<br />

2 1 2 2 2<br />

3 1 2 2 3<br />

3 0 1 2 1<br />

2 2 2 2 2<br />

3 0 2 2 2<br />

Ensures sustainable practices 2 1 2 2 3<br />

Environmental Sum 15 5 11 12 13<br />

Environmental Rank 1 5 4 3 2<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water<br />

supply<br />

Improves the quality of drinking<br />

water<br />

Improves urban water service<br />

levels<br />

Increases public awareness of<br />

urban water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance to<br />

policy and legislation<br />

0 3 3 2 3<br />

1 3 3 3 3<br />

1 3 3 3 3<br />

3 1 2 2 3<br />

1 3 3 3 3<br />

Protects public health 1 3 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 7 16 17 16 18<br />

Social Rank 5 3 2 3 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV ($m over 30 years) 0.24 2.17 3.53 2.20 1.97<br />

Financial Rank 1 3 5 4 2<br />

TBL Score 7 11 11 10 5<br />

TBL Rank 2 4 4 3 1<br />

The TBL assessment using the above criteria ranks option 5 as the best scenario for<br />

Nelligen. This option has harvested roof water supplemented with reticulated water from the<br />

regional supply scheme and provision of a reticulated sewerage system, transfer to<br />

Batemans Bay with greywater reuse.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.4 Batemans Bay and Surrounds<br />

9.4.1 Background<br />

The Landscape<br />

The town of Batemans Bay is taken to encompass the areas north of Clyde River including<br />

Maloneys Beach, Long Beach, Surfside and North Batemans Bay, the central business<br />

area of Catalina, Batehaven and Sunshine Bay and the southern areas covering Denhams<br />

Beach, Surf Beach, Lilli Pilli and Malua Bay. The north and central urban areas are located<br />

predominantly on the foreshores of Batemans Bay and the southern areas on the<br />

foreshores of the Tasman Sea. Batemans Bay forms part of the Clyde River estuary system<br />

and is an attractive and popular tourist destination. The tidal regions of the river support the<br />

major oyster industry within the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire. The township of Batemans Bay is<br />

located near the junction of Princess Highway and Kings Highway (see Figure 9-5 below).<br />

Figure 9-5 Batemans Bay Topographic Map<br />

This area supports about 45% of the total <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire’s urban population and the<br />

majority of tourist visitors to the shire. During the peak tourist/holiday season, the population<br />

of Batemans Bay almost doubles. The current permanent population of the area is about<br />

17 800 (6 950 dwellings) and is expected to increase to about 23 700 (8 500 dwellings)<br />

within the current planning period. Council has identified that the majority of this population<br />

growth will be accommodated within the zoned urban expansion areas north of Clyde River,<br />

in the Malua Bay area as new subdivisions, and the remaining within existing developed<br />

areas as infill.<br />

The area also accommodates a large number of holiday/non-resident rate paying dwellings.<br />

Whilst the holiday/non-resident rate paying dwellings are likely to remain an integral part of<br />

this community, the numbers are likely to decline from their current level due to the owners<br />

127


128<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

moving to permanently live in them (i.e. retiring effect of baby boomers). Due to<br />

development pressure, Council is investigating additional land areas that may be suitable<br />

for urban subdivision. Although the timing of development of the various areas cannot be<br />

predicted with certainty, it is accepted that the adopted population increase is sustainable.<br />

Although Council’s current planning instruments allow for medium density and cluster<br />

development, limits have been placed on building heights and population to floor space<br />

ratio. To secure the built-up character of the future, Council is working with Planning NSW<br />

to develop better and sustainable building envelopes and designs. Census figures show<br />

that the age profile of the population spreads evenly between the age group 0–60 years.<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

The Batemans Bay area is supplied by the regional water supply scheme, with Denhams<br />

Beach service reservoir acting as the main storage. Denhams Beach supports a network of<br />

local service reservoirs, the Long Beach reservoir services the area north of Clyde River,<br />

the Batemans Bay and Catalina No. 2 reservoirs for the central area and the Lilli Pilli, Surf<br />

Beach and Malua Bay reservoirs supply to the southern area.<br />

A centralised sewage treatment plant located north west of Lilli Pilli services the whole<br />

Batemans Bay area. The plant provides secondary treatment of the sewage and is based<br />

on the continuous extended aeration process. The majority of the secondary treated<br />

wastewater is returned to the environment through direct ocean discharge after natural<br />

(pond) disinfection. Up to about 10% of the dry weather reclaimed water is reused on<br />

Catalina Golf Club. The de-watered and stabilised biosolid is used for rehabilitating<br />

Council’s landfill.<br />

The sewer network servicing this area is extensive and has been grouped into three distinct<br />

catchments:<br />

The northern catchment serving the area north of Clyde River<br />

The central catchment covering the central commercial areas, and<br />

The southern catchment servicing the Lilli Pilli and Malua Bay areas (south of STP).<br />

The northern catchment has about 10 pumping stations located along the bay foreshore<br />

and conveys the sewage towards the treatment plant. The central catchment has about 30<br />

pumping stations along the foreshore and a major station that receives the sewage<br />

generated from both the local and north catchments. The sewage from the main pump<br />

station is transferred direct to the treatment plant. The southern catchment also has about<br />

10 pumping stations and a main station, which transfers the collected sewage to the<br />

treatment plant.<br />

The <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Stormwater <strong>Management</strong> Plan has divided the area into 18 subcatchments<br />

(see Figure 9-6).<br />

The sub-catchments to the north of Clyde River are predominantly residential. The runoff<br />

from these catchments stems predominantly from house roofs, impervious driveways and<br />

the road network. There are about 1.2 km of pipeline and 501 pits. The stormwater from<br />

these sub-catchments north of the Clyde River drains to Cullendulla Creek and the ocean.<br />

The land use of the seven central sub-catchments is mainly commercial and more than<br />

80% of the area is impervious. There are about 4.83 km of stormwater pipeline and 1 576<br />

pits. The stormwater from two of the sub-catchments drains to the ocean through Wimbie<br />

Creek, Joes Creek and the other subcatchments drain directly to the ocean.<br />

The land use of the six southern sub-catchments is predominantly residential. There are<br />

about 1.13 km of pipeline and 35 pits. The stormwater from two of the sub-catchments<br />

drains to a wetland, and the other sub-catchments drain directly to the ocean.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Figure 9-6 Batemans Bay Stormwater Sub-Catchments<br />

9.4.2 What Are the Issues?<br />

The issues associated with the landscape and water management systems can be<br />

classified into environmental, social and infrastructure performance, and these are<br />

discussed below.<br />

Environmental and Social Issues<br />

Acid sulfate soils exposed from past and current development are impacting the<br />

water quality of local creeks and waterways.<br />

Raw sewage overflows from pumping stations enter estuaries during and following<br />

prolonged power failure and during heavy local rainfall. These events have many<br />

adverse affects including:<br />

− The impact on the ocean environment<br />

− The potential public health impact via the oyster industry and recreational<br />

uses<br />

− The public inconvenience due to odour and visual impacts<br />

− The potential revenue loss to the oyster, recreational and hospitality<br />

industries from beach closure and bad publicity.<br />

Release of new areas for development is reducing the ‘natural’ appeal of the area<br />

and is increasing rainfall runoff flows and velocity resulting in an increased<br />

movement of sediment loads to the waterways.<br />

129


130<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

<strong>Water</strong> quality in Wimbie Creek is poor and odour complaints have been received<br />

from residents living near the intermittently opening lagoon, which is supplied with<br />

flows from Wimbie Creek.<br />

In the absence of stormwater quality data the Short Beach Creek, Surf<br />

Beach/Denhams Beach, North Batemans Bay, Surfside and Central Batemans Bay<br />

sub-catchments have been identified, based on land use activity, as being<br />

predominant contributors to litter problems and sediment loads in the surrounding<br />

waterways.<br />

Stormwater discharges from the Maloneys Beach, Long Beach, sub-catchments<br />

have the potential to degrade wetlands protected under SEPP14 due to erosion and<br />

the invasion of exotic weeds.<br />

The low lying Lilli Pilli, Reedy Creek and Hanging Rock sub-catchments have the<br />

potential to be impacted by catchment flooding and ocean inundation possibly<br />

resulting in public inconvenience and public safety risk.<br />

Wimbie Creek sub-catchment has been identified as a potential first priority urban<br />

flooding area.<br />

The central Batemans Bay sub-catchment and the Princes Highway (in particular<br />

the bridge across Clyde River estuary) have been identified as a possible major<br />

hydrocarbon pollution area.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Infrastructure Performance Issues<br />

At the beginning of this study it was identified that there is a general lack of a systematic<br />

database to record operational issues and daily performance monitoring information. Whilst<br />

a simple data management system was put together for the purposes of this study, there is<br />

a need to expand this data management system and gain a commitment from Council to<br />

maintain its currency and historical information. Council is currently upgrading its telemetry<br />

system to help address this issue.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

As Batemans Bay is part of the regional water supply scheme, the water source and supply<br />

issues have been discussed in the regional water supply scheme section (Section 8.2) and<br />

as part of the IWCM opportunities and options. In this section of the strategy, only the<br />

performance and issues relating to the local service reservoir and reticulation will be<br />

discussed along with any specific local quantity, quality and service level issues.<br />

The current and future peak day demands are shown in Table 9-9 Current and Future Peak<br />

Day Demands for Batemans Bay. Analysis indicates that the existing local reservoir<br />

capacity is able to meet Council’s service level for current demands, however it is<br />

inadequate for future demands. Council advised that under current demand conditions the<br />

area meets Council’s service level for mains pressure and fire fighting requirements. No<br />

assessment has been undertaken to verify whether this is the case under the future<br />

demand scenario.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-9 Current and Future Peak Day Demands for Batemans Bay<br />

Sewerage<br />

Current KL/d 2032 KL/d<br />

Long Beach 1 224 2 242<br />

Lilli Pilli 758 919<br />

Surf Beach 1 717 1 522<br />

Catalina 2 9 750 12 377<br />

Batemans Bay 406 523<br />

TOTAL 13 855 17 583<br />

The Batemans Bay sewage treatment plant has a nominal biological capacity of 15 000 EP<br />

(equivalent persons) but has been assessed to have the capability to treat double this<br />

biological load with minor modification. This is due to past conservativeness in design and<br />

improved process designs. However, the plant’s hydraulic capacity is inadequate to meet<br />

current peak loads, particularly when it coincides with a storm event in peak holiday<br />

periods. It is an accepted practice under these circumstances to by-pass secondary<br />

treatment but not disinfection as the strength of the sewage is very weak. In addition to<br />

requiring an upgrade due to inadequate hydraulic capacity, the STP also needs works to<br />

meet current OH&S requirements.<br />

In recent years there have been incidences of sewage overflows from the sewer network<br />

particularly during and after power failure on rainy days. Investigations undertaken by<br />

Council and as part of this study show that these overflows occurs due to a combination of<br />

unreliable power supply to some critical pumping stations, inadequate coverage and<br />

limitation on the existing telemetry system, high storm inflows and inadequate storm<br />

storage capacity. Council has commenced a monitoring program of the pump stations to<br />

determine those pump catchments suffering from inflow and infiltration. A preliminary<br />

analysis of the data shows that the catchments prone to storm inflows include Denhams<br />

Beach (SPS BB38) and Malua Bay (SPS BB44). Analysis also shows that a rainfall event<br />

greater than approximately 6 mm will impact on sewage flows due to storm inflow.<br />

A preliminary pumping and storage capacity analysis of the sewage transport system<br />

indicated that there is inadequate storage capacity in most of the system under current load<br />

conditions to comply with the agreed service levels. The analysis also indicated that the<br />

major and oldest transfer main in the foreshores of central Batemans Bay is most at risk,<br />

with inadequate transfer and storage capacity. Continued strong growth will exacerbate this<br />

problem, potentially resulting in major sewage spills when a power failure coincides with a<br />

peak load and rainfall event. Analysis has also indicated that not all pumping facilities are<br />

controlled by the shire telemetry system and that some of the critical pumping facilities do<br />

not have reliable external power supply and/or provision to connect to an emergency diesel<br />

generator. Council’s operator indicated that pressurisation of the sewer pipeline between<br />

Batehaven and Surf Beach is occurring and that some pump stations do not meet OH&S<br />

requirements. Council has undertaken a comprehensive risk analysis to prioritise the<br />

facilities needing immediate attention and is now in the process of undertaking a<br />

comprehensive review of the transport network for capacity and storage.<br />

The NSW Environment Protection Authority has indicated that there may be less than ideal<br />

mixing of effluent at the current ocean discharge point, and that this may potentially lead to<br />

an environmental health risk.<br />

131


132<br />

Stormwater<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

In the absence of stormwater quantity and quality monitoring, preliminary estimates suggest<br />

that the annual stormwater volume discharge from the urban area is 16 000 kL, with<br />

nitrogen and phosphorus loads of 15 200 kg and 2 000 kg respectively.<br />

A detailed analysis of each sub-catchment is contained in appendix W. Issues relating to<br />

stormwater management and the infrastructure used for its management have been<br />

identified, as follows:<br />

Whilst most of the stormwater pipes have been recorded into the GIS, critical<br />

information such as pipe size, age, slope, etc. is missing.<br />

The GIS and the corresponding database does not include information on water<br />

quality control measures that have been installed.<br />

There is a general lack of urban stormwater quantity and quality information.<br />

There is no formal approach to stormwater management that will result in better<br />

management and efficient use of this resource.<br />

Short Beach Creek sub-catchment floods during local rainfall events and requires<br />

larger drainage pipes and/or source control measures, or greater maintenance to<br />

reduce blockages.<br />

There are no treatment measures in place to capture/remove hydrocarbon<br />

pollutants from heavy traffic areas.<br />

Soil erosion is evident at some discharge points.<br />

Of all the sub-catchments in Batemans Bay, Short Beach, Surf Beach, Denhams<br />

Beach, Joes Creek and Wimbie Creek sub-catchments have been identified as<br />

requiring priority stormwater quantity and quality management measures.<br />

Except for the regular removal of garbage from the public bins, there is no active<br />

litter and sediment removal/collection program. There is however a gross pollutant<br />

trap in the Batemans Bay Industrial Estate which discharges into Mcleods Creek<br />

(SEPP 14).<br />

9.4.3 How Do We Fix These Issues?<br />

Overview<br />

The landscape of the Batemans Bay area could be managed sustainably through the<br />

implementation of appropriate planning controls. The issues of future development and acid<br />

sulfate soil runoff could be managed by amending the local environmental and development<br />

control plans.<br />

There are a number of opportunities available to manage the water cycle of the Batemans<br />

Bay area. The traditional approach to water management is to separate water, wastewater<br />

and stormwater and treat each in isolation. In this strategy, all available opportunities have<br />

been identified and coarse screened (see appendix C). The coarse screening process<br />

recognises that there are immediate and short term measures, and medium to long term<br />

water cycle management opportunities. The immediate and short term measures need to<br />

be implemented as a matter of priority to achieve legislative compliance and best practice<br />

standards. The shortlisted medium to long term water cycle management opportunities<br />

would, in the long run, deliver water cycle sustainability, public health protection and<br />

improved service standards.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Immediate Measures<br />

Investigations carried out by Council and as part of this study have identified the following<br />

immediate measures, which include:<br />

Improving the reliability of the grid power supply to the major sewage pump<br />

stations. Council has already negotiated with the local power authority to provide<br />

duplicate power supply from a different sub-station. Design work for this is currently<br />

under way.<br />

Providing stand-by local power supply using generators to some of the other critical<br />

sewage pump stations where it is environmentally and socially acceptable. Council<br />

has purchased a mobile generator to be used a sewage pump stations during<br />

power failures. Tender documents are currently being prepared and Council is<br />

awaiting State Government funding for construction.<br />

Improving the reliability and coverage of monitoring and control of pump stations<br />

using state-of-the-art telemetry system including maximising the use of existing<br />

detention. Council has awarded tenders for the upgrade of the telemetry system,<br />

and has gained financial assistance from the State government.<br />

Developing a stormwater inflow and groundwater infiltration strategy for the<br />

sewerage system - Council is currently monitoring a number of pump stations and<br />

sub-catchments to identify, prioritise and develop management strategies for<br />

problem areas. As part of the stormwater management program, Council is<br />

allocating funds to purchase properties in flood prone areas. The proposed inflow<br />

and infiltration strategy in addition to reviewing the current management programs<br />

should also look at other ways to minimise flooding in those areas where purchase<br />

in not possible. Examples include encouraging the implementation of measures<br />

such as rainwater tanks with on-site detention volume, water sensitive urban design<br />

principles or measures to increase the stormwater conveyance capacity.<br />

Developing a dynamic model sewage collection and conveyance strategy for the<br />

whole sewerage system including wet weather storage requirements. The dynamic<br />

model is currently being developed and Council has received financial assistance<br />

from the State Government.<br />

Detention structures at most at risk downstream costal sewage pump stations.<br />

Construction is to commence in 2003.<br />

Most of the immediate measures are related to sewage collection and transport due to the<br />

high risk impact posed by the uncontrolled overflow of untreated sewage in developed<br />

areas. This poses a greater risk than the discharge of primary and/or secondary treated<br />

effluent through the ocean outfall. Additional reasons include ease of implementation of<br />

these measures at minimal cost with large environmental and social benefits and the<br />

current high performance of the sewage treatment plant in achieving licence conditions.<br />

Short term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Relieving the current overload of current sewage pump stations by providing<br />

bypass of North Batemans Bay flows by new sewage pump stations and rising main<br />

along Spine Road alignment.<br />

Expanding the simple data management system into a comprehensive shire-wide<br />

system to record and store operational and performance monitoring information.<br />

133


134<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Initiating regular and systematic monitoring of operational parameters such as daily<br />

water use, sewage flows, water quality etc., and more strategic environmental and<br />

social parameters.<br />

Establishing a water supply reticulation network model to confirm pressure and<br />

firefighting service standards.<br />

Updating the asset registers to ensure the asset information is complete and up-todate.<br />

Reviewing and updating the Batemans Bay stormwater management plan with<br />

information and suggestions contained in this report.<br />

Medium to Long term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

The medium to long term opportunities are related to enhancing the sustainability of the<br />

water cycle, protecting public health and the environment and improving the service<br />

standards.<br />

Analysis suggests that even after the implementation of immediate measures, the sewage<br />

management at Batemans Bay needs to be enhanced in the medium to long term due to<br />

inadequate sewage treatment plant hydraulic capacity, and the close proximity of the main<br />

sewer pipeline to the beaches.<br />

Table 9-10 presents the water cycle management opportunities, their relative capital and<br />

present value costs over a 30-year period at an annual discount rate of 7%. For details of<br />

costs see appendix Q. Whilst the costs are indicative only, the relative cost difference<br />

between the opportunities should be similar.<br />

Table 9-10 Medium to Long term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for<br />

Batemans Bay<br />

Opportunity<br />

Costs $m<br />

Capital NPV@7%<br />

Provision of a new local reservoir 1.25 0.8<br />

Enhance capability of existing sewage treatment plant 1<br />

New sewage treatment plant in North Batemans Bay 1<br />

10 12.1<br />

13.4 15.9<br />

Transfer of southern catchment sewage load to Tomakin<br />

1 11.8 13.8<br />

STP<br />

Stormwater quantity and quality control measures for<br />

high priority sub-catchments<br />

Stormwater quantity and quality control measures for low<br />

priority sub-catchments<br />

5.4 5.75<br />

1.0 1.1<br />

Local urban open space stormwater reuse 2.4 3<br />

Note 1 : This cost indicates artificial UV treatment of the effluent. The quality could be further enhanced with sand<br />

or membrane filtration and/or with wetland treatment.<br />

Enhance the Biological and Hydraulic Capability of the Existing Sewage Treatment<br />

Plant<br />

Preliminary investigations suggest that the existing hydraulic capacity of the reactor and<br />

clarifier at the STP is about 6.6 ML/d (27 500 EP) and this capacity could be enhanced by<br />

the addition of chemicals to 9.2 ML/d (38 000 EP) provided the pipelines linking the various<br />

treatment process units are adequate. However, at these high flows, the process safety


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

margins are compromised and during wet weather flows plant by-pass will continue to<br />

occur, albeit the frequency may be lower with the proposed inflow reduction management.<br />

The by-pass of raw diluted sewage could be avoided by installing additional clarifiers to<br />

settle the solids and provide some treatment. To reduce public health risk an artificial UV<br />

irradiation plant could be installed at the outlet of the maturation pond, which could be used<br />

to disinfect the effluent prior to discharge through the ocean outfall, and the reclaimed water<br />

used at the golf club. The other works necessary for plant capacity augmentation include:<br />

New inlet works<br />

Minor process modifications<br />

Additional aeration capacity and/or an aerated balancing storage at the inlet, and<br />

Overall OH&S improvement for the plant.<br />

An alternative to this process optimisation strategy is to build a parallel process train with<br />

similar capacity to the current plant.<br />

To overcome the incidence of sewage overflows from the coastal area, a dedicated pipeline<br />

along Spine Road alignment could also be installed to convey sewage from the northern<br />

catchment to the treatment plant.<br />

A New Sewage Treatment Plant to Serve the North Batemans Bay Catchment<br />

In this strategy, a new STP with an initial biological capacity of 5 000 EP would be built<br />

north of Clyde River to treat all the sewage generated from the northern catchment. The<br />

plant would be located on Council owned land. The reclaimed water from the plant would be<br />

conveyed via the proposed Spine Road sewage main to the existing outfall. The advantage<br />

of this strategy is the conveyance of reclaimed water across the Clyde River and up to the<br />

existing plant as opposed to the conveyance of raw sewage. Another benefit may be the<br />

reduction and/or elimination in the wet weather storage capacities within the existing sewer<br />

network. In this strategy the existing STP would still need new inlet works and other minor<br />

rehabilitation works to meet OH&S requirements. The reclaimed water discharged from<br />

both STPs would be artificially disinfected using a common UV facility at the existing STP.<br />

Transfer of Southern Catchment Sewage Load to Tomakin Sewage Treatment Plant<br />

In this strategy, the sewage from the southern catchment would be transferred to the<br />

existing Tomakin STP. Reversing the flow from the main southern pump station and<br />

constructing a rising/gravity main to the Tomakin plant could achieve this. The benefit of<br />

this strategy option is that the new rising/gravity main could be integrated with the proposed<br />

rising/gravity main to serve the Rosedale and Guerilla Bay areas. Further, this opportunity<br />

also maximises the utilisation of the currently under loaded Tomakin plant and discharges<br />

the reclaimed water through a relatively better performing ocean outfall (verbal advice from<br />

NSW EPA). In this opportunity the existing Batemans Bay plant would still require new inlet<br />

works and other minor rehabilitation work to meet OH&S requirements. The reclaimed<br />

water discharged from both STPs would be artificially disinfected using UV facilities located<br />

at the respective STPs. The Tomakin plant would need minor upgrades to meet the<br />

increased loads. Preliminary analysis shows that the performance of the plant could be<br />

enhanced by optimising the treatment process and by dosing chemicals during periods of<br />

peak holiday loads.<br />

Assessment of Medium to Long term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunity<br />

The TBL assessment in Table 9-11 provides the comparative environmental and social<br />

benefits of the sewerage management component of the water cycle management<br />

opportunities for Batemans Bay.<br />

135


136<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-11 Social, Financial and Environmental Aspects of the Sewage <strong>Management</strong><br />

Options for Batemans Bay<br />

Issues <strong>Management</strong> Strategies Social Environmental<br />

Sewage Option 1 – Upgrade of the Surf Beach STP and sewer system<br />

- Transfer of sewage from North Batemans<br />

Bay along Spine Road<br />

- Enhanced wet weather storage for priority<br />

pump stations<br />

- Inflow and infiltration minimisation<br />

- Upgrade STP to a capacity of 38 000 EP<br />

with improved wet weather treatment<br />

Sewage Option 2 – New Plant in Northern Batemans Bay<br />

- Build a plant on the northern side of<br />

Batemans Bay with a capacity of 5 000 EP<br />

- Transfer treated effluent to the Batemans<br />

Bay outfall through a pipeline along Spine<br />

Road<br />

- Inflow and infiltration minimisation<br />

- Enhanced wet weather storage for priority<br />

pump stations<br />

Optimisation of<br />

existing assets<br />

Disruption to<br />

local residents.<br />

Possible<br />

opposition to<br />

new treatment<br />

plant<br />

Sewage Option 3 -- Transfer of Southern Catchment to Tomakin Plant<br />

- Transfer of sewage from North Batemans<br />

Bay along Spine Road<br />

- Inflow and infiltration minimisation<br />

- Enhanced wet weather storage for priority<br />

pump stations<br />

- Transfer of sewage from Malua Bay area<br />

through a new rising/gravity main to<br />

Tomakin plant<br />

- Optimise Tomakin STP to cater for the<br />

Maula Bay load in addition to future local<br />

growth requirement<br />

Optimisation of<br />

existing assets<br />

Transfer of effluent<br />

only from Northern<br />

Batemans Bay to<br />

outfall. Possibility of<br />

reuse at growth<br />

areas<br />

Use of better outfall<br />

More reuse<br />

possibilities at<br />

Tomakin than<br />

Batemans Bay<br />

Financial<br />

NPV ($m over<br />

30 years)<br />

12.1<br />

15.9<br />

13.8


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-12 Triple Bottom Line Assessment of the Sewage <strong>Management</strong> of the <strong>Water</strong><br />

<strong>Cycle</strong> in Batemans Bay<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Option 1 Option 2 Option 3<br />

Efficient use of fresh water resource 1 2 3<br />

Minimises low flow water extractions 1 2 3<br />

Minimises greenhouse gas emissions 1 2 2<br />

Minimises pollutants being discharged to<br />

the aquatic environment<br />

2 2 2<br />

Minimises urban stormwater volumes 0 0 0<br />

Ensures sustainable practices 1 2 3<br />

Environmental Sum 6 10 13<br />

Environmental Rank 3 2 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water supply 1 2 3<br />

Improves the quality of drinking water 0 0 0<br />

Improves urban water service levels 2 2 2<br />

Increases public awareness of urban<br />

water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance to policy and<br />

legislation<br />

1 2 3<br />

2 2 2<br />

Protects public health 0 0 0<br />

Social Sum 6 8 10<br />

Social Rank 3 2 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV ($m over next 30 years) 12.1 15.9 13.8<br />

Financial Rank 1 3 2<br />

TBL SUM 7 7 4<br />

TBL Rank 2 2 1<br />

A TBL assessment has been used to shortlist the most suitable sewage treatment option<br />

available for Batemans Bay. Using the above social, environmental and economic criteria,<br />

option 3 has been determined as the most appropriate option, and has been carried<br />

through as part of the integrated options.<br />

9.4.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

Using the bundling process the water management opportunities can be combined into<br />

integrated scenarios. Table 9-13 below presents examples of integrated scenarios.<br />

137


138<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-13 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios for Batemans Bay<br />

Managed Option<br />

Provision of a new local reservoir <br />

Transfer of sewage from northern<br />

catchment via Spine Road alignment<br />

Transfer of southern catchment sewage<br />

load to Tomakin STP<br />

Stormwater quantity and quality control<br />

measures for high priority sub-catchments<br />

Stormwater quantity and quality control<br />

measures for low priority sub-catchments<br />

Local urban open space stormwater and<br />

reclaimed water use<br />

Traditional <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario<br />

Approach 2 3<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

Traditional Approach Provide a new local reservoir, and transfer of southern catchment sewage<br />

load to Tomakin STP.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 2 Transfer of southern catchment sewage load to Tomakin STP, implement<br />

stormwater quantity and quality control measures for high priority sub-catchments and incorporate<br />

local urban open space stormwater reuse.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3 Transfer of southern catchment sewage load to Tomakin STP, implement<br />

stormwater quantity and quality control measures for high and low priority sub-catchments and<br />

incorporate local urban open space stormwater and reclaimed water use.<br />

The TBL assessment (Table 9-14) presents the comparative social and environmental<br />

benefits of each integrated scenario example.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-14 Triple Bottom Line Reporting for Batemans Bay<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Outcomes<br />

Traditional<br />

Approach<br />

2 3<br />

Efficient use of fresh water resource 1 2 2<br />

Minimises low flow water extractions 1 2 2<br />

Minimises greenhouse gas emissions 3 3 3<br />

Minimises pollutants being discharged to<br />

the aquatic environment<br />

0 2 3<br />

Minimises urban stormwater volumes 0 2 3<br />

Ensures sustainable practices 0 3 3<br />

Environmental Sum 5 14 16<br />

Environmental Rank 3 2 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water supply 1 2 2<br />

Improves the quality of drinking water 0 0 0<br />

Improves urban water service levels 3 3 3<br />

Increases public awareness of urban<br />

water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance to policy and<br />

legislation<br />

0 3 3<br />

2 2 2<br />

Protects public health 2 2 3<br />

Social Sum 8 12 13<br />

Social Rank 3 2 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV ($m over next 30 years) 14.6 22.6 23.6<br />

Financial Rank 1 2 3<br />

TBL SUM 7 6 5<br />

TBL Rank 3 2 1<br />

According to the TBL assessment, scenario 3 is the most suitable option in terms of<br />

environmental, social and economic criteria. This option involves transferring sewage loads<br />

from the southern catchment to Tomakin STP, and quantity and quality control of<br />

stormwater in both high and low priority catchments. This scenario also incorporates open<br />

space stormwater and reclaimed water use<br />

139


9.5 Mogo<br />

9.5.1 Background<br />

140<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The Village Landscape<br />

Mogo is an historic village located on the Princes Highway between Batemans Bay and<br />

Moruya (see Figure 9-7 below).<br />

Figure 9-7 Mogo Topographic Map<br />

The 2001 census recorded 223 people in Mogo and 110 dwellings. The 1996 housing<br />

monitor stated there were 56 vacant lots in Mogo, with an annual demand of 3 lots. This<br />

analysis indicates that there will be a land shortage in the village by 2015. However,<br />

comparison of the 1996 and 2001 census shows that the number of private dwellings and<br />

the population in the collection district did not change significantly between the two census.<br />

Therefore, the water demands from residential properties have been assumed not to<br />

increase over time. It is assumed that commercial properties will increase at a rate<br />

comparable with the overall population growth.<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

The town is fed by the Mogo reservoir through the supply scheme. The reservoir has<br />

sufficient capacity to cope with the expected 2032 peak day demand of 510 kL/d. The<br />

sewage from the village is treated at the Tomakin STP.<br />

According to the GIS, there are 36 stormwater pits and 4.7 km of pipeline in Mogo. Due to<br />

the town population being less than 1 000 there is no requirement for a stormwater<br />

management plan. Stormwater drains to McLeods and Mogo creeks. An annual estimated<br />

948 kL/a of stormwater is generated in Mogo containing 1 137kg/a of nitrogen and 152kg/a<br />

of phosphorus.


9.5.2 What Are the Issues?<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The issues associated with Mogo landscape and water management system are classified<br />

into environmental and social issues, and are discussed below. Other community servicerelated<br />

issues are not in included as part of this study.<br />

Environmental Issues<br />

Potential stormwater hotspot pollution sites include the zoo and tourism sources<br />

Potential sewage overflow from stormwater influx to sewage pumping station.<br />

Social Issues<br />

Maintain the character and lifestyle of the village<br />

Tourism is main income for village<br />

Stormwater-derived pollution has the potential to reduce recreational and tourism<br />

attractions<br />

Problems maintaining a chlorine residual in the water system.<br />

9.5.3 How Do We Fix the Problems?<br />

<strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

The following are short term measures to improve the water cycle management at Mogo.<br />

Short term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Improve chlorine residual<br />

Systematic monitoring of the local waterways and the urban stormwater quality and<br />

quantity.<br />

The long term water management issues are addressed as part of the regional water<br />

supply scheme and sewage and wastewater management issues in the Tomakin section of<br />

the report.<br />

141


142<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.6 Rosedale and Guerilla Bay<br />

9.6.1 Background<br />

The Village Landscape<br />

Rosedale and Guerilla Bay are two coastal villages located between Batemans Bay and<br />

Tomakin. Development in Rosedale (the most northerly of the two villages) has been<br />

concentrated along Rosedale Beach and Saltwater Creek, while Guerilla Bay has an urban<br />

development corridor stretching in a west-east direction along Burri Point Road. There are<br />

two intermittently opening and closing lagoons near the villages. Access to both villages is<br />

from George Bass Drive. Figure 9-8 shows the location of these two coastal villages.<br />

Figure 9-8 Rosedale and Guerilla Bay Location<br />

The two villages are bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east but have the potential for<br />

urban expansion towards the north and west. Adjacent to the two villages are sensitive<br />

coastal lagoons which are popular for recreational activities. The 2001 census recorded 197<br />

people in Rosedale/Guerilla Bay, and 272 dwellings. There is an Urban Expansion Zone<br />

located inland of the current development. There are between 1 100 and 1 200 lots<br />

allocated for development in this area which are expected to be fully developed in the next<br />

10 years.<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

The towns are supplied with water through the regional supply scheme discussed earlier.<br />

The annual water demands are approximately 560 kL/d. The villages are supplied through<br />

the Burri Point Reservoir, which has sufficient capacity to cope with the predicted demand<br />

until 2032.<br />

The sewage from the villages is currently treated on site. The Council’s GIS records 272<br />

individual on-site treatment systems in the villages. Over 65% of these are septic tanks with<br />

wastewater disposal by adsorption trench, and an additional 18% are septic tanks with


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

wastewater pumpout. The remaining systems utilise aerated processes that give higher<br />

levels of nutrient removal than septic systems.<br />

Figure 9-9 Aerial Photograph of Rosedale and Guerilla Bay Showing Their Proximity<br />

to Tomakin and Mossy Point<br />

9.6.2 What Are The Issues<br />

The issues associated with the Rosedale and Guerilla Bay landscape and water<br />

management system are classified into environmental and social issues, and are discussed<br />

below. Other community services-related issues are not part of this study.<br />

Environmental Issues<br />

The soils in the Guerilla Bay and Rosedale area are generally unsuitable for<br />

controlled absorption (soils range from sandy, hard gravel and clay). It is therefore<br />

commonly acknowledged that sewage/wastewater from on-site wastewater<br />

management systems will infiltrate into the groundwater aquifer and ultimately end<br />

up in the waterways. This could be particularly detrimental due to the presence of<br />

two sensitive lagoons in the area.<br />

Stormwater entering the lagoon from the developed areas has the potential to<br />

impact upon the health and visual quality of the lagoon. The likely pollutants are<br />

hydrocarbons from the roads, litter particularly from the identified hot spots (e.g.<br />

carparks) nutrients and particles associated with the sediments. In the absence of<br />

stormwater quantity and quality monitoring, preliminary estimates suggest an<br />

annual nutrient load of 795 kL with nitrogen and phosphorus loads of 1 000 kg and<br />

100 kg respectively.<br />

The two intermittently opening lagoons can become odorous when closed. This<br />

may be due to the decomposition of seaweed washed in during high storms or<br />

pollution from the urban areas.<br />

143


144<br />

Social Issues<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The wastewater from the on-site systems poses a risk to public health, with<br />

recorded incidents of overflow into streets.<br />

Of the unsewered villages in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire, Rosedale and Guerilla Bay have<br />

the highest population with increased public health risk.<br />

The village residents do not receive water saving ‘tips’ or information on how to<br />

better manage the on-site wastewater management systems.<br />

An urban expansion zone is currently under development inland of the existing<br />

villages.<br />

9.6.3 How Do We Fix The Problems<br />

Overview<br />

The WSUD principles as discussed in Section 8.1.3, could be implemented in Rosedale<br />

and Guerilla Bay to design new developments in an integrated fashion to reduce their<br />

impacts on the environment. Elements of WUSD include:<br />

Reduced mains water consumption through the use of water-efficient devices and<br />

rainwater tanks<br />

Reduced stormwater flow by on-site detention measures, and<br />

Improvements in stormwater quality through natural treatment processes such as<br />

wetlands.<br />

It is recommended that these features be incorporated as part of the planning for the new<br />

development area.<br />

The current sewage management practices are not sustainable due to the significant<br />

impact on the groundwater and the potential to pollute the two nearby lagoons. The majority<br />

of the dwellings in the area use septic systems with adsorption trenches, which are not<br />

suitable for the sandy, gravel and clay soils of the region. Rosedale and Guerilla Bay ranked<br />

the highest priority for management intervention on a risk analysis conducted on most of<br />

the small villages in the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire (see appendix X for the assessment criteria).<br />

It is recommended that Council take over the provision of sewage treatment for the villages<br />

as a matter of priority. This could be done through the centralised management of on-site<br />

systems or provision of a centralised treatment facility.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

There are both short and medium term measures to improve the water cycle management<br />

at Rosedale and Guerilla Bay. The short term measures should be implemented as a<br />

matter of priority to achieve best practice standard immaterial of the medium-term<br />

opportunities.<br />

Short term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Regular monitoring of the on-site wastewater management systems for<br />

performance and integrity


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Systematic monitoring of local waterways and urban stormwater quality and<br />

quantity<br />

Regular mail-outs of ways to maintain the on-site water and wastewater systems<br />

including information on water conservation<br />

The above short term measures are complimentary to the proposed medium-term<br />

measures and would help Council and the community to manage their water cycle<br />

more sustainably.<br />

Medium to Long term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

Medium-term opportunities are measures related to improving the long term sustainability<br />

of the water cycle. In addition, these opportunities will also reduce public health and<br />

environmental impacts and enhance the service standards for the water services. Table<br />

9-15 presents these opportunities along with their capital and present value at an annual<br />

discount rate of 7%.<br />

Table 9-15 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for Rosedale and<br />

Guerilla Bay<br />

Cost Estimate<br />

Capital ($m) NPV @ 7% ($m)<br />

Improved management of existing on-site facilities $0.41 $2.24<br />

Enhanced management of existing on-site<br />

facilities<br />

Centralised<br />

management of<br />

effluent from on-site<br />

facilities<br />

Transfer to Tomakin<br />

system<br />

Transfer to Tomakin<br />

system<br />

Transfer to Tomakin<br />

system with greywater<br />

reuse of suitable systems<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated<br />

sewerage system Transfer to Tomakin<br />

system with greywater<br />

reuse of suitable systems<br />

and roofwater harvesting<br />

utilising disinfected tanks<br />

$1.31 $1.74<br />

$2.85 $2.43<br />

$3.06 $2.73<br />

$3.06 $2.73<br />

$3.06 $2.73<br />

Note 1: NPV’s for on-site systems are based on a rolling program commencing in 2003. NPV’s for sewering<br />

Rosedale and Guerilla Bay are based on work commencing in 2006<br />

Note 2: The savings achieved by Council treating less effluent have not been taken take into account in the study<br />

and the costs associated with greywater reuse are community costs<br />

Improved <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

The seepage from existing on-site wastewater management systems could be reduced by<br />

regularly emptying the contents of the septic tanks and putting monitoring systems in place<br />

to prevent septic tank overflows and to assess the integrity of the tanks.<br />

A single contract could be arranged by the Council or by the community such that the septic<br />

tanks are pumped at set time intervals. This would cover both wastewater and sullage<br />

145


146<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

pumpout. The cost of this pumpout could be evenly divided between the residents. To<br />

facilitate pumping every tank would require a smaller holding tank or pumpout facility.<br />

This opportunity would reduce the issue of wastewater contaminating the local aquifers and<br />

waterways, but may lead to additional community issues in relation to odour and noise<br />

during pumpout and frequent movement of trucks in the neighbourhood.<br />

Enhanced <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

There are several options available to upgrade the existing on-site wastewater<br />

management systems to achieve greater public health and environmental outcomes. The<br />

first option is to retain the existing septic tank and upgrade the on-site wastewater<br />

management system. An example of this would be the replacement of the adsorption<br />

trenches with lined evapotranspiration beds, which achieve a higher level of water and<br />

nutrient uptake through plants.<br />

Another alternative is to upgrade the septic system to one that achieves nutrient removal<br />

(e.g. aerated tanks) and therefore results in a higher quality wastewater discharge. This<br />

would increase the potential uses of the treated wastewater.<br />

The enhanced management of the current on-site systems would minimise the potential<br />

risk of pollution contaminating the lagoons and waterways as well as reducing the likelihood<br />

of public health issues and odour complaints.<br />

Centralised <strong>Management</strong> of Effluent from On-site Facilities<br />

As an alternative to providing a full reticulated sewage system, the wastewater from existing<br />

on-site systems (e.g. septic tanks) could be collected and transported to a central treatment<br />

facility. This type of system relies on smaller pipes than those required for a conventional<br />

reticulated sewerage system. Pipes can be laid in the ground at a lesser gradient and at a<br />

more shallow depth than that of a conventional gravity system, as the solids are captured by<br />

the on-site system and the pipes only need to carry liquid wastewater. The wastewater<br />

would be transported to Tomakin STP for treatment.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated Sewerage System<br />

An alternative to on-site sewerage treatment facilities is to transfer wastewater through a<br />

centralised sewer transport network to Tomakin STP. This opportunity would require the<br />

provision of larger pipes than for the previous option, which would possibly require being<br />

installed at greater depths.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated Sewerage System with Grey <strong>Water</strong> Reuse<br />

On-site systems that achieve a suitable level of treatment for greywater would be<br />

maintained, and blackwater only would be transported to the STP using the reticulation<br />

systems described above. The resulting greywater could then be utilised for a variety of<br />

outdoor uses and for toilet flushing. Maintaining current aerated systems in Rosedale and<br />

Guerilla Bay for greywater reuse would reduce the volume of wastewater requiring<br />

treatment by 4 ML/a. In addition to reducing the volume of imported or reticulated water<br />

required for Rosedale and Guerilla Bay, this would reduce the hydraulic load on the<br />

Tomakin STP. With the implementation of appropriate monitoring systems, long term<br />

environmental and water resource sustainability and public health protection could be<br />

achieved.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated Sewerage System with Grey <strong>Water</strong> Reuse and Roofwater<br />

Harvesting<br />

This opportunity incorporates components of the previous opportunity. Systems that are not<br />

suitable for greywater reuse (e.g. septic tanks) would be de-sludged and disinfected and<br />

used to collect roofwater for non-potable uses including garden watering and toilet flushing.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

This would result in an additional 9.32 ML/a of wastewater not requiring transportation and<br />

treatment at the Tomakin STP. Together with greywater reuse from aerated systems, a<br />

total of 13.32 ML/a could be saved.<br />

Social and Environmental Aspects of Medium to Long term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

Opportunities<br />

The TBL assessment in Table 9-16 provides the comparative environmental and social<br />

benefits of each of the water cycle management opportunities.<br />

Table 9-16 Social and Environmental Aspects of the Medium to Long term<br />

Opportunities for Rosedale and Guerilla Bay<br />

Opportunities Social Environmental<br />

Improved management of existing onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Enhanced management of existing onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Centralised<br />

management of<br />

effluent from onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Transfer to<br />

Tomakin system<br />

Associated odour and noise<br />

impacts<br />

Inconvenience of pumpout<br />

trucks in the area<br />

Reduces likelihood of overflows<br />

from on-site systems<br />

Improves air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Enhances aesthetic appeal for<br />

the local area, good for tourism<br />

and recreational activities<br />

Reduces likelihood of overflows<br />

from on-site systems<br />

Limited additional treatment<br />

infrastructure required<br />

Existing resources can be<br />

utilised<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction,<br />

i.e. noise, vehicle movement<br />

Improves air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Improves environmental<br />

outcomes, minimises the<br />

incidence of septic wastewater<br />

contaminating groundwater and<br />

waterways<br />

Reduces impact to local aquifers<br />

and the environment<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Less overall environmental<br />

impacts than conventional<br />

gravity systems<br />

May allow for regional reuse<br />

147


148<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated<br />

sewerage system<br />

Opportunities Social Environmental<br />

Transfer to<br />

Tomakin system<br />

Transfer to<br />

Tomakin system<br />

with greywater<br />

reuse of suitable<br />

systems<br />

Transfer to<br />

Tomakin system<br />

with greywater<br />

reuse of suitable<br />

systems and<br />

roofwater<br />

harvesting<br />

utilising<br />

disinfected tanks<br />

Limited additional treatment<br />

infrastructure required<br />

Existing resources can be<br />

utilised<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction,<br />

i.e. noise, vehicle movement<br />

Improves air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Limited additional infrastructure<br />

required<br />

Existing resources can be<br />

utilised<br />

Improves air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction,<br />

i.e. noise, vehicle movement<br />

Reduces water demands<br />

Decreases hydraulic and<br />

biological loads on the Tomakin<br />

system<br />

Limited additional infrastructure<br />

required<br />

Use of existing resources<br />

Improved air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction i.e.<br />

noise, vehicle movement<br />

Further reduced water demands<br />

Decreased hydraulic and<br />

biological loads on the Tomakin<br />

system<br />

Improves quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Increases opportunities for<br />

effluent reuse<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Significantly reduces likelihood<br />

of groundwater and waterway<br />

contamination<br />

More efficient use of water<br />

resources, may allow for<br />

regional reuse<br />

Improves quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Increases opportunities for<br />

effluent reuse<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Significantly reduces likelihood<br />

of groundwater and waterway<br />

contamination<br />

More efficient use of water<br />

resources<br />

Improved quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Increased opportunities for<br />

effluent reuse<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Significantly reduced likelihood<br />

of groundwater and waterway<br />

contamination<br />

Maximum use of water<br />

resources


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.6.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios for Rosedale and<br />

Guerilla Bay<br />

Table 9-17<strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios for Rosedale and Guerilla<br />

Bay<br />

Improved management of existing onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Enhanced management of existing onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Centralised<br />

management<br />

of effluent<br />

from on-site<br />

facilities<br />

Provision of<br />

full reticulated<br />

sewerage<br />

system<br />

Transfer to Tomakin<br />

system<br />

Transfer to Tomakin<br />

system<br />

Transfer to Tomakin<br />

system with<br />

greywater reuse of<br />

suitable systems<br />

Transfer to Tomakin<br />

system with<br />

greywater reuse of<br />

suitable systems<br />

and roofwater<br />

harvesting utilising<br />

disinfected tanks<br />

Minimal<br />

<br />

Traditional<br />

Approach<br />

Minimal Improved management of existing on-site facilities.<br />

<br />

3 4 5 6<br />

Traditional Provision of full reticulated water systems from the regional supply, and the provision of<br />

full reticulated sewerage systems with transfer to the Tomakin system.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3 Centralised management of effluent from on-site facilities with transfer to the<br />

Tomakin system.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 4 Enhanced management of existing on-site facilities.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 5 Provision of full reticulated sewerage with transfer to the Tomakin system<br />

and greywater reuse.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 6 Provision of full reticulated sewerage with transfer to Tomakin system with<br />

greywater reuse of suitable systems and roofwater harvesting utilising disinfected tanks.<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

149


150<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.6.5 Triple Bottom Line Assessment for Rosedale and Guerilla Bay<br />

Table 9-18 Triple Bottom Line Assessment for Rosedale and Guerilla Bay<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Efficient use of fresh water<br />

resource<br />

Minimises low flow water<br />

extractions<br />

Minimises greenhouse gas<br />

emissions<br />

Minimises pollutants being<br />

discharged to the aquatic<br />

environment<br />

Minimises urban stormwater<br />

volumes<br />

Ensures sustainable land<br />

use practices<br />

Minimal<br />

Traditional<br />

Approach<br />

3 4 5 6<br />

1 0 1 0 1 2<br />

0 0 1 0 2 2<br />

1 1 1 2 2 2<br />

2 2 2 1 2 2<br />

0 0 0 0 0 2<br />

0 1 1 1 2 2<br />

Environmental Sum 4 4 6 4 9 12<br />

Environmental Rank 4 4 3 4 2 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town<br />

water supply<br />

Improves the quality of<br />

drinking water<br />

Improves urban water<br />

service levels<br />

Increases public awareness<br />

of urban water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance<br />

to policy and legislation<br />

0 0 0 0 2 2<br />

0 0 0 0 0 0<br />

1 3 3 3 3 3<br />

3 1 1 2 2 2<br />

1 3 3 3 3 3<br />

Protects public health 1 3 3 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 6 10 10 11 13 13<br />

Social Rank 6 4 4 3 1 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV ($m over 30 years) 2.24 3.06 2.45 1.74 3.06 3.06<br />

Financial Rank 3 4 2 1 4 4<br />

TBL Score 13 12 9 8 7 6<br />

TBL Rank 6 5 4 3 2 1<br />

According to the TBL assessment criteria, the best option is to transfer sewage to Tomakin,<br />

with the on-site systems retained for greywater treatment or roof water harvesting as<br />

appropriate. Although the cost of this option does not vary significantly from the other<br />

integrated scenarios, it performs best overall against the social and environmental criteria


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.7 Tomakin and Surrounds<br />

9.7.1 Background<br />

The Landscape<br />

Tomakin and the surrounds comprises the urban areas of Tomakin, Mossy Point and<br />

Broulee. These three urban areas are located along the foreshores of Broulee Bay. Mossy<br />

Point lies in the central area and is bounded by Candlagan Creek to the south and the<br />

Tomaga River to the north. The upper tidal reaches of the Tomaga River support several<br />

oyster farms. Around Mossy Point several sensitive wetlands can be found. Figure 9-10<br />

shows the location of Tomakin and surrounding areas.<br />

Figure 9-10 Tomakin Topographic Map<br />

The 2001 census recorded 2 388 people in the area and 2 100 dwellings. Council has<br />

identified that the population growth in this area will be accommodated within the zoned<br />

urban expansion areas near Tomakin as new subdivision and the remaining within existing<br />

developed areas. Due to development pressures, Council has also nominated additional<br />

land areas west of Tomakin that may be suitable for urban subdivision. Although the timing<br />

of development of the various areas cannot be predicted with certainty, it is accepted that<br />

the predicted population increase is sustainable. This area also supports a significant tourist<br />

population, with the population increasing to about 1 600 during the peak holiday season.<br />

151


152<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> System<br />

The area is supplied by the regional water supply scheme, which fills three local service<br />

reservoirs, Tomakin Heights for the small number of houses in Barlings Drive, Burri Point<br />

Reservoir for Rosedale, Guerilla Bay and Tomakin, and Mossy Point for the Mossy Point<br />

and Broulee areas. The Tomakin Heights reservoirs have a combined capacity of 0.2 ML.<br />

The capacity of Mossy Point reservoirs is 4.6 ML and Burri Point is 5.0 ML. Current and<br />

future average and peak day demands are shown in Table 9-19.<br />

During the 1982/83 drought, bores were sunk along Broulee Road, South of Broulee to<br />

provide drought security for the regional scheme. . These bores were used for three months<br />

until the end of the 1983 drought and were subsequently capped.<br />

Recent water quality testing of these bores indicated elevated arsenic iron and nitrate<br />

levels, which may be in part from the past poor management of septic tanks. This has<br />

raised serious doubts over the long term sustainability of these bores Many of the Broulee<br />

residents to date use bore water from their backyard bore, predominantly to water their<br />

gardens.<br />

Table 9-19 Current and Future Average and Peak Day Demands for Tomakin<br />

Current 2032<br />

ADD kL/d PDD kL/d ADD kL/d PDD kL/d<br />

Mossy Point 814 1 791 748 1 646<br />

Burri Point 560 1 233 1 299 2 858<br />

Tomakin Heights 21 46 18 41<br />

TOTAL 835 1 837 766 1 687<br />

A centralised sewage treatment plant located north-east of Tomakin services the three<br />

urban centres and the village of Mogo. The STP provides secondary treatment and is<br />

based on the continuous extended aeration process. After natural disinfection the majority<br />

of the secondary treated water is returned to the environment through direct ocean<br />

discharge. The de-watered and stabilised biosolid is used for rehabilitating Council’s landfill.<br />

There are five stormwater sub-catchments within Tomakin, which include Barlings Beach,<br />

Tomakin, Mossy Point North, Candlagan Creek and South Broulee. The land use within<br />

these areas is primarily residential. Figure 9-11 shows the location of these subcatchments.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Figure 9-11 Tomakin Stormwater Sub-Catchments<br />

9.7.2 What Are the Issues?<br />

The issues associated with the landscape and water management systems can be<br />

classified into environmental, social and water infrastructure performance. These issues are<br />

discussed below.<br />

Environmental and Social Issues<br />

Possible public concern with regard to insufficient disinfection of effluent during<br />

peak load and/or wet periods.<br />

Possible sewage overflows from the sewer network as the system ages and loads<br />

increase leading to a greater environmental problems and health risks for the local<br />

community.<br />

Odour at the inlet works of the STP resulting in customer complaints. Pressure<br />

from developers to reduce the size of the STP buffer zones will only exacerbate this<br />

issue.<br />

High water tables in the area leave the community exposed to possible flooding.<br />

Urban water flooding occurs frequently in Candlagan Creek and South Broulee.<br />

Discharge of stormwater into vulnerable ecosystems and wetlands. If unabated, the<br />

impact will become significant when new development commences adjacent to<br />

environmentally sensitive areas.<br />

Historical water quality tests show that the aquifer around Broulee is of poor quality<br />

due to old septic tank systems.<br />

Present groundwater extraction volumes may be unsustainable.<br />

153


154<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

There is a need to sustainably manage the use of the Broulee aquifer for continued<br />

use by both the environment and the water users.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Infrastructure Performance Issues<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

Analysis indicates that the existing local reservoir capacity meets Council’s service level for<br />

current and future demands. Council has advised that under current demand conditions the<br />

system also meets Council’s service level for mains pressure and fire fighting requirements.<br />

Some residents use groundwater for garden watering. Based on past water quality data, the<br />

practice poses a minor risk to the users however over-use of this resource poses a threat to<br />

the environment. Measures should be taken to ensure this source is sustainably managed<br />

for continued use by the environment and the householders.<br />

Sewage<br />

The nominal design capacity of the plant will be exceeded by around 2015, however the<br />

reactor and the clarifier has been assessed to have a treatment capability in excess of<br />

3.7 ML/d or 15 000 EP. This means the plant has the capacity to process loads for the next<br />

30+ years, provided the pipeline linking the various treatment process units is adequate.<br />

However, the plant needs some rehabilitation works to meet current OH&S legislation.<br />

It is important to note that if the option to transfer sewage from the southern catchment of<br />

Batemans Bay to Tomakin STP is implemented, the Tomakin STP would require increased<br />

capacity to be implemented in 2-3 years time, rather than 15 years as indicated earlier.<br />

The sewer network servicing Tomakin and the surrounding area is extensive and has been<br />

grouped into three distinct catchments, the southern catchment serving the Broulee area,<br />

the central catchment covering the Mossy Point area, and the northern catchment covering<br />

the Tomakin area. There are six pumping stations in Broulee located along the bay<br />

foreshore that transfer the sewage towards the treatment plant. There are three pumping<br />

stations in Mossy Point and a major station that receives the sewage generated from both<br />

the local and Broulee catchments. The sewage from the main pump station is transferred to<br />

a main pumping station in the Tomakin catchment, which together with the local flows<br />

transfers the sewage to the STP.<br />

Due to its relative recent construction and the lower than anticipated load, the sewer<br />

network has been performing satisfactorily during and after power failure and during rainy<br />

periods. Due to the long transport network, high levels of hydrogen sulfide are generated<br />

causing odours and impacting on the life of the assets. In view of the proximity of the main<br />

transport link to the surrounding beaches, it is suggested Council undertake a<br />

comprehensive risk analysis to identify potential failure modes and the critical facilities in<br />

the network system. This analysis could then be used to develop critical control and<br />

management response plans.<br />

Although the EPA has assessed the performance of the outfall as being among the best in<br />

NSW, in order to meet best practice standards Council should consider disinfecting the<br />

wastewater prior to its discharge to the ocean environment. This, in addition to meeting best<br />

practice standards, would also provide increased public health protection and improve the<br />

aesthetic and environmental appeal of the area. Similar to the Batemans Bay system,<br />

options available to enhance the discharge quality include wetland treatment, air flotation<br />

and sand or membrane filtration. Reclaimed water reuse and recycling strategies are<br />

discussed in Section 3.<br />

Stormwater<br />

The Barlings Beach sub-catchment encompasses vulnerable ecosystems and a significant<br />

wetland that will need protection when development occurs. The main road that leads into


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

the residential areas requires some structural solutions to improve water quality. An<br />

estimated 7.92 ML/a of stormwater is generated in Tomakin and the surrounding area<br />

annually, containing 7 400 kg/a of nitrogen and 1 000 kg/a of phosphorus. Candlagan Creek<br />

is a priority catchment for stormwater management.<br />

9.7.3 How Do We Fix these Issues?<br />

Overview<br />

The landscape of the Tomakin region could be managed sustainably through the<br />

implementation of the appropriate planning controls. The issues of future development and<br />

acid sulfate soil runoff could be managed by amending the local environmental plan and<br />

development control plans.<br />

There are a number of opportunities to manage the water cycle of Tomakin and the<br />

surrounding natural and urban landscapes. The opportunities available for stormwater,<br />

wastewater and water supply were traditionally examined individually. In this strategy, all<br />

available opportunities have been identified and coarse screened (see Appendix C). The<br />

coarse screening process recognises that there are immediate and short term measures,<br />

and medium to long term water cycle management opportunities. The immediate and short<br />

term measures need to be implemented as a matter of priority to achieve legislative<br />

compliance and best practice standards. The short-listed medium to long term water cycle<br />

management opportunities would in the long run deliver water cycle sustainability, public<br />

health protection and improved service standards.<br />

Immediate Measures<br />

Investigations carried out by Council and as part of this study have identified the following<br />

immediate measures, which include:<br />

A risk assessment of the sewerage system to identify critical facilities and to<br />

develop mitigative measures and critical control and response management plans.<br />

Developing a storm water inflow and groundwater infiltration strategy.<br />

Short term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Expanding the simple data management system into a comprehensive Shire wide<br />

system to record and store operational and performance monitoring information.<br />

Initiating regular and systematic monitoring of the operational parameters such as<br />

daily water use, sewage flows, water quality etc and more strategic environmental<br />

and social parameters.<br />

Establishing a water supply reticulation network model to confirm pressure and<br />

firefighting service standards.<br />

Updating the asset registers to ensure the asset information is complete and up to<br />

date.<br />

Addition of a UV treatment plant for disinfecting the reclaimed water.<br />

Odour and hydrogen sulfide control.<br />

155


156<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Medium to Long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

The medium to long term opportunities are related to enhancing the sustainability of the<br />

water cycle, protecting the public health and environment and improving the service<br />

standards.<br />

As part of a long term strategy, the water quality and quantity of the Broulee aquifer needs<br />

to be managed so that the environment and current water users can continue to enjoy this<br />

resource in a sustainable manner. Options include:<br />

Reduce or ration the volume of water extracted from the aquifer.<br />

Inject and store highly treated reclaimed water from the Tomakin STP into the<br />

aquifer such that a balance is maintained between extraction and injection. If more<br />

local users take-up this option within sustainability limits, it has the potential to<br />

reduce demand on the regional water supply scheme and increase the secure yield<br />

of the regional supply infrastructure.<br />

Mossy Point and Broulee areas receive town water supplied through the regional water<br />

supply scheme. <strong>Water</strong> is supplied through the 4.6 ML Mossy Point Reservoir. There is<br />

sufficient capacity for all future growth. Some residents in Broulee use groundwater for nonpotable<br />

external use.<br />

Table 9-20 Costing of <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities presents the water cycle management<br />

opportunities, their relative capital and present value costs over a 30-year period at an<br />

annual discount rate of 7%. Whilst the costs are indicative only, the relative cost difference<br />

between the opportunities should be similar.<br />

Table 9-20 Costing of <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities in Tomakin and Surrounds<br />

Costs ($)<br />

Opportunity<br />

Capital NPV @ 7%<br />

Process optimisation strategy 1<br />

Enhance<br />

capability of<br />

1.7 M 1.64 M<br />

existing STP Construct a parallel process train 2.85 M 2.3 M<br />

Stormwater quantity and quality control measures for<br />

high priority sub-catchments<br />

Stormwater quantity and quality control measures for low<br />

priority sub-catchments<br />

1.72 1.8<br />

0.5 0.53<br />

Enhance the Biological and Hydraulic Capability of the Existing Tomakin Sewage<br />

Treatment Plant<br />

The Tomakin STP has a nominal biological capacity of 8 000 EP however the reactor and<br />

clarifier has been assessed to have a treatment capacity able to process double this<br />

biological load (3.7 ML/d or 15 000 EP) with minor modification. This is due to past<br />

conservativeness in design and improved design techniques. The biological treatment<br />

capacity of the reactor and clarifier could be further increased to about 4.9 ML/d<br />

(20 000 EP) by the addition of chemicals provided the pipeline linking the various treatment<br />

process units are adequate. It is an accepted practice under these circumstances to bypass<br />

the secondary treatment, and only apply disinfection, as the strength of the sewage is<br />

very weak.<br />

An alternate to the process optimisation strategy is the traditional strategy including a<br />

parallel process train with similar capacity to the current plant is built.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong> Reuse<br />

Wastewater can be treated to a suitable level for a variety of beneficial reuse. These<br />

include industrial, agricultural, open space irrigation, non-potable domestic reuse and<br />

indirect potable reuse. The opportunity exists in Tomakin and Surrounds to utilise effluent<br />

reuse for open space irrigation, for dual reticulation in new developments or could form part<br />

of the regional reuse scheme.<br />

Stormwater Quality and Quantity Control measures<br />

Stormwater can be collected and stored, and then treated for release at a controlled rate.<br />

The temporary storage of flood waters will have the effect of attenuating the peak flow rate<br />

of discharge downstream which should reduce the size of drainage works required<br />

downstream. It can substantially reduce the release of nutrients and pollutants to the<br />

catchment. If sufficient open space is available, retaining and treating stormwater can<br />

provide a cost effective means of upgrading stormwater drainage capacities with significant<br />

environmental benefits.<br />

Stormwater Reuse<br />

Stormwater can be collected and stored, and then treated to a suitable level for a variety of<br />

uses. Stormwater can be collected through individual rainwater tanks or through detention<br />

basins. The temporary storage and reuse of flood waters will have the effect of attenuating<br />

the peak flow rate of discharge downstream which should reduce the size of drainage<br />

works required downstream. If sufficient open space is available, stormwater retention can<br />

provide a cost effective means of upgrading stormwater drainage capacities, and reduce<br />

pressure on treated water supplies and waterways. Rainwater tanks can supply many<br />

indoor and outdoor domestic uses, and detention basins can be used for open space<br />

irrigation or form part of the regional scheme.<br />

9.7.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

Using the bundling process the above water management opportunities could be combined<br />

into integrated scenarios. Table 9-21 presents examples of integrated scenarios.<br />

Table 9-21 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios for Tomakin and<br />

Surrounds<br />

<strong>Management</strong> Option<br />

Scenario<br />

Minimal/ Traditional 2 3<br />

Sewerage system upgrade <br />

Stormwater quality and quantity control<br />

for high priority catchments<br />

Stormwater quality and quantity – low<br />

priority sub-catchments<br />

Minimal/traditional Upgrade sewerage system.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 2 Upgrade sewerage system and reclaimed water reuse.<br />

<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3 Upgrade sewerage system, reclaimed water reuse and stormwater quality<br />

and quantity control.<br />

<br />

157


158<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The TBL assessment (Table 9-22) presents the comparative environmental, social and<br />

economic benefits of each of the integrated scenarios.<br />

Table 9-22 Triple Bottom Reporting for Tomakin and Surrounds<br />

Outcomes<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Minimal/<br />

Traditional<br />

2 3<br />

Efficient use of fresh water resource 0 2 2<br />

Minimises low flow water extractions 0 2 2<br />

Minimises green house gas<br />

emissions<br />

2 3 3<br />

Minimises pollutants being<br />

discharged to the aquatic<br />

environment<br />

1 2 3<br />

Minimises urban stormwater volumes 0 1 2<br />

Ensure sustainable practices 0 2 3<br />

Environmental Sum 3 12 15<br />

Environmental Rank 3 2 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water<br />

supply<br />

0 2 2<br />

Improves the quality of drinking water 0 0 0<br />

Improves urban water service levels 2 2 2<br />

Increase public awareness of urban<br />

water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance to policy<br />

and legislation<br />

0 2 3<br />

3 3 3<br />

Protects public health 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 8 12 13<br />

Social Rank 3 2 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV ($m over 30 years) 3.9 5.7 6.2<br />

Financial Rank 1 2 3<br />

TBL Sum 6 6 5<br />

TBL Rank 2 2 1<br />

On a TBL basis the best option is option 3, the upgrading of the STP and stormwater quality<br />

and quantity control for high and low priority catchments


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.8 Moruya and Moruya Heads<br />

9.8.1 Background<br />

The Landscape<br />

The town of Moruya is located in the central region of the Shire. It is the third largest town in<br />

the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire and has the potential to become the industrial centre of the region.<br />

The majority of the town development is concentrated on the southern side of the Moruya<br />

River. The catchment supports a large dairy farming industry, aquaculture and recreational<br />

activities. Figure 9-12 shows the location of Moruya.<br />

Figure 9-12 Moruya Topographic Map<br />

The population of Moruya recorded at the 2001 census was 2 314 for Moruya and 730 for<br />

South Head and a total of 1 630 dwellings. The town supports the highest ratios of<br />

permanent to holiday residents than other areas of the Shire. The 1996 housing monitor<br />

stated there was 2 429 vacant lots in Moruya and Moruya Heads, with an annual demand of<br />

34 lots. This analysis indicates that there is sufficient capacity for the predicted future<br />

growth within the 30 year planning framework.<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

The town is serviced by the regional water supply scheme. <strong>Water</strong> is supplied through the<br />

6.0 ML Moruya Town 2 Reservoir and the 3.0 ML Moruya South Head Reservoir.<br />

A recent upgrade of the system involved the construction of a new connection to transport<br />

sewage from South Head to the Moruya STP. This coincided with the STP upgrade which<br />

has increased its capacity from 4 000 EP to 8 000 EP. The plant upgrade involved<br />

converting it from an intermittent extended aeration plant to a continuous extended aeration<br />

plant. The STP now has chemical phosphorous, biological nitrogen removal capabilities.<br />

159


160<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The UV disinfection process has been upgraded to tertiary lagoons and an effluent balance<br />

tank with overflow to the storm catch ponds. The plant can treat three times average dry<br />

weather flow. The current average dry weather flow is 600 kL/d. This is expected to<br />

increase to 1 090 kL/d when all Moruya Head properties are connected.<br />

Reclaimed water is currently being used for the irrigation of golf course. The remaining<br />

treated water is discharged to Ryans Creek. A pollution reduction program has been issued<br />

by the EPA to investigate the long term sustainability of the discharge to the estuary.<br />

Council is planning to sewer the industrial estate to the north of Moruya.<br />

Moruya is estimated to generate 6 413 kL/a stormwater with loadings of 5 350 kg/a of<br />

nitrogen and 700 kg/a phosphorous. The urban centres contribute 8.3% of the total nitrogen<br />

and 25.3% of the total phosphorous load to the system. This load is expected to increase by<br />

40% over the next 25 years. Appropriate management of stormwater quality is required to<br />

reduce this impact.<br />

9.8.2 What Are the Issues?<br />

The issues associated with the landscape and water management systems can be<br />

classified into environmental, social and water infrastructure performance. These issues are<br />

discussed below.<br />

Environmental and Social Issues<br />

Flood waters from the Moruya River inflow into the sewers increasing the potential<br />

of sewer overflows and the associated health risks.<br />

There is a pollution reduction program on the STP to investigate the effects of<br />

nutrient loads on the estuary<br />

Stormwater from Moruya is adversely impacting on the water quality in the estuary.<br />

Moruya River is stressed under low flows due to town water and irrigation<br />

extractions.<br />

Localised flooding occurs in low lying areas.<br />

The community perceives that the disposal of sewage effluent into the estuary has<br />

a potential health risk to oyster growers and recreational users.<br />

Farmers located in the Moruya catchment lack access to freshwater resources and<br />

this is adversely affecting their productivity.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Infrastructure Performance Issues<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

An analysis of the reservoirs indicates that there is sufficient capacity to supply the year<br />

2032 peak day demands.<br />

Sewage<br />

Available data suggests that pump stations 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7 require upgrading to minimise<br />

overflows and odour.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.8.3 How Do We Fix These Issues?<br />

Overview<br />

The landscape of this region could be managed sustainably through the implementation of<br />

the appropriate planning controls. The issues of future development and acid sulfate soil<br />

runoff could be managed by amending the local environmental and development control<br />

plans.<br />

There are a number of opportunities available to manage the water cycle of Moruya and<br />

South Heads. Traditionally all opportunities available for the water supply, wastewater and<br />

stormwater were often evaluated in isolation. In this strategy, all available opportunities<br />

were identified and coarse screened (see Appendix C). The coarse screening process<br />

recognises that there are immediate and short term measures, and medium to long term<br />

water cycle management opportunities. The immediate and short term measures need to<br />

be implemented as a matter of priority to achieve legislative compliance and best practice<br />

standards. The short-listed medium to long term water cycle management opportunities<br />

would in the long run deliver water cycle sustainability, public health protection and<br />

improved service standards.<br />

Short term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Expanding the simple data management system into a comprehensive Shire wide<br />

system that is able to record and store operational and performance monitoring<br />

information.<br />

Initiating regular and systematic monitoring of the operational parameters such as<br />

daily water use, sewage flows, water quality etc and more strategic environmental<br />

and social parameters.<br />

Establishing a water supply reticulation network model to confirm pressure and<br />

firefighting service standards.<br />

Updating the asset registers to ensure the asset information is complete and up to<br />

date. Underway<br />

Medium to Long term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

The medium to long term opportunities are related to enhancing the sustainability of the<br />

water cycle, protecting the public health and environment and improving the service<br />

standards.<br />

Table 9-23 presents the water cycle management opportunities, their relative capital and<br />

present value costs over a 30-year period at an annual discount rate of 7%. Whilst the costs<br />

are indicative only, the relative cost difference between the opportunities should be similar.<br />

161


162<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-23 Costing of <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for Moruya and Moruya Heads<br />

Issues <strong>Management</strong><br />

Strategies<br />

Upgrade pump stations<br />

(Underway)<br />

Sewer the industrial<br />

estate (underway)<br />

Lay a re-use pipeline<br />

alongside the sewer<br />

pipeline<br />

Lay a reuse pipe north<br />

Stormwater retention<br />

quality and quantity<br />

control for high priority<br />

areas<br />

Stormwater quality and<br />

quantity control for low<br />

priority areas<br />

Sewage System Upgrade<br />

Social Environmental<br />

Reduced potential for<br />

odour complaints.<br />

Improved efficiency of<br />

existing assets.<br />

Lessened public health<br />

risk.<br />

Economical<br />

Improved use of<br />

valuable resource.<br />

Saving of potable<br />

(costly) treated water.<br />

Eliminates urban<br />

flooding<br />

Eliminates urban<br />

flooding<br />

Lessened risk of<br />

overflow.<br />

Limited footprint of<br />

construction.<br />

Reduced risk of<br />

overflows to sensitive<br />

environment and water<br />

bodies.<br />

Limited footprint of<br />

construction of this<br />

option.<br />

Return of resource to<br />

the water cycle.<br />

Reduces pollution of<br />

waterways<br />

Reduces pollution of<br />

waterways<br />

Financial ($m)<br />

Capital NPV @ 7%<br />

$2.2 $2.3<br />

$1.1 $1.15<br />

$0.40 $42<br />

$0.45k $0.47<br />

$0.056 $0.060<br />

$1.0 $1.1<br />

The existing sewage treatment plant upgrade works were completed last year. The plant<br />

has sufficient capacity for the next 30 years. Some sewer pipes and pump stations required<br />

upgrading to overcome overflow and odour problems. This work is underway.<br />

Stormwater Retention Basins<br />

Stormwater retention basins are designed to collect and store flood run-off for release at a<br />

controlled rate. The temporary storage of flood waters will have the effect of attenuating the<br />

peak flow rate of discharge downstream which should reduce the size of drainage works<br />

required downstream. Such temporary storage areas are sometimes formed naturally by<br />

restrictions in the drainage systems and may be constructed artificially. If sufficient open<br />

space is available, stormwater retention can provide a cost effective means of upgrading<br />

stormwater drainage capacities.<br />

Effluent Reuse<br />

Wastewater can be treated to a suitable level for a variety of beneficial reuse. These<br />

include industrial, agricultural, open space irrigation, non-potable domestic reuse and<br />

indirect potable reuse. The opportunity exists in the Moruya area to utilise effluent for<br />

agricultural and industrial reuse.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

Using the bundling process the above water management opportunities can be combined<br />

into integrated scenarios. The table below presents examples of integrated scenarios.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-24 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios for Moruya and Moruya<br />

Heads<br />

<strong>Management</strong> Option Traditional<br />

Scenario<br />

2 3<br />

Sewage system upgrade and extension <br />

Effluent reuse <br />

Stormwater quality and quantity control<br />

in high priority areas<br />

Stormwater quality and quantity control<br />

in low priority areas<br />

Minimal/traditional Sewerage system upgrade.<br />

<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 2 Sewerage system upgrade, effluent reuse and stormwater in high<br />

priority catchments.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3 Sewerage system upgrade and effluent reuse and stormwater in<br />

high and low priority catchments<br />

The TBL assessment (Table 9-25) presents the comparative environmental, social and<br />

economic benefits of each integrated scenarios.<br />

<br />

163


164<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-25 Triple Bottom Line Reporting for Moruya and Moruya Heads<br />

Outcomes<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Minimal/<br />

Traditional<br />

2 3<br />

Efficient use of fresh water resource 0 3 2<br />

Minimises low flow water extractions 0 2 2<br />

Minimises green house gas<br />

emissions<br />

Minimises pollutants being<br />

discharged to the aquatic<br />

environment<br />

2 2 2<br />

0 2 1<br />

Minimises urban stormwater volumes 0 2 0<br />

Ensure sustainable practices 0 3 2<br />

Environmental Sum 2 14 9<br />

Environmental Rank 3 1 2<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water<br />

supply<br />

0 2 2<br />

Improves the quality of drinking water 0 0 0<br />

Improves urban water service levels 3 3 3<br />

Increase public awareness of urban<br />

water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance to policy<br />

and legislation<br />

0 2 3<br />

3 3 3<br />

Protects public health 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 9 13 14<br />

Social Rank 3 2 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV ($m over 30 years) 3.5 4.4 5.5<br />

Financial Rank 1 2 3<br />

TBL Sum 7 5 6<br />

TBL Rank 3 1 2<br />

The triple bottom line assessment for Moruya is that the sewerage system upgrade, effluent<br />

reuse and stormwater management in high priority catchments provide the best outcomes<br />

based on the above criteria.


9.9 Congo<br />

9.9.1 Background<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The Village Landscape<br />

Congo is a small village located near Moruya. It is bounded by Congo Creek to the north<br />

and the Tasman Sea to the east. The 2001 census recorded 143 people in Congo and 95<br />

dwellings. The 1996 housing monitor recorded 27 vacant lots in Congo, with a predicted<br />

annual demand of 2 lots. This analysis indicates that there will be a land shortage by 2010.<br />

Figure 9-13 Location of Congo<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

The village residents rely on rainwater tanks for their potable water needs. During periods of<br />

drought and low rainfall the individual property owners purchase water externally, which in<br />

most instances is sourced from the Shire’s regional water scheme. Some groundwater may<br />

be available from the coastal sands, but the sustainability and capacity of this resource is<br />

currently unknown.<br />

165


166<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Figure 9-14 Aerial Photograph of Congo<br />

The village residents manage their own on-site wastewater systems. According to Council’s<br />

GIS, there is currently 80 on-site treatment facilities. 81% of these are septic tanks with<br />

effluent disposal by adsorption trench. The remaining systems utilise aerated processes<br />

that give higher levels of nutrient removal than septic systems.<br />

Congo has 0.6 km of stormwater pipes with 84 stormwater pits recorded on the GIS.<br />

Stormwater is not discharged to local rivers and there are no vulnerable ecosystems near<br />

the village. An estimated 1 424 kL/a of stormwater is generated in Congo, containing<br />

1 410 kg /a of nitrogen and 190 kg/a of phosphorous.<br />

9.9.2 What Are the Issues?<br />

The issues associated with the village landscape and water management system are<br />

classified into environmental and social issues, and are discussed below. Other community<br />

services related issues are not part of this study.<br />

Social and Environmental Issues<br />

The impact of sewage overflow pose a public health and environmental risks,<br />

The land is not suitable for soil adsorption systems.<br />

9.9.3 How Do We Fix the Problems?<br />

Overview<br />

It is vital that water management be undertaken in a sustainable manner. One important<br />

mechanism to aid in the achievement of sustainable water management is through planning<br />

controls. Many social and environmental issues such as acid sulfate soils can be addressed<br />

through a local environmental plan or development control plan. Planning instruments also


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

provide a forum for public review and participation with all plans requiring a mandatory<br />

exhibition and submission period.<br />

The traditional approach to water management is to separate water, wastewater and<br />

stormwater and treat each in isolation. In this strategy, all available opportunities have been<br />

identified and coarse screened (see Appendix C). The short listed water cycle management<br />

opportunities are discussed below.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

There are both short and medium term measures to improve the water cycle management<br />

at Congo. The short term measures should be implemented as a matter of priority to<br />

achieve best practice standard immaterial of the medium term opportunities.<br />

Short Term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Regular monitoring of on-site wastewater management systems for performance<br />

and integrity<br />

Systematic monitoring of local waterways and urban stormwater quality and<br />

quantity.<br />

Regular mail-outs of ways to maintain the on-site water and wastewater systems<br />

including information on water conservation<br />

The above short term measures are complimentary to the proposed medium term<br />

measures and would help Council and the community to manage their water cycle more<br />

sustainably.<br />

Medium to Long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

Medium term opportunities are measures related to improving the long term sustainability of<br />

the water cycle. In addition, these opportunities will also reduce public health and<br />

environmental impacts and enhance the standards for the water services. Table 9-26<br />

presents these opportunities along with their capital and present value at an annual<br />

discount rate of 7%.<br />

167


168<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-26 Costs of Opportunities for Congo<br />

Cost Estimate<br />

Capital ($m) NPV @ 7% ($m)<br />

Improved management of existing water supply - $0.06<br />

Harvested roof water supplemented with<br />

reticulated water from the regional scheme<br />

Provision of full reticulated water system from the<br />

regional scheme<br />

$0.84 $1.0<br />

$1.1 $1.3<br />

Improved management of existing on-site facilities $0.12 $0.68<br />

Enhanced management of existing on-site<br />

1 $0.38 $0.51<br />

facilities<br />

Centralised management of effluent from on-site<br />

1 $2.3 $0.56<br />

facilities with local treatment<br />

Provision of<br />

full reticulated<br />

sewerage<br />

system<br />

Local treatment and<br />

2 $2.4 $0.78<br />

management<br />

Transfer to Moruya $2.5 $0.67<br />

Local treatment and<br />

management with greywater<br />

reuse of suitable systems 2<br />

$2.4 $0.78<br />

Note 1: NPV’s for on-site systems are based on a rolling program commencing in 2003. NPV’s for sewering<br />

Congo are based on work commencing in 2024. NPV’s for water are based on works commencing in 2003.<br />

Note 2: The savings achieved by Council treating less effluent have not been taken take into account in the study<br />

and the costs associated with greywater reuse are community costs<br />

Improved <strong>Management</strong> of Present <strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

The reliability of the existing rainwater tank supply could be improved by conserving water<br />

through more efficient use. Utilising water efficient appliances and fixtures such as dual<br />

flush toilet, aerated taps, smart and efficient shower roses and washing machines are a few<br />

examples. There may be the potential to utilise groundwater, this option however would<br />

require further investigation.<br />

Harvested Roofwater Supplemented with Reticulated <strong>Water</strong><br />

Congo is totally dependent upon rainwater tanks for its water supply. Installing a reticulated<br />

system to supplement rainwater supplies would increase water security. This type of system<br />

would offer a good quality potable water supply whilst continuing to utilise rainwater tanks<br />

for uses such as toilet flushing, washing machines and gardening. Through supplying<br />

reticulated potable water, significant community and health benefits would be expected. The<br />

reticulated water could be sourced from the regional scheme<br />

The pipes required for a supplemented reticulation scheme would be smaller than for a full<br />

reticulated water supply provision. In this case the average annual and peak reticulated<br />

water demands for the full development situation would be about 17 ML/a and 0.09 ML/d<br />

respectively.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated <strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

Connecting Congo to the region’s water supply would require a 5 km pipeline from the<br />

transfer main between Moruya and Bodalla along existing roads. As the houses currently<br />

have rainwater tanks they could be retained and used for external water usage. If town<br />

water is supplied to the village it is recommended that consideration be given to sewering of


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

the town at this time, as additional water consumption will increase the on-site septic<br />

systems loads.<br />

Rainwater tanks can be less reliable than town water supplies and if gutters, roof surfaces<br />

and tanks are not well maintained it may result in poor quality water. A full reticulated town<br />

water supply would significantly reduce public health risks through ensuring that the water<br />

supply meets the Australian Drinking <strong>Water</strong> Quality Guidelines. This option would also<br />

eliminate the need for houses to import water during low rainfall and drought periods<br />

In this case the average annual and peak reticulated water demands for the full<br />

development situation would be about 20 ML/a and 0.14 ML/d respectively.<br />

The scheme facilities necessary to provide a full reticulated water supply to Congo would be<br />

similar to those required for a supplemented reticulated supply as discussed previously.<br />

The facility and component sizes would however be required to be slightly larger. The<br />

provision of larger pipes and facilities would enable the provision of fire fighting services at<br />

minimal extra cost.<br />

Improved <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

Sewage is currently treated by on-site systems. The seepage from existing on-site<br />

wastewater management systems could be reduced by regularly emptying the contents of<br />

the septic tanks and installing monitoring systems to prevent septic tank overflows and to<br />

assess the integrity of the tanks. Regular pumpouts and monitoring has the potential to<br />

minimise many of the environmental and public health impacts associated with the<br />

operation of septic systems.<br />

A single contract could be arranged by the Council or by the community such that the septic<br />

tanks are pumped at set time intervals. This would cover both effluent and sullage<br />

pumpout. The cost of this pumpout could be evenly split among the residents. To facilitate<br />

pumping every tank would require a smaller holding tank or pumpout facility.<br />

Although this opportunity would reduce the potential for waterway and aquifer<br />

contamination, it may but result in additional community impacts, such as odours<br />

associated with pumpouts and the movement of trucks in the neighbourhood.<br />

A risk analysis undertaken for most of the villages of <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> indicated that Congo has<br />

the least environmental and social risk associated with their current management practices.<br />

Nevertheless, if Council adopts management solutions for the other small villages, there<br />

may be economies of scale in considering the inclusion of Congo in a Shire-wide septic<br />

management scheme.<br />

Enhanced <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

There are several options available to upgrade the existing on-site wastewater<br />

management systems to achieve greater public health and environmental outcomes. The<br />

first option is to retain the existing septic tank and upgrade the on-site effluent management<br />

system. An example of this would be the replacement of the adsorption trenches with lined<br />

evapotranspiration beds, which achieve a higher level of water and nutrient uptake through<br />

plants.<br />

Another alternative is to upgrade the septic system to one that achieves nutrient removal<br />

and therefore results in a higher quality effluent discharge (e.g. aerated tanks). This would<br />

increase the potential uses available to the treated effluent.<br />

Both these options would minimise the potential for groundwater contamination, and its<br />

associated environmental problems as well as reducing the likelihood of public health<br />

issues and odour complaints.<br />

169


170<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Centralised <strong>Management</strong> of Effluent from On-site Facilities<br />

As an alternative to providing a full reticulated sewage system, the effluent from existing onsite<br />

systems (e.g. septic tanks) could be collected and transported to a central treatment<br />

facility. The pipes used may be smaller and could be laid in ground flatter and at a shallow<br />

depth than conventional gravity sewerage, as the pipes carry only entrained solids thus<br />

requiring minimal self cleaning velocity. The effluent collected form Moruya would be<br />

transported to Moruya STP for treatment.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated Sewerage System<br />

An alternative to providing any on-site treatment facilities is to transfer both the solids and<br />

liquid through a common sewer transport network to Moruya STP. Unlike in the previous<br />

opportunities the sewer transport pipes would need to be larger and possibly installed at a<br />

greater depth. Installing sewerage reticulation to transfer to Moruya STP would require 9.5<br />

km of pipeline along existing roads.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated Sewerage System with Grey <strong>Water</strong> Reuse<br />

On-site systems that achieve a suitable level of greywater treatment would be maintained,<br />

and blackwater only would be either transported to the Moruya STP using the reticulation<br />

systems described above, or would undergo local treatment and management. The<br />

resulting greywater could then be utilised for a variety of outdoor uses and for toilet flushing.<br />

Maintaining current aerated systems in Congo for greywater reuse would reduce the<br />

volume of wastewater requiring treatment by 0.86 ML/a. If in addition, current septic tanks<br />

were converted to rainwater tanks for reuse purposes an additional 2.8 ML/a could be<br />

saved. This in addition to reducing the volume of imported of reticulated water required for<br />

Moruya, would reduce the hydraulic load on the Moruya STP. With the implementation of<br />

appropriate monitoring systems, long term environmental and water resource sustainability<br />

and public health protection could be achieved.


9.10 Bodalla<br />

9.10.1 Background<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The Village Landscape<br />

Bodalla is located just south of the Tuross River, approximately 7.5km west of Potato Point.<br />

Urban development in Bodalla is concentrated along the Princess Highway, which also<br />

serves as its major access. Figure 9-15 shows the locality of Bodalla.<br />

Figure 9-15 Location of Bodalla<br />

The land surrounding Bodalla consists of the Tuross River, Borang Lake, the Bodalla State<br />

Forest and farmland. The 2001 census recorded 316 people in Bodalla and 200 dwellings.<br />

The 1996 housing monitor stated there were 75 vacant lots in Bodalla, with an annual<br />

demand of 1 lot. This indicates that there is sufficient land for urban expansion. In<br />

investigating the integrated water options, allowance has been made for an annual demand<br />

of 2 lots per annum. Figure 9-16 contains an aerial photograph of the area.<br />

171


172<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Figure 9-16 Aerial Photograph of Bodalla<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

Bodalla is connected to the regional water supply scheme, supplied through the 3 ML<br />

Bodalla Park reservoir. This reservoir is capable of supply the estimated 2032 peak day<br />

demand of 729 kL/d.<br />

The village has on-site treatment for its sewage. According to the GIS, there are currently<br />

133 on-site treatment facilities. The majority (84%), of these are septic tanks with effluent<br />

disposal by adsorption trenches, which generally do not comply with the performance<br />

objectives of Environmental and Health Protection Guidelines (1998). The remaining<br />

systems utilise aerated processes that give higher levels of nutrient removal that septic<br />

systems. A STP is proposed for Bodalla.<br />

Bodalla has not been considered under the Shire’s stormwater management plan due to it’s<br />

population being less than 1 000. There is 460 m of stormwater pipe recorded in Bodalla,<br />

and eight discharge points. As the urban area is surrounded by agricultural land and the<br />

stormwater must travel overland for more than 400 m to reach the nearest waterways, the<br />

stormwater impacts from Bodalla are considered to be of low priority. An estimated<br />

403 kL/a of stormwater is generated in Bodalla, containing 483 kg/a of nitrogen and 64kg/a<br />

of phosphorous.<br />

9.10.2 What Are the Issues<br />

The issues associated with the village landscape and water management system are<br />

classified into environmental and social issues, and are discussed below. Other community<br />

issues are not part of this study.<br />

Environmental Issues<br />

There is currently pollution from on-site wastewater treatment systems due to small<br />

lot sizes.


Social Issues<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Current on-site wastewater management practices pose a public health risk<br />

especially during rainy periods,<br />

There are often odour complaints from residents,<br />

The village has received funding for sewerage under the Small Towns Program<br />

administered by DLWC, and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Council,<br />

The village residents do not receive any water saving ‘tips’ or information on how to<br />

better manage on-site wastewater management systems.<br />

9.10.3 How Do We Fix the Problems?<br />

<strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

There are both short and medium term measures to improve the water cycle management<br />

at Bodalla. The short term measures should be implemented as a matter of priority to<br />

achieve best practice standard immaterial of the medium term opportunities.<br />

Short Term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Regular monitoring of the on-site wastewater management systems for<br />

performance and integrity,<br />

Systematic monitoring of local waterways and urban stormwater quality and<br />

quantity,<br />

Regular mail-outs of ways to maintain the on-site water and wastewater systems<br />

including information on water conservation.<br />

The above short term measures are complimentary to the proposed medium term<br />

measures and would help Council and the community to manage their water cycle more<br />

sustainably.<br />

Medium to Long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

Medium term opportunities are measures related to improving the long term sustainability of<br />

the water cycle. In addition, these opportunities will also reduce public health and<br />

environmental impacts and enhance the service standards for the water services. Table<br />

9-27 presents these opportunities along with their capital and present value at an annual<br />

discount rate of 7%.<br />

173


174<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-27 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for Bodalla<br />

Centralised management of effluent from onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Provision of<br />

full reticulated<br />

sewerage<br />

system<br />

Cost Estimate<br />

Capital ($m) NPV @ 7% ($m)<br />

2.57 2.85<br />

Package Treatment Plant 2.66 2.93<br />

Package Treatment Plant<br />

with greywater reuse of<br />

suitable systems 1<br />

2.66 2.93<br />

Package Treatment Plant<br />

with greywater reuse of<br />

suitable systems and<br />

roofwater harvesting<br />

utilising disinfected tanks 1<br />

2.66 2.93<br />

Note 1: As this is a strategy document, the saving s to Council for greywater reuse have not been costed. These<br />

option will incur greater community costs<br />

Centralised <strong>Management</strong> of Effluent from On-site Facilities<br />

As an alternative to providing a full reticulated sewage system, the effluent from existing onsite<br />

systems (e.g. septic tanks) could be collected and transported to a central treatment<br />

facility. This type of system relies on smaller pipes than those required for a conventional<br />

reticulated sewerage system. Pipes can be laid in the ground at a lesser gradient and at a<br />

more shallow depth than that of conventional gravity sewerage, as the solids are captured<br />

by the on-site system and the pipes only need to carry liquid effluent. This option has been<br />

priced with a package treatment plant and opportunistic reuse<br />

Reed beds are local treatment option that may be viable in Bodalla. Constructed Reed beds<br />

use passive biological systems to treat a variety of wastes such as human, animal, plant<br />

and industrial wastes. It is an extremely effective system with many environmental benefits<br />

when compared with traditional treatment options.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated Sewerage System<br />

An alternative to on-site treatment sewerage facilities is to transfer wastewater through a<br />

Centralised sewer transport network to a treatment plant as described above. Unlike in the<br />

previous opportunities the sewer transport pipes would be larger and possibly installed at<br />

greater depths.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated Sewerage System with Grey <strong>Water</strong> Reuse<br />

On-site systems that achieve a suitable level of treatment for greywater would be<br />

maintained, and blackwater only would be transported to the STP using the reticulation<br />

systems described above. The resulting greywater could then be utilised for a variety of<br />

outdoor uses and for toilet flushing. Maintaining current aerated systems in Bodalla for<br />

greywater reuse would reduce the volume of wastewater requiring treatment by 1.3 ML/a.<br />

This in addition to reducing the volume of imported of reticulated water required for Bodalla,<br />

would reduce the hydraulic load on the future Bodalla STP. With the implementation of<br />

appropriate monitoring systems, long term environmental and water resource sustainability<br />

and public health protection could be achieved.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated Sewerage System with Grey <strong>Water</strong> Reuse and Roofwater<br />

Harvesting<br />

This opportunity incorporates the components of the previous opportunity. In addition to the<br />

elements described above, systems that are not suitable for greywater reuse (e.g. septic


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

tanks) would be de-sludged and disinfected and used to collect roofwater for non-potable<br />

uses including garden watering and toilet flushing. This would result in an additional<br />

3.16 ML/a of wastewater not requiring transportation and treatment. Together with<br />

greywater reuse from aerated systems, a total of 4.36 ML/a could be saved.<br />

Social and Environmental Aspects of Medium to Long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

The TBL assessment in Table 9-28 provides the comparative environmental and social<br />

benefits of each water cycle management opportunities.<br />

Table 9-28 Social and Environmental Aspects of the Medium to Long Term<br />

Opportunities for Bodalla<br />

Centralised management of effluent from<br />

on-site facilities<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated<br />

sewerage<br />

system<br />

Package Treatment<br />

Plant<br />

Package Treatment<br />

Plant with greywater<br />

reuse of suitable<br />

systems<br />

Package Treatment<br />

Plant with greywater<br />

reuse of suitable<br />

systems and roofwater<br />

harvesting utilising<br />

disinfected tanks<br />

Social Environmental<br />

Limited additional infrastructure<br />

required<br />

Use of existing resources<br />

Improved air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Potential disturbance during<br />

construction period<br />

Limited additional infrastructure<br />

required<br />

Use of existing resources<br />

Improved air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Potential disturbance during<br />

construction period<br />

Limited additional infrastructure<br />

required<br />

Use of existing resources<br />

Improved air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Potential disturbance during<br />

construction period<br />

Limited additional infrastructure<br />

required<br />

Use of existing resources<br />

Improved air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Potential disturbance during<br />

construction period<br />

9.10.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

Improved environmental<br />

outcomes<br />

Improved environmental<br />

outcomes<br />

More efficient use of<br />

resources as part of the<br />

regional reuse scheme<br />

Improved environmental<br />

outcomes<br />

More efficient use of<br />

resources<br />

Improved environmental<br />

outcomes<br />

More efficient use of<br />

resources<br />

Using the bundling process the above water management opportunities can be combined<br />

into integrated scenarios presents examples of integrated scenarios. Table 9-29 presents<br />

these integrated scenarios for Bodalla.<br />

175


176<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-29 – <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Strategies for Bodalla<br />

Centralised management of effluent from on-site<br />

facilities<br />

Provision of<br />

full reticulated<br />

sewerage<br />

system<br />

Traditional<br />

Approach<br />

Package Treatment Plant <br />

Package Treatment Plant with<br />

greywater reuse of suitable<br />

systems<br />

Package Treatment Plant with<br />

greywater reuse of suitable<br />

systems and roofwater harvesting<br />

utilising disinfected tanks<br />

2 3 4<br />

Traditional Provision of full reticulated sewerage systems with a package treatment plant.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 2 Centralised management of effluent from on-site facilities<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3 Provision of full reticulated sewerage systems with a package treatment plant<br />

with greywater reuse of suitable systems.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 4 Provision of full reticulated sewerage systems with a package treatment plant<br />

with greywater reuse of suitable systems and roofwater harvesting utilising disinfected tanks.<br />

9.10.5 Triple Bottom Line Assessment<br />

Table 9-30 shows the triple bottom line reporting for the integrated options water cycle<br />

options at Bodalla.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-30 Triple Bottom Line Assessment for Bodalla<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Traditional<br />

Approach<br />

2 3 4<br />

Efficient use of fresh water resource 0 1 2 2<br />

Minimises low flow water extractions 0 0 2 2<br />

Minimises green house gas emissions 1 2 2 2<br />

Minimises pollutants being discharged to<br />

the aquatic environment<br />

3 3 3 3<br />

Minimises urban stormwater volumes 0 0 0 2<br />

Ensure sustainable land use practices 2 2 3 3<br />

Environmental Sum 6 8 12 14<br />

Environmental Rank 4 3 2 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water supply 0 0 1 2<br />

Improves the quality of drinking water 0 0 0 0<br />

Improves urban water service levels 2 2 2 2<br />

Increase public awareness of urban water<br />

issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance to policy and<br />

legislation<br />

1 2 3 3<br />

3 3 3 3<br />

Protects public health 3 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 9 10 12 13<br />

Social Rank 4 3 2 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV ($m over 30 years) 2.93 2.57 2.93 2.93<br />

Financial Rank 2 1 2 2<br />

TBL Score 10 7 6 4<br />

TBL Rank 4 3 2 1<br />

According to the TBL assessment, the most suitable option for Bodalla is to incorporate<br />

greywater reuse and roof water harvesting where appropriate, with a package treatment<br />

plant.<br />

177


9.11 Potato Point<br />

9.11.1 Background<br />

178<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The Village Landscape<br />

Potato Point overlooks the Tasman Sea. The village is bounded by National Park with<br />

Potato Point Beach to the north and Jamisons Beach to the south. Potato Creek flows to<br />

the north of the village and there is an intermittent lagoon to the south west of the village.<br />

The population recorded at Potato Point in the 2001 census was 133. There is limited land<br />

available for development and there is no possibility for new land as the village is bounded<br />

by National Park.<br />

Figure 9-17 Potato Point Location<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

Potato Point is supplied with water from the 3 ML Potato Point Reservoir, and is connected<br />

to the regional water supply scheme. The Potato Point Reservoir has sufficient storage to<br />

meet current and future peak day demands.<br />

Sewage in Potato Point is treated by on-site systems. According to the GIS there are<br />

currently 120 on site treatment facilities. Of these nearly 70% are septic tanks with effluent<br />

disposal by adsorption trench and an additional 8% are septic tanks with effluent pump-out.<br />

The remaining systems utilise aerated processes that result in a higher level of nutrient<br />

removal than septic systems.<br />

There is no stormwater infrastructure recorded in Council’s GIS. Stormwater is likely to flow<br />

overland until adsorbed by the sandy soils or until it reaches Potato Creek. An estimated<br />

207 kL/a of stormwater is generated in Potato Point, containing 250 kg/a of nitrogen and<br />

30 kg/a of phosphorous.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Figure 9-18 Aerial Photograph of Potato Point<br />

9.11.2 What Are the Issues?<br />

The issues associated with the village landscape and water management systems are<br />

classified into environmental and social issues, and are discussed below. Other community<br />

services related issues are not part of this study.<br />

Social and Environmental Issues<br />

Insufficient sewage treatment through on-site systems may result in environmental<br />

degradation,<br />

A risk assessment of the social and environmental issues for most of the villages<br />

ranked Potato Point as the third highest priority for management intervention.<br />

9.11.3 How Do We Fix the Problems<br />

Overview<br />

It is vital that water management be undertaken in a sustainable manner. One important<br />

mechanism to aid in the achievement of sustainable water management is through planning<br />

controls. Many social and environmental issues such as acid sulfate soils and medium<br />

density housing can be addressed through a local environmental plan or development<br />

control plan. Planning instruments also provide a forum for public review and participation<br />

with all plans requiring a mandatory exhibition and submission period.<br />

The traditional approach to water management is to separate water, wastewater and<br />

stormwater and treat each in isolation. In this strategy, all available opportunities have been<br />

identified and coarse screened (see Appendix C). The short listed water cycle management<br />

opportunities are discussed below.<br />

179


180<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

<strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

There are both short and medium term measures to improve the water cycle management<br />

at Potato Point. The short term measures should be implemented as a matter of priority to<br />

achieve best practice standard immaterial of the medium term opportunities.<br />

Short Term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Regular monitoring of the on-site wastewater management systems for<br />

performance and integrity,<br />

Systematic monitoring of local waterways and urban stormwater quality and<br />

quantity,<br />

Regular mail-outs of ways to maintain on-site wastewater systems including<br />

information on water conservation.<br />

The above short term measures are complimentary to the proposed medium term<br />

measures and would help Council and the community to manage their water cycle more<br />

sustainably.<br />

Medium to Long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

Medium term opportunities are measures related to improving the long term sustainability of<br />

the water cycle. In addition, these opportunities will also reduce public health and<br />

environmental impacts and enhance the service standards for the water services. Table<br />

9-31 presents these opportunities along with their capital and present value at an annual<br />

discount rate of 7%.<br />

Table 9-31 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for Potato Point<br />

Cost Estimate<br />

Capital ($m) NPV @ 7% ($m)<br />

Improved management of existing on-site facilities $0.18 $0.96<br />

Enhanced management of existing on-site<br />

facilities<br />

$0.57 $0.77<br />

Provision of<br />

centralised effluent<br />

management<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated sewerage<br />

system<br />

Transfer to Bodalla<br />

system<br />

Transfer to Bodalla<br />

system<br />

Transfer to Bodalla STP<br />

with greywater reuse<br />

and roof water<br />

harvesting<br />

$1.72 $0.68<br />

$1.9 $0.72<br />

$1.9 $0.72<br />

Note 1: As this is a strategy document, the saving s to Council for greywater reuse have not been costed. This<br />

option will incur greater community costs<br />

Note: NPV’s for on-site systems are based on a rolling program commencing in 2003. NPV’s for sewering Potato<br />

Point are based on work commencing in 2020


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Improved <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

Sewage is currently treated by on-site systems. The seepage from existing on-site<br />

wastewater management systems could be reduced by regularly emptying the contents of<br />

the septic tanks and installing monitoring systems to prevent septic tank overflows and to<br />

assess the integrity of the tanks.<br />

A single contract could be arranged by the Council or by the community such that the septic<br />

tanks are pumped at set time intervals. This would cover both effluent and sullage<br />

pumpout. The cost of this pumpout could be evenly divided between the residents. To<br />

facilitate pumping every tank would require a smaller holding tank or pumpout facility.<br />

Although this opportunity would reduce the potential of waterway and aquifer contamination,<br />

it may but result in additional community impacts, such as odour complaints associated with<br />

pumpouts, and the movement of trucks in the neighbourhood.<br />

Enhanced <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

There are several options available to upgrade the existing on-site wastewater<br />

management systems to achieve greater public health and environmental outcomes. The<br />

first option is to retain the existing septic tanks and upgrade the on-site effluent<br />

management system. An example of this would be the replacement of the adsorption<br />

trenches with lined evapotranspiration beds, which achieve a higher level of water and<br />

nutrient uptake through plants.<br />

Another alternative is to upgrade the septic system to one that achieves nutrient removal<br />

and therefore results in a higher quality effluent discharge (e.g. aerated tanks). This would<br />

increase the potential uses of the treated effluent.<br />

Both these options would minimise the potential of groundwater contamination, and its<br />

associated environmental problems as well as reducing the likelihood of public health<br />

issues and odour complaints.<br />

Centralised <strong>Management</strong> of Effluent from On-site Facilities<br />

As an alternative to providing a full reticulated sewage system, the wastewater from existing<br />

on-site systems (e.g. septic tanks) could be collected and transported to a central treatment<br />

facility. This type of system relies on smaller pipes than those required for a conventional<br />

reticulated sewerage system. Pipes can be laid in the ground at a lesser gradient and at a<br />

more shallow depth than that of conventional gravity sewerage, as the solids are captured<br />

by the on-site system and the pipes only need to carry liquid wastewater. The wastewater<br />

would be transported to Bodalla STP for treatment.<br />

Reed beds are local treatment option that may be viable in Potato Point. Constructed Reed<br />

beds use passive biological systems to treat a variety of wastes such as human, animal,<br />

plant and industrial wastes. It is an extremely effective system with many environmental<br />

benefits when compared with traditional treatment options.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated Sewerage System<br />

An alternative to treating sewerage on-site is to transfer wastewater (i.e. black and grey<br />

water) through a centralised sewer transport network to either a local treatment facility as<br />

discussed for the previous opportunity, or to the (proposed) Bodalla STP.<br />

Unlike in the previous opportunity the sewer transport pipes would be required to be larger<br />

and possibly need to be installed at greater depths.<br />

Appendix P provides a detailed description of the available transport and local treatment<br />

options. The shortlisted reclaimed water management options are the same as those<br />

discussed for the above opportunity.<br />

181


182<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The costs in Table 9-31 is based on modified gravity transport system with transfer to the<br />

Bodalla STP.<br />

Provision of Full System with Greywater Reuse<br />

On-site systems that achieve a suitable level of treatment for greywater would be<br />

maintained, and blackwater only would be transported to the Bodalla STP using the<br />

reticulation systems described above. The resulting greywater could then be utilised for a<br />

variety of outdoor uses and for toilet flushing. Maintaining current aerated systems in Potato<br />

Point for greywater reuse would reduce the volume of wastewater requiring treatment by<br />

2.7 ML/a. This in addition to reducing the volume of imported of reticulated water required<br />

for Potato Point, would reduce the hydraulic load on the Bodalla STP. With the<br />

implementation of appropriate monitoring systems, long term environmental and water<br />

resource sustainability and public health protection could be achieved.<br />

Provision of Full System with Grey <strong>Water</strong> Reuse and Roof water harvesting<br />

This option is as per the previous option, with the incorporation of rainwater tanks. Systems<br />

that are not suitable for greywater reuse (e.g. septic tanks) would be de-sludged and<br />

disinfected and used to collect roofwater for non-potable uses including garden watering<br />

and toilet flushing. This would result in an additional 3.68 ML/a of wastewater not requiring<br />

transportation and treatment at the Bodalla STP. Together with greywater reuse from<br />

aerated systems, a total of 6.38 ML/a could be saved.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-32 Social and Environmental Aspects of the Medium to Long Term<br />

Opportunities for Potato Point<br />

Opportunities Social Environmental<br />

Improved management of existing<br />

on-site facilities<br />

Enhanced management of existing<br />

on-site facilities<br />

Centralised<br />

management<br />

of effluent<br />

from on-site<br />

facilities<br />

Provision of<br />

full reticulated<br />

sewerage<br />

system<br />

Local treatment<br />

and management<br />

(Reed beds)<br />

Transfer to<br />

Bodalla system<br />

with greywater<br />

reuse<br />

Transfer to<br />

Bodalla system<br />

and grey water<br />

reuse and<br />

roofwater<br />

harvesting<br />

Associated odour and noise<br />

impacts<br />

Inconvenience of pumpout trucks<br />

in the area<br />

Improved air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Enhanced aesthetic appeal for<br />

the local area, good for tourism<br />

and recreational activities<br />

Solution would be tailored to<br />

match local requirements<br />

Limited additional infrastructure<br />

required<br />

Use of existing resources<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction i.e.<br />

noise, vehicle movement<br />

Limited additional treatment<br />

infrastructure required<br />

Existing resources can be utilised<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction i.e.<br />

noise, vehicle movement<br />

Reduced demand on reticulated<br />

water resources<br />

Reduced hydraulic and biological<br />

loads on the Bodalla sewerage<br />

system<br />

9.11.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

Improved environmental<br />

outcomes, minimises the<br />

incidence of septic effluent<br />

contaminating groundwater<br />

Reduced impact to local<br />

waterways and the environment<br />

Would encourage local reuse and<br />

recycling<br />

Less overall environmental<br />

impacts than conventional gravity<br />

systems<br />

Improved quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Increased opportunities for<br />

effluent reuse<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Significantly reduced likelihood of<br />

groundwater contamination<br />

Improved quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Increased opportunities for<br />

effluent reuse<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Significantly reduced likelihood of<br />

groundwater contamination<br />

Using the bundling process the above water management opportunities can be combined<br />

into integrated scenarios. Table 9-33 presents examples of integrated scenarios. Other<br />

scenarios may be developed and considered in the subsequent study phase.<br />

183


184<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-33 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios for Potato Point<br />

Improved management of existing onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Enhanced management of existing onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Centralised<br />

management of<br />

effluent from onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated<br />

sewerage system<br />

Local treatment<br />

and management<br />

(Reed beds)<br />

Transfer to<br />

Bodalla system<br />

Transfer to<br />

Bodalla system<br />

with greywater<br />

reuse and roof<br />

water harvesting<br />

Minimal<br />

<br />

Traditional<br />

Solution<br />

Minimal Improved management of existing on-site facilities.<br />

<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios<br />

3 4 5<br />

Traditional Provision of full reticulated sewerage system with transfer to the Bodalla system and<br />

greywater reuse.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3 Enhanced management of existing on-site facilities.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 4 Centralised management of effluent from on-site facilities with local treatment<br />

and management.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 5 Provision of full reticulated sewerage system with transfer to the Bodalla<br />

system greywater reuse and roofwater harvesting.<br />

The TBL assessment (Table 9-34) presents the comparative environmental, social and<br />

economic benefits of each integrated scenarios.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-34 Triple Bottom Line Assessment of Scenarios for Potato Point<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Efficient use of fresh water<br />

resource<br />

Minimises low flow water<br />

extractions<br />

Minimises green house gas<br />

emissions<br />

Minimises pollutants being<br />

discharged to the aquatic<br />

environment<br />

Minimises urban stormwater<br />

volumes<br />

Ensures sustainable<br />

practices<br />

Minimal<br />

Traditional<br />

Approach<br />

3 4 5<br />

0 1 0 1 2<br />

0 2 0 1 2<br />

1 1 2 2 2<br />

2 2 2 2 2<br />

0 0 0 0 2<br />

1 2 2 2 3<br />

Environmental Sum 4 8 6 8 13<br />

Environmental Rank 5 2 4 2 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town<br />

water supply<br />

Improves the quality of<br />

drinking water<br />

Improves urban water<br />

service levels<br />

Increase public awareness<br />

of urban water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance<br />

to policy and legislation<br />

0 1 0 1 2<br />

0 0 0 0 0<br />

1 3 2 3 3<br />

2 2 2 2 3<br />

1 3 3 3 3<br />

Protects public health 2 3 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 6 12 10 12 14<br />

Social Rank 5 2 4 2 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV ($m over 30 years) 0.96 0.72 0.77 0.68 0.72<br />

Financial Rank 1 2 3 1 2<br />

TBL Score 14 6 11 5 4<br />

TBL Rank 5 2 4 2 1<br />

The preferred option for Potato Point according to the above assessment criteria is the<br />

provision of a full reticulated system with transfer to the Bodalla STP and incorporating<br />

greywater reuse and roof water harvesting where appropriate.<br />

185


186<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.12 Dalmeny Kianga and Narooma<br />

9.12.1 Background<br />

The Landscape<br />

Dalmeny, Kianga and Narooma are located in the south of the Shire. The towns are<br />

situated on sensitive waterways which include the Wagonga inlet, and the Kianga, Little and<br />

Nangudga Lakes. Figure 9-19 shows the location of Dalmeny, Kianga and Narooma.<br />

Figure 9-19 Dalmeny, Kianga and Narooma Topographic Map<br />

The 2001 census recorded 1 785 people in Dalmeny, 1 145 in Kianga and 2 267 in<br />

Narooma. There are 747 lots available at Dalmeny, 273 at Kianga, 172 at North Narooma<br />

and 869 at Narooma. This is sufficient for to meet the projected growth of the area over the<br />

30 year planning timeframe.<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

Dalmeny, Kianga and Narooma are connected to the regional water supply system.<br />

The Kianga STP services the Dalmeny, Kianga and Narooma communities. It has a design<br />

capacity of 12 000 EP and currently uses a continuous and intermittent extended aeration<br />

processes decommissioned. The plant utilises secondary treatment processes and natural<br />

disinfection prior to discharging to the ocean. Similar to the other STPs, stabilised and<br />

dewatered biosolid is used in the rehabilitation of Council’s landfill.<br />

An estimated 8 490 kL/a of stormwater is generated in Narooma. The subcatchment that<br />

drains to Little Lake has been ranked as a priority catchment for the region. Dams on the<br />

Narooma golf course are used to retain stormwater for on-site reuse. Figure 9-20 shows the<br />

stormwater sub-catchments for this area.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Figure 9-20 Dalmeny/Kianga/Narooma Stormwater Sub-Catchments<br />

9.12.2 What Are the Issues?<br />

The issues associated with the landscape and water management systems can be<br />

classified into environmental, social and water infrastructure performance. These issues are<br />

discussed below.<br />

Environmental and Social Issues<br />

Wagonga Inlet contains oyster leases. The discharge of sewage and stormwater<br />

runoff to the environment poses not only a risk to public health but a risk also of<br />

productivity loss to the oyster industry,<br />

The community perception is that the treatment works discharges to the adjacent<br />

lake, whereas the effluent is actually discharged into the ocean,<br />

Overflow may occur from pump stations during power outages,<br />

There is a history of community complaints about odours from the inlet works of the<br />

STP.<br />

187


188<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

<strong>Water</strong> Infrastructure Performance Issues<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Supply<br />

Narooma town reservoir does not have sufficient capacity to supply future peak day<br />

demands in isolation, however the North Narooma Reservoir has sufficient capacity to<br />

supply both North Narooma and Narooma.<br />

Sewage<br />

Pump stations 4,5,19 are prone to surcharge during power outages and some pump<br />

stations may need upgrading to cope with future growth. The Kianga STP is predicted to<br />

reach its design capacity in 2011. Odour from the pump stations has historically been an<br />

issue. The system has recently been upgraded with biological deodorisation beds, which<br />

appears to have addressed the issue, although the system has not yet undergone a holiday<br />

loading since their construction.<br />

Stormwater<br />

The stormwater generated in Narooma is expected to carry 7.6 tonnes per annum of<br />

nitrogen and 1.20 tonnes per annum of phosphorous. These nutrients have the potential to<br />

affect the health of Wagonga Inlet and the surrounding waterways.<br />

9.12.3 How Do We Fix these Issues?<br />

Overview<br />

There are a number of opportunities to manage the water cycle of the towns of Dalmeny<br />

Kianga and Narooma and the surrounding landscape. The traditional approach to water<br />

management is to separate water, wastewater and stormwater and treat each in isolation.<br />

In this plan, all available opportunities have been identified and coarse screened (see<br />

Appendix C). The coarse screening process recognises that there are immediate and short<br />

term measures, and medium to long term water cycle management opportunities. The<br />

immediate and short term measures need to be implemented as a matter of priority to<br />

achieve legislative compliance and best practice standards. The short-listed medium to<br />

long term water cycle management opportunities would in the long run deliver water cycle<br />

sustainability, public health protection and improved service standards.<br />

Immediate Measures<br />

To reduce the risk of potential overflows one of the following strategies may be employed;<br />

Provide additional storage at the critical pump stations and/or,<br />

Ensuring a more reliable main power supply system or stand-by power.<br />

Short term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Expanding the simple data management system into a comprehensive Shire wide<br />

system to record and store operational and performance monitoring information.<br />

Initiating regular and systematic monitoring of operational parameters such as daily<br />

water use, sewage flows, water quality etc and more strategic environmental and<br />

social parameters.<br />

Establishing a water supply reticulation network model to confirm pressure and<br />

firefighting service standards.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Updating the asset registers to ensure the asset information is complete and up to<br />

date.<br />

Improve the reliability and system operation of the sewerage systems through<br />

telemetry controls, oxygen injection and power supply.<br />

Medium to Long term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

Enhancements to the STP capacity and effluent quality using one of the following<br />

measures,<br />

Based on Studies done for Batemans Bay and Tomakin it appears that the<br />

performance of Kianga plant could be optimised by chemical dosing to<br />

accommodate the projected loads,<br />

Adding a parallel secondary treatment facility,<br />

Odour concerns could be addressed through:<br />

− Odour bed and scrubber to neutralise the smell at plant inlet works,<br />

− Protection of buffer zone from future development.<br />

Table 9-35 Medium to Long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities for<br />

Dalmeny, Kianga and Narooma<br />

Enhancement to<br />

sewerage system<br />

management<br />

Opportunity<br />

Option 1 – Plant performance<br />

optimisation strategy<br />

- Reticulation improvement to<br />

fix major I/I problem<br />

- UV plant to improve effluent<br />

quality<br />

- Optimise treatment plant<br />

operation<br />

Option 2 – Traditional strategy<br />

- Reticulation improvement to<br />

fix major I/I problem<br />

- UV plant to improve effluent<br />

quality<br />

- Parallel treatment train<br />

Stormwater quantity and quality control measures for<br />

high priority sub-catchment<br />

Stormwater quality and quantity control for low priority<br />

sub-catchments<br />

Costs $m<br />

Capital NPV@7%<br />

1.9 2.0<br />

3.8 2.7<br />

2.2 2.6<br />

1.0 1.1<br />

Local urban open space stormwater reuse 2.64 2.8<br />

189


190<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Improve current Sewage Treatment System<br />

This option involves upgrading the Kianga STP to address the long term odour impacts and<br />

to meet operational compliance. Upgrading the plant would include the medium to long term<br />

management measures identified above, and pump station improvements.<br />

Increase Treatment Capacity<br />

Kianga STP requires upgrading to meet future demands. This could be achieved by<br />

constructing a parallel treatment facility or by optimising the existing treatment train.<br />

Stormwater Quality and Quantity Control measures<br />

Stormwater can be collected and stored, and then treated for release at a controlled rate.<br />

The temporary storage of flood waters will have the effect of attenuating the peak flow rate<br />

of discharge downstream which should reduce the size of drainage works required<br />

downstream. It can substantially reduce the release of nutrients and pollutants to the<br />

catchment. If sufficient open space is available, retaining and treating stormwater can<br />

provide a cost effective means of upgrading stormwater drainage capacities with significant<br />

environmental benefits.<br />

Stormwater Reuse<br />

Stormwater can be collected and stored, and then treated to a suitable level for a variety of<br />

uses. Stormwater can be collected through individual rainwater tanks or through detention<br />

basins. The temporary storage and reuse of flood waters will have the effect of attenuating<br />

the peak flow rate of discharge downstream which should reduce the size of drainage<br />

works required downstream. If sufficient open space is available, stormwater retention can<br />

provide a cost effective means of upgrading stormwater drainage capacities, and reduce<br />

pressure on treated water supplies and waterways. Rainwater tanks can supply many<br />

indoor and outdoor domestic uses, and detention basins can be used for open space<br />

irrigation or form part of the regional scheme.<br />

Table 9-36 Social and Environmental Aspects of the Medium to Long Term<br />

Opportunities for Dalmeny, Kianga and Narooma<br />

Opportunity Social Environmental<br />

Improve current sewage system<br />

management<br />

Stormwater quality and quantity<br />

control measures<br />

Reduced potential for odour<br />

complaints.<br />

Improved efficiency of existing<br />

assets<br />

Will meet future demand loads<br />

Reduces stormwater impacts<br />

and flooding.<br />

Cost effective means of<br />

upgrading stormwater<br />

capacities.<br />

Help protect oyster industry with<br />

improved run-off entering local<br />

waterways.<br />

Improved public health<br />

outcomes<br />

Lessened risk of overflow.<br />

Limited footprint of construction.<br />

Controls pollutants entering the<br />

environment.<br />

Improves quality of local<br />

waterways<br />

Reduces erosion from increased<br />

run-off.<br />

Allows for future reuse<br />

opportunities.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Stormwater reuse<br />

Opportunity Social Environmental<br />

Reduces stormwater impacts<br />

and flooding.<br />

Cost effective means of<br />

upgrading stormwater<br />

capacities.<br />

Help protect oyster industry with<br />

improved run-off entering local<br />

waterways.<br />

Improved public health<br />

outcomes<br />

9.12.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

Controls pollutants entering the<br />

environment.<br />

Improves quality of local<br />

waterways<br />

Reduces erosion from increased<br />

run-off.<br />

Efficient use of water resources.<br />

Reduces pressure on water<br />

supply sources for irrigation<br />

purposes<br />

Using the bundling process, the above water management opportunities can be combined<br />

into integrated scenarios. Table 9-37 presents some examples of integrated scenarios.<br />

Table 9-37 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios for Dalmeny, Kianga and<br />

Narooma<br />

<strong>Management</strong> Option<br />

Improve current sewage system<br />

management<br />

Stormwater quantity and quality control<br />

measures for high priority areas<br />

Stormwater quantity and quality control<br />

measures for low priority areas<br />

Stormwater harvesting and reuse for open<br />

space, playing fields and golf course<br />

irrigation<br />

Minimal/<br />

Scenario<br />

Traditional 2 3<br />

<br />

<br />

Minimal/traditional Improve current sewage treatment system and increase treatment capacity.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 2 Improve current sewage treatment system, increase treatment capacity and<br />

incorporate stormwater quality and quantity control measures.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3 Improve current sewage treatment system, increase treatment capacity,<br />

incorporate stormwater quality and quantity control measures and stormwater reuse.<br />

The TBL assessment (Table 9-38) presents the comparative environmental, social and<br />

economic benefits of each integrated scenario example.<br />

<br />

<br />

191


192<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-38 Triple Bottom Line Assessment of Scenarios for Dalmeny, Kianga and<br />

Narooma<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Traditional<br />

Approach<br />

2 3<br />

Efficient use of fresh water resource 0 2 3<br />

Minimises low flow water extractions 0 0 3<br />

Minimises green house gas emissions 2 2 1<br />

Minimises pollutants being discharged to<br />

the aquatic environment<br />

1 3 3<br />

Minimises urban stormwater volumes 0 3 3<br />

Ensures sustainable practices 1 2 3<br />

Environmental Sum 4 12 16<br />

Environmental Rank 3 2 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water supply 0 0 2<br />

Improves the quality of drinking water 0 0 0<br />

Improves urban water service levels 2 3 3<br />

Increase public awareness of urban<br />

water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance to policy and<br />

legislation<br />

1 2 3<br />

2 2 2<br />

Protects public health 2 3 3<br />

Social Sum 7 10 13<br />

Social Rank 3 2 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV ($m over 30 years) 2.7 4.6 8.5<br />

Financial Rank 1 2 3<br />

TBL Score 7 6 5<br />

TBL Rank 3 2 1<br />

According to the TBL assessment, integrated option 3 would produce the best outcome in<br />

terms of the environmental, social and financial criteria. Option 3 represents the option with<br />

the greatest integration and includes improving the current sewage treatment system,<br />

increasing treatment capacity; incorporating stormwater quality and quantity control<br />

measures and stormwater reuse.


9.13 Mystery Bay<br />

9.13.1 Background<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The Village Landscape<br />

Mystery Bay is located in the south easterly region of the Shire. The village is situated on<br />

the coastline at Cape Dromedary and is surrounded by farmland to the west. Access to the<br />

village is from the Princess Highway, see Figure 9-21 below.<br />

Figure 9-21 Mystery Bay<br />

According to the 2001 census, the population of Mystery bay is 185, and there are 111<br />

dwellings. The 1996 housing monitor stated there were 243 vacant lots in Mystery Bay, with<br />

an annual demand of 6 lots. This analysis indicates that there is sufficient land available for<br />

release to supply the predicted population growth.<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

Mystery Bay is connected to the regional water supply scheme through the 1.2 ML Mystery<br />

Bay Reservoir. This has sufficient capacity to supply the predicted 2032 peak day demand<br />

of 252 kL/d.<br />

The village is serviced by on site systems. According to the GIS, there are currently 93 onsite<br />

treatment facilities. Over 50% of these are septic tanks with effluent disposal by<br />

adsorption trench, which are unsuitable for the soil conditions, and nearly an additional 10%<br />

are septic tanks with effluent pump-out. The remaining systems utilise aerated processes<br />

that give higher levels of nutrient removal than septic systems.<br />

193


194<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

There are 1.6 km of stormwater pipes and 7 discharge points in Mystery Bay. There are no<br />

permanent streams nearby however 5 of the discharge points discharge directly to<br />

intermittent streams and two of these to the Swamp Oak vulnerable ecosystem. An<br />

estimated 340 kL/a of stormwater is generated in Mystery Bay, containing 409 kg/a of<br />

nitrogen and 55 kg/a of phosphorous.<br />

9.13.2 What Are the Issues?<br />

The issues associated with the village landscape and water management system are<br />

classified into environmental and social issues, and are discussed below. Other community<br />

services related issues are not part of this study.<br />

Environmental Issues<br />

Risk of sewage overflows from on site systems to sensitive waterbodies,<br />

Urban stormwater discharge is impacting on intermittent streams,<br />

Clay soils in the area have a low septic adsorption capacity, resulting in the<br />

potential contamination of local waterways.<br />

Social Issues<br />

The current sewage management systems / practices poses a risk to public health,<br />

Odour complaints from residents from on site systems,<br />

The water supply and wastewater systems are experiencing pressure from<br />

population growth,<br />

The community relies on the pristine nature of the catchment for its recreational<br />

activities.<br />

9.13.3 How Do We Fix The Problems?<br />

<strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

There are both short and medium term measures to improve the water cycle management<br />

at Mystery Bay. The short term measures should be implemented as a matter of priority to<br />

achieve best practice standard immaterial of the medium term opportunities.<br />

Short Term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Regular monitoring of on-site wastewater management systems for performance<br />

and integrity,<br />

Systematic monitoring of local waterways and urban stormwater quality and<br />

quantity,<br />

Regular mail-outs of ways to maintain after the on-site water and wastewater<br />

systems including information on water conservation.<br />

The above short term measures are complimentary to the proposed medium term<br />

measures and would help Council and the community to manage their water cycle more<br />

sustainably.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Medium to Long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

Medium term opportunities are measures related to improving the long term sustainability of<br />

the water cycle. In addition, these opportunities will also reduce public health and<br />

environmental impacts and enhance the service standards for the water services. Table<br />

9-39 presents these opportunities along with their capital and present value at an annual<br />

discount rate of 7%.<br />

Table 9-39 Cost Estimates of Medium to Long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

Opportunities for Mystery Bay<br />

Cost Estimate<br />

Capital ($m) NPV @ 7% ($m)<br />

Improved management of existing on-site facilities 0.10 0.56<br />

Enhanced management of existing on-site<br />

facilities<br />

Centralised<br />

management of<br />

effluent from on-<br />

Local treatment and<br />

management<br />

0.446 0.60<br />

2.44 0.74<br />

site facilities Transfer to Kianga system 2.27 0.68<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated<br />

sewerage system<br />

Local treatment and<br />

management<br />

2.44 0.94<br />

Local treatment and<br />

management with greywater<br />

reuse 2<br />

2.44 0.94<br />

Transfer to Kianga system 2.45 0.722.1<br />

Note 1: NPV’s for on-site systems are based on a rolling program commencing in 2003. NPV’s for sewering<br />

Mystery Bay are based on work commencing in 2021<br />

Note 2: The savings achieved by Council treating less effluent have not been taken take into account in the study<br />

and the costs associated with greywater reuse are community costs<br />

Improved <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

The seepage from existing on-site wastewater management systems could be reduced by<br />

regularly emptying the contents of the septic tanks and putting monitoring systems in place<br />

to prevent septic tank overflows and to assess the integrity of the tanks.<br />

A single contract could be arranged by the Council or by the community such that the septic<br />

tanks are pumped at set time intervals. This would cover both effluent and sullage<br />

pumpout. The cost of this pumpout could be evenly split between the residents. To facilitate<br />

pumping every tank would need to be provided with a smaller holding tank or pumpout<br />

facility.<br />

This opportunity would remove the issue of effluent contaminating the aquifer and<br />

waterways, but raises community issues in relation to odour during pumpout and frequent<br />

movement of trucks in the neighbourhood.<br />

Enhanced <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

There are several options available to upgrade the existing on-site wastewater<br />

management systems to achieve greater public health and environmental outcomes. The<br />

first option is to retain the existing septic tank and upgrade the on-site effluent management<br />

system. An example of this would be the replacement of the adsorption trenches with lined<br />

evapotranspiration beds, which achieve a higher level of water and nutrient uptake through<br />

plants.<br />

195


196<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Another alternative is to upgrade the septic system to one that achieves nutrient removal<br />

and therefore results in a higher quality effluent discharge (e.g. aerated tanks). This would<br />

increase the potential uses of the treated effluent.<br />

Both these options would minimise the potential of environmental degradation as well as<br />

reducing the likelihood of public health issues and odour complaints.<br />

Centralised <strong>Management</strong> of Effluent from On-site Facilities<br />

As an alternative to providing a full reticulated sewage system, the effluent from existing onsite<br />

systems (e.g. septic tanks) could be collected and transported to a central treatment<br />

facility. This type of system relies on smaller pipes than those required for a conventional<br />

reticulated sewerage system. Pipes can be laid in the ground at a lesser gradient and at a<br />

more shallow depth than that of conventional gravity sewerage, as the solids are captured<br />

by the on-site system and the pipes only need to carry liquid wastewater.<br />

Appendix P provides a description of the available effluent transport and local treatment<br />

options. The effluent could also be transported to Narooma STP for treatment.<br />

The reclaimed water could also be managed in a number of ways, if the effluent was<br />

treated at a local treatment facility. Appendix C provides a detailed description of the<br />

available management options. Preliminary appraisal suggests dunal infiltration and<br />

agricultural reuse are suitable disposal methods. Costs in Table 14.1 are based on<br />

Centralised effluent drainage (CED) for transport, a reed bed system for treatment and<br />

dunal infiltration as an opportunity or transfer to the Kianga STP as an alternative.<br />

Provision of Full Reticulated Sewerage System<br />

An alternative to on-site sewerage treatment facilities is to transfer wastewater through a<br />

centralised sewer transport network to either a local package treatment facility or to Kianga<br />

STP.<br />

Unlike in the previous opportunity the sewer transport pipes would be larger and possibly<br />

installed at greater depths.<br />

Appendix P provides a detailed description of the available transport and local treatment<br />

options. The shortlisted reclaimed water management options are the same as those<br />

discussed for the above opportunity.<br />

Costs in Table 9-39 are based on a modified gravity transport system, a local package<br />

extended aeration treatment plant and dunal infiltration.<br />

Provision of a Full reticulated sewerage system with greywater reuse and roof water<br />

harvesting<br />

On-site systems that achieve a suitable level of treatment for greywater would be<br />

maintained, and blackwater only would be transported to the STP using the reticulation<br />

systems described above. The resulting greywater could then be utilised for a variety of<br />

outdoor uses and for toilet flushing. Maintaining current aerated systems in Mystery Bay for<br />

greywater reuse would reduce the volume of wastewater requiring treatment by 3.35 ML/a.<br />

This in addition to reducing the volume of imported of reticulated water required for Mystery<br />

Bay, would reduce the hydraulic load on the Kianga STP. With the implementation of<br />

appropriate monitoring systems, long term environmental and water resource sustainability<br />

and public health protection could be achieved.<br />

Systems that are not suitable for greywater reuse (e.g. septic tanks) would be de-sludged<br />

and disinfected and used to collect roofwater for non-potable uses including garden<br />

watering and toilet flushing. This would result in an additional 2.32 ML/a of wastewater not<br />

requiring transportation and treatment at the Kianga STP. Together with greywater reuse<br />

from aerated systems, a total of 5.67 ML/a could be saved.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-40 Social and Environmental Aspects of The Medium to Long Term<br />

Opportunities for Mystery Bay<br />

Opportunities Social Environmental<br />

Improved management of existing<br />

on-site facilities<br />

Enhanced management of existing<br />

on-site facilities<br />

Centralised<br />

management of<br />

effluent from onsite<br />

facilities<br />

Provision of full<br />

reticulated<br />

sewerage<br />

system<br />

Local treatment<br />

and<br />

management<br />

Transfer to<br />

Narooma<br />

system<br />

Local treatment<br />

and<br />

management<br />

Local treatment<br />

and<br />

management<br />

with greywater<br />

reuse<br />

Transfer to<br />

Narooma<br />

system<br />

Associated odour and noise<br />

impacts<br />

Inconvenience of pumpout trucks<br />

in the area<br />

Improved air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Enhanced aesthetic appeal for<br />

the local area, good for tourism<br />

and recreational activities<br />

Potential disturbance during<br />

construction period<br />

Solution would be tailored to<br />

match local requirements<br />

Potential disturbance during<br />

construction period<br />

Limited additional treatment<br />

infrastructure required<br />

Existing resources can be utilised<br />

Potential disturbance during<br />

construction period<br />

Solution would be tailored to<br />

match local requirements<br />

Solution would be tailored to<br />

match local requirements<br />

Larger capital investment<br />

required<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction i.e.<br />

noise, vehicle movement<br />

Solution would be tailored to<br />

match local requirements<br />

Larger capital investment<br />

required<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction i.e.<br />

noise, vehicle movement<br />

Decreased reticulated water<br />

demands<br />

Decreased hydraulic and<br />

biological loads on the system<br />

Limited additional treatment<br />

infrastructure required<br />

Existing resources can be utilised<br />

Short term inconvenience for<br />

residents during construction i.e.<br />

noise, vehicle movement<br />

Improved environmental<br />

outcomes, minimises the<br />

incidence of septic effluent<br />

contaminating groundwater<br />

Reduced impact to local<br />

waterways and the environment<br />

Would encourage local reuse and<br />

recycling<br />

Less overall environmental<br />

impacts than conventional gravity<br />

systems<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Less overall environmental<br />

impacts than conventional gravity<br />

systems<br />

May allow for regional reuse<br />

Improved quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Increased opportunities for<br />

effluent reuse<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Significantly reduced likelihood of<br />

groundwater contamination<br />

Improved quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Increased opportunities for<br />

effluent reuse<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Significantly reduced likelihood of<br />

groundwater contamination<br />

Improved quality of effluent<br />

discharged to environment<br />

Increased opportunities for<br />

effluent reuse<br />

Possible environmental impact<br />

during construction<br />

Significantly reduced likelihood of<br />

groundwater contamination<br />

197


198<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.13.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

Using the bundling process the above water management opportunities could be combined<br />

into integrated scenarios. Table 9-41 presents examples of integrated scenarios.<br />

Table 9-41 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios for Mystery Bay<br />

Improved management of existing<br />

on-site facilities<br />

Enhanced management of<br />

existing on-site facilities<br />

Centralised<br />

management<br />

of effluent<br />

from on-site<br />

facilities<br />

Provision of<br />

full<br />

reticulated<br />

sewerage<br />

system<br />

Local treatment<br />

and management<br />

Transfer to<br />

Kianga system<br />

Local treatment<br />

and management<br />

Local treatment<br />

and management<br />

with greywater<br />

reuse<br />

Transfer to<br />

Kianga system<br />

Minimal<br />

Solution<br />

Minimal Improved management of existing on-site facilities.<br />

<br />

Traditional <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios<br />

Approach 3 4 5<br />

Traditional Provision of full reticulated sewerage systems with local treatment and management.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3 Centralised management of effluent from on-site facilities with local treatment<br />

and management.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario Enhanced management of existing on-site facilities.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 5 Provision of full reticulated sewerage systems with local treatment and<br />

management and greywater reuse.<br />

The TBL assessment (Table 9-42) presents the comparative environmental, social and<br />

economic benefits of each integrated scenario example.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-42 Triple Bottom Line Assessment of Mystery Bay<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Efficient use of fresh<br />

water resource<br />

Minimises low flow water<br />

extractions<br />

Minimises green house<br />

gas emissions<br />

Minimises pollutants<br />

being discharged to the<br />

aquatic environment<br />

Minimises urban<br />

stormwater volumes<br />

Ensure sustainable<br />

practices<br />

Minimal<br />

Solution<br />

Traditional <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios<br />

Approach 3 4 5<br />

0 0 0 0 2<br />

0 0 0 0 2<br />

1 1 1 2 1<br />

2 2 2 2 3<br />

0 0 0 0 0<br />

0 0 0 0 2<br />

Environmental Sum 3 3 3 4 10<br />

Environmental Rank 3 3 3 2 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of<br />

town water supply<br />

Improves the quality of<br />

drinking water<br />

Improves urban water<br />

service levels<br />

Increase public<br />

awareness of urban<br />

water issues<br />

Minimises noncompliance<br />

to policy and<br />

legislation<br />

0 0 0 0 2<br />

0 0 0 0 0<br />

1 3 3 3 3<br />

1 1 1 2 2<br />

1 3 3 3 3<br />

Protects public health 2 3 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 5 10 10 11 13<br />

Social Rank 5 3 3 2 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV 0.56 0.94 0.74 0.60 0.72<br />

Financial Rank 1 4 3 2 4<br />

TBL Score 9 10 9 6 6<br />

TBL Rank 4 4 3 1 1<br />

199


200<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The preferred option according to the above criteria is the enhanced management of onsite<br />

systems (option 4) or local treatment and management with greywater reuse (Option5),<br />

Option 5 ranked better in terms of social and environmental criteria, however it is more<br />

expensive than option 4.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

9.14 Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba<br />

9.14.1 Background<br />

The Village Landscape<br />

The villages of Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba are located in the south eastern corner of the<br />

Shire. Access to both villages is via the Princess Highway through Punkally Tilba Road and<br />

Corkhill Drive for Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba respectively, see Figure 9-22 below.<br />

Figure 9-22 Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba Location<br />

Both villages are historic and central Tilba is listed by the National Trust. The land<br />

surrounding the villages consists of the Gulaga National Park, sensitive vegetation<br />

ecosystems and farmland. Population estimates for the village have not been prepared as<br />

they are much smaller than the ABS collection districts. According to the 1996 land monitor<br />

there is likely to be a land shortage in the next few years unless more land is subdivided.<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba are part of the regional water supply and sewage is treated on<br />

site. Council’s GIS records 45 on-site treatment facilities, 62% are septic tanks with effluent<br />

disposal by adsorption trench and an additional 13% are septic tanks with effluent pumpout.<br />

The remaining 25% are treated by aerated systems. Soil adsorption systems generally<br />

do not comply with the performance objectives of Environmental and Health Protection<br />

Guidelines: On-site Sewage <strong>Management</strong> for Single Households (1998)<br />

Stormwater from these villages is released into intermittently flowing streams that form part<br />

of the Bobundara Creek Catchment.<br />

201


9.14.2 What are the Issues?<br />

202<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The issues associated with the village landscape and water management system are<br />

classified into environmental and social issues, and are discussed below. Other community<br />

issues are not part of this study.<br />

Environmental Issues<br />

An estimated 120 kL/a of stormwater is generated in Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba,<br />

containing 145 kg/a of nitrogen and 20kg/a of phosphorous.<br />

The villages are located on granite and basalt, resulting in poor adsorption of septic<br />

effluent.<br />

Social Issues<br />

There are potential public health risks associated with the current on-site<br />

wastewater management systems, particularly during rainy periods.<br />

At present, pump outs are causing public nuisance (odours) and disruptions.<br />

The villages are historic and hence a popular tourist area. The amenity of this area<br />

should not be diminished and as a result the community favours sewering of the<br />

villages to maximise the economic potential of tourism.<br />

The village residents do not receive water saving ‘tips’ and information on how to<br />

better manage on-site wastewater management systems.<br />

9.14.3 How Do We Fix the Problems?<br />

Overview<br />

Tilba Tilba and Central Tilba contain lots sizes that are less than the recommended size for<br />

sustainable land application and current pump-out arrangements pose social issues. To<br />

address the issue of effluent disposal, the village could be sewered. There is the possibility<br />

of agricultural re-use and the level of nutrient removal required will dictate if current on-site<br />

treatments could be conveyed from the villages, disinfected and re-used or if further off-site<br />

treatment is required.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

There are both short term and medium term measures to improve the water cycle<br />

management at Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba. The short term measures could be<br />

implemented as a matter of priority to achieve best practice standard of the medium term<br />

opportunities.<br />

Short Term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Regular monitoring of the on site wastewater management systems for<br />

performance and integrity,<br />

Systematic monitoring of local waterways and urban stormwater quality and<br />

quantity.<br />

The above short term measures are complimentary to the proposed medium term<br />

measures and would help Council and the community to manage their water cycle more<br />

sustainably.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Medium to long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

Medium term opportunities are measures related to improving the long term sustainability of<br />

the water cycle. In addition these opportunities will also reduce public health and<br />

environmental impacts and enhance the service standards for the water services. Table<br />

9-43 presents these opportunities along with their capital and present value at a rate of 7%.<br />

Table 9-43 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Options for Central Tilba and Tilba<br />

Tilba<br />

Cost Estimate<br />

Capital ($m) NPV @ 7% ($m)<br />

Improved management of existing on-site facilities 0.060 0.327<br />

Enhanced management of existing on-site<br />

1 0.22 0.29<br />

facilities<br />

Centralised management of effluent from on-site<br />

1 1.91 0.93<br />

facilities with agricultural reuse<br />

Provision of sewerage system with package plant<br />

1 1.94 0.95<br />

with agricultural reuse<br />

Note 1: NPV’s for on-site systems are based on a rolling program commencing in 2003. NPV’s for sewering<br />

Nelligen are based on work commencing in 2012<br />

Improved <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

The seepage from existing on-site wastewater management systems could be reduced by<br />

regularly emptying the contents of the septic tanks and putting monitoring systems in place<br />

to prevent septic tank overflows and to assess the integrity of the tanks.<br />

A single contract could be arranged by the Council or by the community such that the septic<br />

tanks are pumped at set time intervals. This would cover both effluent and sullage<br />

pumpout. The cost of this pumpout could be evenly split between the residents. To facilitate<br />

pumping every tank would need to be provided with a smaller holding tank or pumpout<br />

facility.<br />

This opportunity would remove the issue of effluent contaminating the aquifer and<br />

waterways, but raises community issues in relation to odour during pumpout and frequent<br />

movement of trucks in the neighbourhood.<br />

Enhanced <strong>Management</strong> of Existing On-site Wastewater Facilities<br />

There are several options available to upgrade the existing on-site wastewater<br />

management systems to achieve greater public health and environmental outcomes. The<br />

first option is to retain the existing septic tank and upgrade the on-site effluent management<br />

system. An example of this would be the replacement of the adsorption trenches with lined<br />

evapotranspiration beds, which achieve a higher level of water and nutrient uptake through<br />

plants. This however may not be a viable option in Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba due to the<br />

step gradient of the landscape and the high percentage of rock.<br />

Another alternative is to upgrade the septic system to one that achieves nutrient removal<br />

and therefore results in a higher quality effluent discharge (e.g. aerated tanks). This would<br />

increase the potential uses of the treated effluent.<br />

Both these options would minimise the potential of environmental degradation as well as<br />

reducing the likelihood of public health issues and odour complaints.<br />

203


204<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Centralised Effluent Drainage System<br />

As an alternative to putting in a full sewerage system, the effluent from existing on-site<br />

systems would be collected and transported to a treatment plant. The pipes used would be<br />

smaller than the full reticulated sewerage system, because the on-site systems would<br />

remove most of the solid material from the sewerage. Installing shallow pipes has the<br />

added cost benefit due to the rocky nature of the ground. The treatment process proposed<br />

is reed beds, which rely on the natural process of plants to treat the wastewater. Effluent<br />

disposal would be through agricultural reuse.<br />

Package Sewage Treatment Plant with Agricultural Reuse<br />

A reticulated sewage network could be provided to the villages with treatment of the<br />

wastewater at a centralised treatment plant located locally with the effluent being reused<br />

opportunistically on local agricultural properties and discharged to local streams during wet<br />

weather. A modified gravity sewage network has been costed.<br />

The TBL assessment in Table 9-44 provides the comparative environmental and social<br />

benefits of each water cycle management opportunity.<br />

Table 9-44 Social and Environmental Aspects of The Medium to Long Term<br />

Opportunities for Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba<br />

Improved management of<br />

existing on-site facilities<br />

Enhanced management of<br />

existing on-site facilities<br />

Centralised management of<br />

effluent from on-site facilities<br />

with agricultural reuse<br />

Provision of full reticulated<br />

sewerage system with<br />

package plant with agricultural<br />

reuse<br />

Odours associated<br />

Improved air quality and visual<br />

character<br />

Potential disturbance during<br />

construction period<br />

Social Environmental<br />

Amenity of popular tourist area not<br />

diminished<br />

Less opportunity for public nuisance<br />

and disruptions caused by<br />

pumpouts<br />

Short term disruption due to<br />

decommissioning of open trenches<br />

and construction of centralised<br />

system<br />

Reduced public health risk<br />

Amenity of popular tourist area not<br />

diminished<br />

Less opportunity for public nuisance<br />

and disruptions caused by<br />

pumpouts<br />

Short term disruption due to<br />

decommissioning of open trenches<br />

and construction of centralised<br />

system<br />

Reduced public health risk<br />

9.14.4 <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

No discharge of septic effluent to the<br />

environment<br />

Further degradation of environment<br />

halted<br />

Decreased risk of overflows to<br />

sensitive environments including<br />

local waterbodies<br />

Improved effluent quality discharged<br />

and lessened potential impact of<br />

overflows<br />

Resource returned at more<br />

beneficial stage of the water cycle<br />

Decreased risk of overflows to<br />

sensitive environments including<br />

local waterbodies<br />

Improved effluent quality discharged<br />

and lessened potential impact of<br />

overflows<br />

Resource returned at more<br />

beneficial stage of the water cycle<br />

Using the bundling process the above water management opportunities can be combined<br />

into integrated scenarios. Table 9-45 present examples of integrated scenarios.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-45 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios for Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba.<br />

Improved management of<br />

existing on-site facilities<br />

Enhanced management of<br />

existing on-site facilities<br />

Centralised management of<br />

effluent from on-site<br />

facilities with agricultural<br />

reuse<br />

Provision of modified<br />

gravity sewerage system<br />

with package plant with<br />

agricultural reuse<br />

Minimal<br />

Solution<br />

Minimal Improved management of existing on-site facilities.<br />

<br />

Traditional <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios<br />

Approach 3 4<br />

Traditional Provision of full reticulated sewerage systems with package treatment plant and<br />

agricultural reuse.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3 Enhanced management of existing on-site facilities.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 4 Centralised management of effluent from on-site facilities with agricultural<br />

reuse.<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

205


206<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 9-46 Triple Bottom Line Assessment of Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Efficient use of fresh water<br />

resource<br />

Minimises low flow water<br />

extractions<br />

Minimises green house gas<br />

emissions<br />

Minimises pollutants being<br />

discharged to the aquatic<br />

environment<br />

Minimises urban<br />

stormwater volumes<br />

Ensure sustainable<br />

practices<br />

Minimal<br />

Solution<br />

Traditional <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios<br />

Approach 3 4<br />

0 1 0 1<br />

0 2 0 2<br />

1 1 2 1<br />

2 2 2 2<br />

0 0 0 0<br />

1 2 1 2<br />

Environmental Sum 4 8 5 8<br />

Environmental Rank 4 1 3 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town<br />

water supply<br />

Improves the quality of<br />

drinking water<br />

Improves urban water<br />

service levels<br />

Increase public awareness<br />

of urban water issues<br />

Minimises non-compliance<br />

to policy and legislation<br />

0 2 0 2<br />

0 0 0 0<br />

2 3 3 3<br />

1 2 2 2<br />

2 3 3 3<br />

Protects public health 2 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 7 13 11 13<br />

Social Rank 4 1 3 1<br />

FINANCIAL<br />

NPV ($m over 30 years) 0.33 0.95 0.29 0.93<br />

Financial Rank 1 4 2 3<br />

TBL Score 9 6 8 5<br />

TBL Rank 4 2 3 1<br />

According to the TBL assessment, centralised management of effluent from the existing onsite<br />

system with the incorporation of agricultural reuse is the most suitable options for Tilba<br />

Tilba and Central Tilba.


9.15 Akolele<br />

9.15.1 Background<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The Village Landscape<br />

Akolele is situated on the north eastern shores of Wallaga Lake, which is at the border of<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> and Bega Shires. Figure 9-23 shows the location of Akolele.<br />

Figure 9-23 Akolele Topographic Map<br />

The 1996 housing monitor recorded 19 vacant lots in Akolele. There is sufficient land<br />

available for release to supply the predicted population growth.<br />

Existing <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Systems<br />

Akolele is connected to the Bega water supply scheme.<br />

According to the Council’s GIS records, there are 35 on-site treatment facilities in the<br />

village, of which 71% are septic tanks with effluent disposal by adsorption trench and an<br />

additional 9% are septic tanks with effluent pump-out. The remaining systems utilise<br />

aerated systems that result in higher levels of nutrient removal than septic systems.<br />

There are 300 m of stormwater pipe recorded in the village with two discharge points to<br />

Wallaga Lake. An estimated 130 kL/a of stormwater is generated in Akolele, containing<br />

150kg /a of nitrogen and 20 kg/a of phosphorous.<br />

207


9.15.2 What Are the Issues?<br />

208<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

The issues associated with the village landscape and water management system are<br />

classified into environmental and social issues, and are discussed below. Other community<br />

services related issues are not part of this study.<br />

Environmental Issues<br />

On-site systems may be impacting on water quality within the lake,<br />

Stormwater discharges to the lake may impact on water quality.<br />

Social Issues<br />

Potential health risk associated with recreational use of lake due to seepage from<br />

on-site systems.<br />

9.15.3 How Do We Fix the Problems?<br />

Overview<br />

<strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

There are both short and medium term measures to improve the water cycle management<br />

at Akolele. The short term measures should be implemented as a matter of priority to<br />

achieve best practice standard immaterial of the medium term opportunities.<br />

Short Term Measures<br />

The short term measures include:<br />

Improved management of existing on-site wastewater facilities,<br />

Regular monitoring of the on-site wastewater management systems for<br />

performance and integrity,<br />

Systematic monitoring of local waterways and urban stormwater quality and<br />

quantity,<br />

Regular mail-outs of ways to maintain on-site wastewater systems including<br />

information on water conservation<br />

The above short term measures are complimentary to the proposed medium term<br />

measures and would help Council and the community to manage their water cycle more<br />

sustainably.<br />

Medium to Long Term <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Opportunities<br />

Council has decided that Akolele will be sewered in conjunction with the sewering of<br />

Wallaga Lake Heights. Both towns will be connected to the Bermagui STP. As a result the<br />

long term options for Akolele have not been investigated as part of this study.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

10 Shire Wide <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

10.1 Overview<br />

This report has identified both immediate and short term measures together with the<br />

medium-long term water cycle management opportunities and options at the regional and<br />

local level. The nominated immediate measures when implemented will ensure legislative<br />

compliance, and the short term measures will assist in future planning and in achieving best<br />

practice management standards. Thus it is expected that Council will implement both the<br />

immediate and short term measures as a matter of priority. The medium to long term water<br />

cycle management options, are envisaged as meeting the long term future vision for the<br />

Shire.<br />

This study has identified and evaluated all the water sources options available both at the<br />

regional and local individual town and village level, (see Appendix C on Coarse screening)<br />

using the TBL assessment. Using the bundling process, IWCM options were then<br />

developed incorporating the most viable opportunities at both the regional and local level.<br />

In order to assist the Shire community in adopting the most appropriate type of water<br />

management option to meet future needs, a number of scenarios have been developed<br />

using the local and regional integrated options. As the management of the urban water<br />

supply and reclaimed water is done at a regional level, it was decided during the process to<br />

use the regional IWCM options as the basic templates for establishing the Shire wide<br />

scenarios.<br />

In view of the large number of towns and villages in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>, a number of simple<br />

decision processes were adopted, to assist with the Shire wide scenario building process.<br />

There are nine small towns that rely on on-site sewerage systems. In considering a Shire<br />

wide response it was necessary to rank these towns on a priority basis. The details of this<br />

assessment are contained in Appendix X (risk assessment of villages). The assessment<br />

identified high and low priority groups<br />

High Priority Low Priority<br />

South Durras Akolele<br />

Nelligen Central Tilba, Tilba Tilba<br />

Bodalla Mystery bay<br />

Rosedale and Guerilla Bay Potato Point<br />

Congo<br />

The current on-site wastewater management in the villages classed as high priority are<br />

posing significant environmental, public health and social impacts.<br />

Similarly, in order to differentiate the villages requiring improved water supply systems into<br />

high and low priority groups, the preferences expressed by the local residents were used.<br />

The residents at the village of Nelligen for example, indicated at the first round of<br />

community consultation, a desire to have improved water supply management, therefore<br />

this villages has been placed in the high priority group. The South Durras and Congo<br />

209


210<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

villages have been placed in the low priority group, as the residents from both villages did<br />

not rank an improved water supply as of high importance.<br />

Urban stormwater management has also been classified into high and low priority locations.<br />

This division is based on the type of issue and the impact it has on the environment and<br />

community.<br />

10.2 Scenario Building<br />

The Table 10-1 below presents examples of Shire wide integrated scenarios, developed<br />

using the regional integrated water cycle management options. In order to simplify the<br />

building and assessment process the IWCM options available at each village have been<br />

reduced to two options; improve the existing on-site water supply and wastewater<br />

management systems or provide a reticulated water and sewerage system.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 10-1 Shire Wide <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

0<br />

Traditional<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Shirewide Scenarios<br />

1 2 3 4 5 6 7<br />

DM<br />

DM + RWT<br />

DM + RWT<br />

DM + RWT<br />

DM + RWT +<br />

Agri.<br />

DM + RWT +<br />

Agri. + reuse<br />

+ pot.<br />

Limited Demand <strong>Management</strong> <br />

Comprehensive Demand <strong>Management</strong> <br />

<strong>Water</strong> sensitive urban design for all new<br />

developments and 10kL rainwater tanks in<br />

20% existing houses<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high<br />

priority villages<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to low<br />

priority villages<br />

Reclaimed<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Reuse<br />

6 + EF<br />

Substitution<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

Agriculture <br />

Non-potable water in new<br />

developments (dual<br />

reticulation)<br />

Aquifer recharge for<br />

subsequent non-potable<br />

water use<br />

Environmental flow<br />

substitution<br />

Southern storage for the regional scheme<br />

(x1000ML) to meet secure yield<br />

Divert Batemans Bay northern catchment<br />

sewage to Batemans Bay STP along Spine<br />

Road and enhance Batemans Bay STP<br />

Divert Batemans Bay southern catchment<br />

sewage to Tomakin STP and enhance<br />

existing Tomakin STP capability<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma plant’s<br />

capability when load meets capacity<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater<br />

in high priority catchments<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater<br />

in low priority catchments<br />

<br />

<br />

5.6 1.5 0.9 0.93 1.01 1.01 0.84 0<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

Retic Sge. – High Priority Villages <br />

Retic Sge. – Low Priority Villages <br />

Enhanced Mgmt. of on-site facilities <br />

Note 1: High priority stormwater catchments are Little Lake, Joes Creek, Wimbie Creek, Batemans Bay, Short<br />

Beach Creek, Candlagan Creek, Surf Beach, and Denhams Beach.<br />

Note 2: Improved sewage management is the option identified by the triple bottom line assessment in the local<br />

water strategy. This is sewering for Nelligen Rosedale, Guerilla Bay, Bodalla, Potato Point and central Tilba and<br />

Tilba Tilba and enhanced management of on-site facilities for South Durras, Congo and Mystery Bay<br />

<br />

<br />

211


212<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

10.2.1 Description of the Shire wide <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

Traditional Scenario<br />

<strong>Water</strong>wise Education,<br />

Provision of reticulated water for high priority villages<br />

Provision of reticulated water for low priority villages<br />

Agricultural reuse<br />

Southern Dam capacity 5 600 ML,<br />

Upgrade Batemans Bay transport system including bypass along Spine Road<br />

alignment and Batemans Bay STP upgrade,<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and<br />

enhance existing Tomakin STP capacity,<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity,<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in high priority catchments<br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for high priority villages<br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for low priority villages.<br />

Current<br />

Extraction<br />

(w ithout turbidity<br />

constraints)<br />

9000<br />

ML/a<br />

8000<br />

7000<br />

6000<br />

5000<br />

4000<br />

3000<br />

2000<br />

1000<br />

0<br />

2002<br />

2005<br />

Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (95/30)<br />

2008<br />

2011<br />

Figure 10-1 Traditonal Scenario<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 1<br />

<strong>Water</strong>wise Education<br />

2014<br />

2017<br />

Traditional Scenario<br />

Year<br />

2020<br />

Comprehensive demand management,<br />

Higher Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (80/30)<br />

2023<br />

2026<br />

2029<br />

2032<br />

5 600 ML Southern Dam<br />

Impact of Rainw ater Tanks<br />

Impact of pipeline upgrade<br />

Existing System<br />

Demand


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Southern Dam capacity 1 500 ML,<br />

Upgrade Batemans Bay transport system including bypass along Spine Road<br />

alignment and Batemans Bay STP upgrade,<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and<br />

enhance existing Tomakin STP capacity,<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity,<br />

Improved sewage management for villages (see note 2 above).<br />

ML/a<br />

Current<br />

Extraction<br />

(without turbidity Environmental<br />

constraints) Flow Protection (95/30)<br />

9000<br />

8000<br />

7000<br />

6000<br />

5000<br />

4000<br />

3000<br />

2000<br />

1000<br />

0<br />

2002<br />

2004<br />

2006<br />

2008<br />

2010<br />

2012<br />

2014<br />

2016<br />

Figure 10-2 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 1<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 2<br />

<strong>Water</strong>wise Education<br />

2018<br />

Year<br />

Higher Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (80/30)<br />

2020<br />

2022<br />

2024<br />

2026<br />

2028<br />

2030<br />

2032<br />

1500ML Southern dam<br />

Impact of pipeline upgrade<br />

Existing system<br />

Demand<br />

Demand managed demand<br />

Comprehensive demand management including water sensitive urban design for all<br />

new developments<br />

10 kL rainwater tanks in new developments and 20% of existing houses,<br />

Southern Dam capacity 900 ML,<br />

Upgrade Batemans Bay transport system including bypass along Spine Road<br />

alignment and Batemans Bay STP upgrade,<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and<br />

enhance existing Tomakin STP capacity,<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity,<br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for high priority villages<br />

Enhanced management of on-site systems (see note 2 above).<br />

213


214<br />

ML/a<br />

8000<br />

7000<br />

6000<br />

5000<br />

4000<br />

3000<br />

2000<br />

1000<br />

0<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Current Extraction<br />

(without turbidity<br />

constraints)<br />

9000<br />

Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (95/30)<br />

Higher Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (80/30)<br />

2002<br />

2004<br />

2006<br />

2008<br />

2010<br />

2012<br />

2014<br />

2016<br />

Figure 10-3 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 2<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3<br />

<strong>Water</strong>wise Education<br />

2018<br />

Year<br />

2020<br />

2022<br />

2024<br />

2026<br />

2028<br />

2030<br />

2032<br />

900ML Southern dam<br />

Impact of rainwater tanks<br />

Impact of pipeline upgrade<br />

Existing system<br />

Demand<br />

Demand managed demand<br />

Comprehensive demand management including water sensitive urban design for all<br />

new developments<br />

10 kL rainwater tanks in new developments and 20% of existing houses,<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high priority villages<br />

Southern Dam capacity 930 ML,<br />

Upgrade Batemans Bay transport system including bypass along Spine Road<br />

alignment and Batemans Bay STP upgrade,<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and<br />

enhance existing Tomakin STP capacity,<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity,<br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for high priority villages<br />

Enhanced management of on-site systems (see note 2 above).


ML/a<br />

9000<br />

8000<br />

7000<br />

6000<br />

5000<br />

4000<br />

3000<br />

2000<br />

1000<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Current<br />

Extraction<br />

(without turbidity<br />

constraints)<br />

0<br />

2002<br />

2004<br />

Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (95/30)<br />

2006<br />

2008<br />

2010<br />

2012<br />

2014<br />

Figure 10-4 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 3<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 4<br />

<strong>Water</strong>wise Education<br />

2016<br />

Higher Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (80/30)<br />

2018<br />

Year<br />

2020<br />

2022<br />

2024<br />

2026<br />

2028<br />

2030<br />

2032<br />

930ML Southern Dam<br />

Impact of rainwater tanks<br />

Impact of pipeline upgrade<br />

Existing System<br />

Demand<br />

Demand managed demand<br />

Comprehensive demand management including water sensitive urban design for all<br />

new developments<br />

10 kL rainwater tanks in new developments and 20% of existing houses,<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high priority villages,<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to low priority villages,<br />

Southern Dam capacity 1 010 ML,<br />

Upgrade Batemans Bay transport system including bypass along Spine Road<br />

alignment and Batemans Bay STP upgrade,<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and<br />

enhance existing Tomakin STP capacity,<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity,<br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for high priority villages<br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for low priority villages.<br />

215


216<br />

ML/a<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Current<br />

Extraction<br />

(without turbidity<br />

constraints)<br />

9000<br />

8000<br />

7000<br />

6000<br />

5000<br />

4000<br />

3000<br />

2000<br />

1000<br />

0<br />

2002<br />

2004<br />

2006<br />

Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (95/30)<br />

2008<br />

2010<br />

2012<br />

2014<br />

Figure 10-5 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 4<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 5<br />

<strong>Water</strong>wise Education<br />

2016<br />

2018<br />

Year<br />

Higher Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (80/30)<br />

2020<br />

2022<br />

2024<br />

2026<br />

2028<br />

2030<br />

2032<br />

1010ML Southern Dam<br />

Impact of rainwater<br />

tanks<br />

Impact of pipeline<br />

upgrade<br />

Existing system<br />

Demand<br />

Demand managed<br />

demand<br />

Comprehensive demand management including water sensitive urban design for all<br />

new developments<br />

10 kL rainwater tanks in new developments and 20% of existing houses,<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high priority villages,<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to low priority villages,<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for agriculture,<br />

Southern Dam capacity 1 010 ML,<br />

Upgrade Batemans Bay transport system including bypass along Spine Road<br />

alignment and Batemans Bay STP upgrade,<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and<br />

enhance existing Tomakin STP capacity,<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity,<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in high priority catchments (see note 1<br />

above),<br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for high priority villages,<br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for low priority villages.


ML/a<br />

9000<br />

8000<br />

7000<br />

6000<br />

5000<br />

4000<br />

3000<br />

2000<br />

1000<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Current<br />

Extraction<br />

(without turbidity Environmental<br />

constraints) Flow Protection (95/30)<br />

0<br />

2002<br />

2004<br />

2006<br />

2008<br />

2010<br />

2012<br />

2014<br />

2016<br />

Figure 10-6 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 5<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 6<br />

<strong>Water</strong>wise Education<br />

2018<br />

Year<br />

Higher Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (80/30)<br />

2020<br />

2022<br />

2024<br />

2026<br />

2028<br />

2030<br />

2032<br />

1010ML Southern dam<br />

Impact of rainwater tanks<br />

Impact of pipeline upgrade<br />

Existing system<br />

Demand<br />

Demand managed demand<br />

Comprehensive demand management including water sensitive urban design for all<br />

new developments<br />

10 kL rainwater tanks in new developments and 20% of existing houses,<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high priority villages,<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to low priority villages,<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for agriculture,<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for aquifer recharge for subsequent non-potable water use,<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for non-potable water use in new developments (dual<br />

reticulation),<br />

Southern Dam capacity 840 ML,<br />

Upgrade Batemans Bay transport system including bypass along Spine Road<br />

alignment and Batemans Bay STP upgrade,<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and<br />

enhance existing Tomakin STP capacity,<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity,<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in high priority catchments (see note 1<br />

above)<br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for high priority villages<br />

217


218<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for low priority villages.<br />

ML/a<br />

Current<br />

Extraction<br />

(without turbidity<br />

constraints)<br />

9000<br />

8000<br />

7000<br />

6000<br />

5000<br />

4000<br />

3000<br />

2000<br />

1000<br />

0<br />

2002<br />

2004<br />

Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (95/30)<br />

2006<br />

2008<br />

2010<br />

2012<br />

2014<br />

2016<br />

Figure 10-7 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 6<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 7<br />

<strong>Water</strong>wise Education<br />

2018<br />

Year<br />

Higher Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (80/30)<br />

2020<br />

2022<br />

2024<br />

2026<br />

2028<br />

2030<br />

2032<br />

840ML Southern dam<br />

Non potable urban reuse<br />

Impact of rainwater tanks<br />

Impact of pipeline upgrade<br />

Existing system<br />

Demand<br />

Demand managed demand<br />

Comprehensive demand management including water sensitive urban design for all<br />

new developments<br />

10 kL rainwater tanks in new developments and 20% of existing houses,<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to high priority villages,<br />

Provision of reticulated water supply to low priority villages,<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for agriculture,<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for aquifer recharge for subsequent non-potable water use,<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for non-potable water use in new developments (dual<br />

reticulation),<br />

Reclaimed water reuse for environmental flow substitution,<br />

Upgrade Batemans Bay transport system including bypass along Spine Road<br />

alignment and Batemans Bay STP upgrade<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay southern catchment sewerage to Tomakin STP and<br />

enhance existing Tomakin STP capacity,<br />

Enhance the existing Narooma STP capacity when load meets capacity,<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in high priority catchments (see note 1<br />

above),<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in low priority catchments (see note 1<br />

above),


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for high priority villages,<br />

Provision of reticulated sewage for low priority villages.<br />

In this scenario, if the demand combined to increase as projected, then the southern<br />

storage would be required between years 2035 and 2040.<br />

ML/a<br />

Current<br />

Extraction<br />

(without turbidity<br />

constraints)<br />

9000<br />

8000<br />

7000<br />

6000<br />

5000<br />

4000<br />

3000<br />

2000<br />

1000<br />

0<br />

2002<br />

2004<br />

Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (95/30)<br />

2006<br />

2008<br />

2010<br />

2012<br />

2014<br />

Figure 10-8 <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 7<br />

2016<br />

Higher Environmental<br />

Flow Protection (80/30)<br />

2018<br />

Year<br />

2020<br />

2022<br />

2024<br />

2026<br />

2028<br />

2030<br />

2032<br />

Return flow substitution<br />

Non potable urban reuse<br />

Impact of rainwater tanks<br />

Impact of pipeline upgrade<br />

Existing System<br />

Demand<br />

Comprehensive Demand<br />

<strong>Management</strong><br />

The above Shire wide scenarios are suggested recommendations. They may be modified to<br />

reflect the priorities and preferences of individual communities and as the results of ongoing<br />

investigations into the individual components of the scenarios developed become available.<br />

Prior to the implementation of any of the recommended solutions, further consultation with<br />

the individual village would be undertaken.<br />

10.3 Assessment of <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Scenarios<br />

The TBL assessment table below provides the comparative environmental, social and<br />

economic perspective of each water cycle management scenario.<br />

219


220<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Table 10-2 TBL Assessment for Shire Wide Scenarios<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL<br />

Ensure the efficient use of the fresh water<br />

resource<br />

Minimises water extractions and protects<br />

low flows<br />

0<br />

Traditional<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios<br />

1 2 3 4 5 6 7<br />

DM<br />

DM + RWT<br />

DM + RWT<br />

DM + RWT<br />

DM + RWT<br />

+ Agri.<br />

DM + RWT<br />

+ Agri. +<br />

reuse + pot.<br />

6 + EF<br />

Substitution<br />

0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3<br />

0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3<br />

Minimises green house gas emissions 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1<br />

Minimises pollutants being discharged to the<br />

aquatic environment<br />

1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3<br />

Minimises urban stormwater volumes 0 0 1 1 2 2 2 3<br />

Ensure sustainable practices 0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3<br />

Environmental Sum 4 7 11 10 11 14 14 16<br />

Environmental Rank 8 7 4 6 4 2 2 1<br />

SOCIAL<br />

Improves security of town water supply 0 1 2 2 2 3 3 3<br />

Improves the quality of drinking water 0 0 0 2 3 3 3 3<br />

Improves urban water service levels 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 3<br />

Increase public awareness of urban water<br />

issues<br />

1 2 3 3 3 3 3 3<br />

Minimises non-compliance to legislation 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3<br />

Protects public health 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3<br />

Social Sum 7 9 12 15 17 18 18 18<br />

Social Rank 8 7 6 5 4 1 1 1<br />

ECONOMIC<br />

NPV @ 7% in $m<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Supply 110.3 64.2 73.1 74.7 76.8 76.8 77.3 71.2<br />

Sewerage 79.7 26.1 30.7 30.7 31.4 40.8 40.8 40.8<br />

Stormwater 8.5 0 0 0 0 8.5 8.5 11.7<br />

Sub-total 198.5 90.3 103.8<br />

Change in the typical<br />

residential rate bill from<br />

the traditional scenario<br />

105.<br />

4<br />

108.2 126.1 126.6<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Supply 0 -124 -144 -137 -128 -128 -122 -149<br />

Sewerage 0 -192 -186 -186 -181 -145 -145 -145<br />

Stormwater 0<br />

Financial Rank 8 1 2 3 4 6 7 5<br />

TBL Sum 24 15 12 14 12 9 10 7<br />

TBL Rank 8 7 4 6 4 2 3 1<br />

Savings from<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Supply 0 46.1 37.2 35.6 33.5 33.5 32.9 39.1<br />

Traditional Case Sewerage 0 53.6 49.0 49.0 48.3 38.9 38.9 38.9<br />

(NPV @ 7%)<br />

Stormwater 0 - - - - 0 0 +3.2<br />

Based on consistently applying the TBL assessment criteria, the preferred option is<br />

integrated scenario 7. <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 7 has some risks associated with its adoption.<br />

These include:<br />

Sustainability on environmental flow<br />

Future water demands<br />

123.<br />

7


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Dual reticulation uptake and associated community costs<br />

Sustainability of Environmental Flow<br />

The water quality and dilution requirements for environmental flow substitution have not yet<br />

been established for the Moruya River System. Further the substitution regime has not<br />

been agreed by the Government Authorities and community. The outcome of these<br />

negotiation and studies may or may not support the concept of environmental flow<br />

substitution of reclaimed water. Conflict may also arise between different uses for the<br />

reclaimed water (environmental flow substitution vs agricultural reuse) in periods of low<br />

river flow. If environmental flow substitution of reclaimed water was not supported then<br />

there will be a need to build the Southern dam within the 30 year timeframe. This will make<br />

scenario 7 significantly more expensive than the other integrated scenarios altering the TBL<br />

ranking of the scenarios in Table 10-2 and scenario 5 is the preferred option.<br />

Future <strong>Water</strong> Demands and Dual Reticulation Uptake Levels<br />

Figure 10-2 to Figure 10-8 illustrate how the demands will be met by different elements for<br />

each integrated scenario. The cost implications for scenario 7 not meeting the demands<br />

predicted by each component and the demand reduction program are greater than the<br />

other options. This may arise for example though customer choices uptake of reclaimed<br />

water and rainwater tanks. If there is a gap between what can be supplied from each<br />

component and what the community requires, a dam will need to be built within the 30<br />

years timeframe, making scenario 7 more expensive which will alter the preferred scenario<br />

ranking.<br />

Recommendation<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 7 carries greater risks than the other options. DPWS recommends that<br />

Council consider the adoption of <strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 5. As recommended elsewhere in this<br />

report, the IWCM strategy should be reviewed in 5 years. The uncertainties associated with<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenario 7 may have been resolved by this time.<br />

221


222<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

This page is intentionally blank


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Part D<br />

How to Deliver the Scenarios<br />

This Part provides an overview of the delivery<br />

timeframe and the delivery mechanisms available to<br />

Council.<br />

223


224<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

This page is intentionally blank


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

11 Timeframe for Scenario<br />

Implementation<br />

The following table provides the timeframe associated with each of the Shire wide<br />

scenarios. These timeframes were used to project the cash flow in the financial modelling.<br />

However, the actual timeframe would depend on funding availability and extent of work<br />

involved in the subsequent investigation, community consultation and environmental impact<br />

assessment stages.<br />

225


226<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

This page is intentionally blank


Traditional<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Transfer Main between Moruya River and Deep Creek Dam<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Coastal Connection between Moruya and Batemans Bay<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Off-River Storage Facility<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - <strong>Water</strong> Filtration Plants<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Pumping Facilities upgrade including Malua Bay pump relocation<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Improved Telemetry<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Upgrade Power Supply<br />

Reticulated water supply to high priority village (Nelligen)<br />

Reticulated water supply to low priority village (South Durras and Congo)<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay Northern catchment along Spine Rd and Southern catchment to<br />

Tomakin STP<br />

Enhance the performance of all reticulated sewerage management systems and capacity<br />

increase when needed (eg I/I + OHS +UV plant)<br />

Reticulated sewerage systems for high priority villages<br />

Bodalla<br />

Rosedale<br />

South Durras<br />

Nelligen<br />

Reticulated sewerage systems for low priority villages<br />

Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba<br />

Potato Point<br />

Mystery Bay<br />

Congo<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in high priority catchments<br />

Agricultural Reuse Scheme<br />

Investigation and land purchase<br />

Investigation and construction<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

2003<br />

2004<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2008<br />

2009<br />

2010<br />

2011<br />

2012<br />

2013<br />

2014<br />

2015<br />

2016<br />

2017<br />

2018<br />

2019<br />

2020<br />

2021<br />

2022<br />

2023<br />

2024<br />

2025<br />

2026<br />

2027<br />

2028<br />

2029<br />

2030<br />

2031<br />

2032<br />

2033<br />

227


228<br />

SCENARIO 1<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Transfer Main between Moruya River and Deep<br />

Creek Dam<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Off-River Storage and associated infrastructure<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - <strong>Water</strong> Filtration Plants<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Pumping Facilities upgrade including Malua Bay<br />

pump relocation<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Improved Telemetry<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Upgrade Power Supply<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay Northern catchment along Spine Rd to Batemans Bay<br />

STP and Batemans Bay Southern catchment to Tomakin STP<br />

Enhance the performance of all reticulated sewerage management systems<br />

(eg I/I + OHS +UV plant) and increase capacity when needed<br />

Enhanced management of on-site systems in all unsewered villages<br />

Investigation and land purchase<br />

Investigation and construction<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

2003<br />

2004<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2008<br />

2009<br />

2010<br />

2011<br />

2012<br />

2013<br />

2014<br />

2015<br />

2016<br />

2017<br />

2018<br />

2019<br />

2020<br />

2021<br />

2022<br />

2023<br />

2024<br />

2025<br />

2026<br />

2027<br />

2028<br />

2029<br />

2030<br />

2031<br />

2032<br />

2033


SCENARIO 2<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Transfer Main between Moruya River and Deep Creek Dam<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Off-River Storage and associated infrastructure<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - <strong>Water</strong> Filtration Plants<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Pumping Facilities upgrade including Malua Bay pump<br />

relocation<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Improved Telemetry<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Upgrade Power Supply<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay Northern catchment along Spine Rd to Batemans Bay STP<br />

and Batemans Bay Southern catchment to Tomakin STP<br />

Enhance the performance of all reticulated sewerage management systems (eg I/I +<br />

OHS +UV plant) and increase capacity when needed<br />

Enhanced management of on-site systems in unsewered villages<br />

Reticulated sewerage systems for high priority villages<br />

Bodalla<br />

Rosedale<br />

South Durras<br />

Nelligen<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

2003<br />

2004<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2008<br />

2009<br />

2010<br />

2011<br />

2012<br />

2013<br />

2014<br />

2015<br />

2016<br />

2017<br />

2018<br />

2019<br />

2020<br />

2021<br />

2022<br />

2023<br />

2024<br />

2025<br />

2026<br />

2027<br />

2028<br />

2029<br />

2030<br />

2031<br />

2032<br />

2033<br />

229


230<br />

SCENARIO 3<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Transfer Main between Moruya River and Deep Creek Dam<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Off-River Storage and associated infrastructure<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - <strong>Water</strong> Filtration Plants<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Pumping Facilities upgrade including Malua Bay pump<br />

relocation<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Improved Telemetry<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Upgrade Power Supply<br />

Reticulated water to high priority villages (Nelligen)<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay Northern catchment along Spine Rd to Batemans Bay STP<br />

and Batemans Bay Southern catchment to Tomakin STP<br />

Enhance the performance of all reticulated sewerage management systems (eg I/I +<br />

OHS +UV plant) and increase capacity when needed<br />

Enhanced management of on-site systems in unsewered villages<br />

Reticulated sewerage systems for high priority villages<br />

Bodalla<br />

Rosedale<br />

South Durras<br />

Nelligen<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

200<br />

3<br />

200<br />

4<br />

200<br />

5<br />

200<br />

6<br />

200<br />

7<br />

200<br />

8<br />

200<br />

9<br />

201<br />

0<br />

201<br />

1<br />

201<br />

2<br />

201<br />

3<br />

201<br />

4<br />

201<br />

5<br />

201<br />

6<br />

201<br />

7<br />

201<br />

8<br />

201<br />

9<br />

202<br />

0<br />

202<br />

1<br />

202<br />

2<br />

202<br />

3<br />

202<br />

4<br />

202<br />

5<br />

202<br />

6<br />

202<br />

7<br />

202<br />

8<br />

202<br />

9<br />

203<br />

0<br />

203<br />

1<br />

203<br />

2<br />

203<br />

3


SCENARIO 4<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Transfer Main between Moruya River and Deep Creek Dam<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Off-River Storage and associated infrastructure<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - <strong>Water</strong> Filtration Plants<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Pumping Facilities upgrade including Malua Bay pump<br />

relocation<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Improved Telemetry<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Upgrade Power Supply<br />

Reticulated water to high priority villages (Nelligen)<br />

Reticulated water to low priority villages (South Durras and Congo)<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay Northern catchment along Spine Rd to Batemans Bay STP<br />

and Batemans Bay Southern catchment to Tomakin STP<br />

Enhance the performance of all reticulated sewerage management systems (eg I/I +<br />

OHS +UV plant) and increase capacity when needed<br />

Enhanced management of on-site systems in unsewered villages<br />

Reticulated sewerage systems for high priority villages<br />

Bodalla<br />

Rosedale<br />

South Durras<br />

Nelligen<br />

Reticulated sewerage systems for low priority villages<br />

Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba<br />

Potato Point<br />

Mystery Bay<br />

Congo<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

2003<br />

2004<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2008<br />

2009<br />

2010<br />

2011<br />

2012<br />

2013<br />

2014<br />

2015<br />

2016<br />

2017<br />

2018<br />

2019<br />

2020<br />

2021<br />

2022<br />

2023<br />

2024<br />

2025<br />

2026<br />

2027<br />

2028<br />

2029<br />

2030<br />

2031<br />

2032<br />

231


232<br />

SCENARIO 5<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Transfer Main between Moruya River and Deep Creek<br />

Dam<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Off-River Storage and associated infrastructure<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - <strong>Water</strong> Filtration Plants<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Pumping Facilities upgrade including Malua Bay pump<br />

relocation<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Improved Telemetry<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Upgrade Power Supply<br />

Reticulated water to high priority villages (Nelligen)<br />

Reticulated water to low priority villages (South Durras and Congo)<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay Northern catchment along Spine Rd to Batemans Bay STP<br />

and Batemans Bay Southern catchment to Tomakin STP<br />

Enhance the performance of all reticulated sewerage management systems (eg I/I<br />

+ OHS +UV plant) and increase capacity when needed<br />

Enhanced management of on-site systems in unsewered villages<br />

Reticulated sewerage systems for high priority villages<br />

Bodalla<br />

Rosedale<br />

South Durras<br />

Nelligen<br />

Reticulated sewerage systems for low priority villages<br />

Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba<br />

Potato Point<br />

Mystery Bay<br />

Congo<br />

Regional agricultural reuse scheme<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in high priority catchments<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

2003<br />

2004<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2008<br />

2009<br />

2010<br />

2011<br />

2012<br />

2013<br />

2014<br />

2015<br />

2016<br />

2017<br />

2018<br />

2019<br />

2020<br />

2021<br />

2022<br />

2023<br />

2024<br />

2025<br />

2026<br />

2027<br />

2028<br />

2029<br />

2030<br />

2031<br />

2032<br />

2033


SCENARIO 6<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Transfer Main between Moruya River and Deep Creek<br />

Dam<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Off-River Storage and associated infrastructure<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - <strong>Water</strong> Filtration Plants<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Pumping Facilities upgrade including Malua Bay pump<br />

relocation<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Improved Telemetry<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Upgrade Power Supply<br />

Reticulated water to high priority villages (Nelligen)<br />

Reticulated water to low priority villages (South Durras and Congo)<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay Northern catchment along Spine Rd to Batemans Bay STP<br />

and Batemans Bay Southern catchment to Tomakin STP<br />

Enhance the performance of all reticulated sewerage management systems (eg I/I<br />

+ OHS +UV plant) and increase capacity when needed<br />

Enhanced management of on-site systems in unsewered villages<br />

Reticulated sewerage systems for high priority villages<br />

Bodalla<br />

Rosedale<br />

South Durras<br />

Nelligen<br />

Reticulated sewerage systems for low priority villages<br />

Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba<br />

Potato Point<br />

Mystery Bay<br />

Congo<br />

Regional agricultural reuse scheme<br />

Non-potable reclaimed water in new developments<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in high priority catchments<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

2003<br />

2004<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2008<br />

2009<br />

2010<br />

2011<br />

2012<br />

2013<br />

2014<br />

2015<br />

2016<br />

2017<br />

2018<br />

2019<br />

2020<br />

2021<br />

2022<br />

2023<br />

2024<br />

2025<br />

2026<br />

2027<br />

2028<br />

2029<br />

2030<br />

2031<br />

2032<br />

2033<br />

233


234<br />

SCENARIO 7<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Transfer Main between Moruya River and Deep Creek<br />

Dam<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - <strong>Water</strong> Filtration Plants<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Pumping Facilities upgrade including Malua Bay pump<br />

relocation<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Improved Telemetry<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply - Upgrade Power Supply<br />

Regional <strong>Water</strong> Supply – Environmental flow substitution<br />

Reticulated water to high priority villages (Nelligen)<br />

Reticulated water to low priority villages (South Durras and Congo)<br />

Transfer Batemans Bay Northern catchment along Spine Rd to Batemans Bay STP<br />

and Batemans Bay Southern catchment to Tomakin STP<br />

Enhance the performance of all reticulated sewerage management systems (eg I/I<br />

+ OHS +UV plant) and increase capacity when needed<br />

Enhanced management of on-site systems in unsewered villages<br />

Reticulated sewerage systems for high priority villages<br />

Bodalla<br />

Rosedale<br />

South Durras<br />

Nelligen<br />

Reticulated sewerage systems for low priority villages<br />

Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba<br />

Potato Point<br />

Mystery Bay<br />

Congo<br />

Regional agricultural reuse scheme<br />

Non-potable reclaimed water in new developments<br />

Improved management of urban stormwater in high priority catchments<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

2003<br />

2004<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2008<br />

2009<br />

2010<br />

2011<br />

2012<br />

2013<br />

2014<br />

2015<br />

2016<br />

2017<br />

2018<br />

2019<br />

2020<br />

2021<br />

2022<br />

2023<br />

2024<br />

2025<br />

2026<br />

2027<br />

2028<br />

2029<br />

2030<br />

2031<br />

2032<br />

2033


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

12 <strong>Management</strong> and Procurement<br />

Methods<br />

12.1 <strong>Management</strong> Methods<br />

Council has three basic options for managing the water services in the future. These<br />

options are discussed below. The three figures below provide the various tasks Council or<br />

the service provider would have to undertake for each management option.<br />

<strong>Management</strong> Option 1 – This is the traditional approach and is similar to the current<br />

practice. In this option, Council continues to own, fund and operate the water services<br />

using its internal resources as appropriate.<br />

Operations Planning<br />

-Implementation Plan<br />

- House keeping KPI’s<br />

Environmental<br />

Impact Assessment<br />

(New Works)<br />

Figure 12-1 <strong>Management</strong> Option 1<br />

<strong>Management</strong> Option 2 – In this option Council owns and funds the water services, but the<br />

day to day operation and maintenance is managed by a private Contractor or service<br />

provider over a set period for a pre-determined annual payment. At the end of the set<br />

period the contract is either renewed or terminated and the business transferred to Council<br />

on pre-determined terms and conditions.<br />

Environ.<br />

Impact<br />

Assessment<br />

(New Works)<br />

BUSINESS<br />

STRATEGY<br />

- Objectives<br />

- Strategic<br />

- KPI’s<br />

Design &<br />

Documentation<br />

(New Works)<br />

Figure 12-2 <strong>Management</strong> Option 2<br />

MANAGEMENT OPTION 1<br />

COUNCIL OWNED, FUNDED & OPERATED<br />

Design &<br />

Documentation<br />

(New Works)<br />

IWCM<br />

STRATEGY<br />

- Structural<br />

Solutions<br />

- Non-built<br />

Solutions<br />

Construction<br />

Of<br />

New Works<br />

Construction<br />

of<br />

New Works<br />

Due<br />

Diligence<br />

Analysis of<br />

Business<br />

PROCUREMENT<br />

& FUNDING PLAN<br />

- Private vs Public<br />

- Sources of funds<br />

COUNCIL OWNED & FUNDED WITH OPERATION OUTSOURCED TO PRIVATE SECTOR<br />

Operations<br />

Planning<br />

-Implementation<br />

Plan<br />

-House keeping<br />

KPI’s<br />

Operations<br />

<strong>Management</strong><br />

- Compliance<br />

Reporting<br />

Operations<br />

<strong>Management</strong><br />

- Compliance<br />

- Reporting<br />

235


236<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> Option 3 – In this option the water service business along with the existing<br />

and new water services assets and resources is transferred to a private Contractor or<br />

service provider. The Contractor owns, operates and funds the services over a set period<br />

for a pre-determined annual payment. Similar to option 2, at the end of the set period the<br />

contract is either renewed or terminated.<br />

Contract<br />

Documentation<br />

(For Whole<br />

Business)<br />

Figure 12-3 <strong>Management</strong> Option 3<br />

Assessing the costs benefits and risks associated with each of these management options is outside the scope of<br />

this report.<br />

12.2 Procurement Methods<br />

Due<br />

Diligence<br />

Analysis of<br />

Business<br />

MANAGEMENT OPTION 3<br />

PRIVATELY OWNED, FUNDED & OPERATED OVER A SET PERIOD (NEW&OLD FACILITIES)<br />

Environ.<br />

Impact<br />

Assessment<br />

Operations Planning<br />

-Implementation Plan<br />

-House keeping KPI’s<br />

(New Works) Design & Construction<br />

Of New Works<br />

Operations<br />

<strong>Management</strong><br />

- Compliance<br />

Reporting<br />

In both management options 2 and 3, the new assets and required funds could be procured<br />

in a number of ways other than the present method of procurement. Identifying these<br />

alternative procurement options and assessing their associated costs, benefits and risks<br />

are beyond the scope of this study.


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Part E<br />

How Do We Know<br />

the Issues Are Fixed?<br />

This Part provides an overview of the benefits achieved by<br />

the IWCM process and how Council could sustain and<br />

realise these benefits.<br />

237


238<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

This page is intentionally blank


13 Overview<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

This section is concerned with answering the final of the three fundamental questions in the<br />

IWCM process, ‘how do we know the issue is fixed?’.<br />

An answer to this question is timeframe dependent. This strategy provides IWCM options<br />

for addressing both the immediate and the long term water resource issues in <strong>Eurobodalla</strong><br />

at the regional, local and Shire wide level. It is important that the timeframe reflect both the<br />

short term and long term vision of the Shire. In order to evaluate whether the issues specific<br />

to <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> have been addressed and whether the resource use is optimised based on<br />

social, economic and environmental objectives, it is important to appreciate the study<br />

outcomes. This we believe would give the water utilities a baseline to benchmark future<br />

reviews and to assist in the journey towards achieving sustainable IWCM. It is envisaged<br />

that follow-up assessment and review of this strategy will be undertaken at regular intervals<br />

of around 5 years.<br />

13.1 Study Outcomes<br />

The <strong>Eurobodalla</strong>’s IWCM strategy has looked at all water resources in the Shire. The IWCM<br />

approach has delivered significant benefits to the community, ESC, the State government<br />

and the environmental as demonstrated in the recommended solutions developed in this<br />

strategy. These benefits are discussed with respect to the triple bottom line outcomes.<br />

13.1.1 Economic Outcomes<br />

The IWCM planning process for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> has revealed potential savings to the Shire<br />

and the state government of about $25M in infrastructure investment costs. This has been<br />

achieved by ‘right’ sizing and optimising the infrastructure capacity, through the use of;<br />

Linked climate corrected demand tracking,<br />

Demand and wastewater forecasting and water services system models,<br />

Innovative tenement and water use category data capture systems, and<br />

Improved process designs.<br />

Through utilising IWCM principles, this study has shown that the northern reclaimed water<br />

reuse scheme is viable, with potential savings of $15M in pipeline and pumping costs and a<br />

further $6M through the use of a scheme optimisation process. Initiating the northern<br />

reclaimed water reuse scheme will transfer what has traditionally been considered waste<br />

into a valuable resource. This will not only result in cost savings for the Shire community,<br />

but will assist in the development of a sustainable agricultural industry. Further, the savings<br />

achieved from the pipeline, could potentially be used to implement the optimised southern<br />

reclaimed water reuse scheme. The optimisation of the southern reuse scheme is expected<br />

to result in a potential saving of $10M.<br />

The implementation of the reuse schemes would reduce extraction volumes and may<br />

therefore allow for water trading to occur in the future. This may place Council in a position<br />

to purchase some or all of these unused agricultural water entitlements and increase the<br />

town’s share of the harvestable water from the Moruya and Tuross River catchments.<br />

239


240<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Taking into account all water resources through the IWCM planning process, this study has<br />

uncovered significant savings in capital expenditure through the downsizing and/or<br />

deferment of infrastructure projects. <strong>Integrated</strong> option 7 for example utilises demand<br />

management, rainwater tanks and environmental flow substitution to meet the predicted<br />

water needs for the next 30 years without the necessity of the southern dam. The capture<br />

of water at the point of use together with the proposed demand management program will<br />

provide up to 25% savings in water services operating costs depending on the integrated<br />

option adopted. The downsizing and deferment of capital costs also results in about $20M<br />

savings in operating and maintenance costs over the 30 years. The greater the integration<br />

of the water sources, equates to greater operating cost savings. For instance the maximum<br />

integrated option (Scenario 7) is about 38% cheaper in terms of present value than the<br />

traditional solution. Moreover Scenario 7 delivers significantly more environmental, social<br />

and resource sustainability benefits.<br />

The table below presents the savings achieved by each shire-wide integrated scenario<br />

against the traditional solution.<br />

0<br />

Traditional<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> Scenarios<br />

1 2 3 4 5 6 7<br />

DM<br />

DM + RWT<br />

DM + RWT<br />

DM + RWT<br />

DM + RWT<br />

+ Agri.<br />

DM + RWT<br />

+ Agri. +<br />

reuse + pot.<br />

Savings<br />

from<br />

<strong>Water</strong><br />

Supply<br />

0 46.1 37.2 35.6 33.5 33.5 32.9 39.1<br />

Traditional<br />

Case (PV<br />

Sewerage 0 53.6 49.0 49.0 48.3 38.9 38.9 38.9<br />

@ 7%) Stormwater 0 - - - - 0 0 +3.2<br />

13.1.2 Environmental Outcomes<br />

The integrated water cycle management planning process for <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> has delivered<br />

the following benefit to the local environment. Further the strategies contained in this study<br />

will also achieve a number of catchment management objectives over the long term.<br />

A reduction in the amount of water drawn for urban supply from the Shire’s rivers<br />

through demand management measures and use of rainwater tanks.<br />

Better protection of low flows and preservation of natural flow patterns leading to<br />

improved environmental water quality and improved aquatic habitat conditions.<br />

A reduction in future water storage requirements needed to provide the higher level<br />

of low-flow protection.<br />

Reduced pollution of the waterways and coastal lakes through improved<br />

wastewater and stormwater management, sewage pump station and treatment<br />

plant upgrades.<br />

Reduced effluent discharges to waterways through the reductions in urban water<br />

use, stormwater inflow and groundwater infiltration, and the development of water<br />

reuse systems.<br />

Improved recreational water quality in the Shire’s waterways, particularly during<br />

holiday season and dry weather periods.<br />

Reduced stormwater quantity and quality discharges due to source control measure<br />

rather than end-of-pipe control measures.<br />

6 + EF<br />

Substitution


<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Improved management of existing on-site wastewater systems in the villages<br />

resulting in lower environmental public health risk and improved sustainability of<br />

local aquifers.<br />

Reduces greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.<br />

Streamlined subsequent facility specific environmental impact assessments,<br />

reducing study times and costs.<br />

13.1.3 Social Outcomes<br />

The IWCM process and the water cycle management options contained in this strategy will<br />

deliver the following social outcomes.<br />

Reduced costs for village schemes through improved management of existing onsite<br />

systems, and through supplementation rather than replacement of existing<br />

water supply and wastewater infrastructure.<br />

Improved water supply drought security and reliability of supply through increased<br />

delivery capacity and faster refilling of the Deep Creek storage.<br />

Improved water quality and public health protection for regional water supply<br />

consumers through the construction of water filtration plants.<br />

Existing deficiencies in the levels of service to consumers have been addressed.<br />

In some integrated options there is an opportunity for further savings by deferring<br />

the need for a southern dam beyond the adopted 30 year planning horizon by using<br />

reclaimed water to meet environmental flow needs.<br />

Provision of backyard supply sources provides customer with supply source choice<br />

and an appreciation of their water use pattern resulting in lower water use in the<br />

long term.<br />

The comprehensive demand management program in addition to delivering savings<br />

in water bills will also result in electricity savings.<br />

<strong>Integrated</strong> solutions that closely match community wants and expectations.<br />

13.2 How to Realise and Sustain the Outcomes<br />

Sustaining the outcomes of this study requires both structural and non-structural solutions.<br />

The structural solutions refer to physical assets and the non-structural solutions encompass<br />

the internal processes that support and monitor the performance of the water utility<br />

business and its assets. This study has identified that many of Council’s internal process<br />

are either absent or are lacking in clarity and detail. One important outcome from the<br />

development of this study has been the implementation of simple frameworks and systems<br />

to capture data and information. For example linking meter readings to the GIS has allowed<br />

easy evaluation of the quantity of water used within the Shire.<br />

It is important that these frameworks and systems be further developed, adequately<br />

resourced and kept up to date, such that future assessment and review of this strategy can<br />

be undertaken at minimal cost and timeframe. Capturing data and information in a<br />

systematic way is also essential in determining how effective the adopted integrated options<br />

are performing, and an important step in assessing whether the identified issues in<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> are fixed.<br />

241


242<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Reducing water usage can be achieved through applying structural solutions such as the<br />

installation of more water efficient fixtures and appliances. While these may decrease the<br />

flow rate of water, they may not necessarily result in reduced water use. Behavioural and<br />

cultural aspects also form an important component of water consumption. These are<br />

primarily addressed through the provision of education and information to the community.<br />

Therefore, a successful program to reduce water usage needs to incorporate both<br />

structural and non-structural solutions.<br />

Ongoing monitoring systems need to be developed to ensure that initiatives such as<br />

demand management are achieving their intended goals and should form a fundamental<br />

component in assessing whether those issues identified for the <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire have<br />

been addressed. Data and information gathered through appropriate on-going monitoring<br />

systems can then be feed back into the education campaign to form a continued refinement<br />

of this process.<br />

Another important factor in ensuring that the outcomes from this IWCM strategy are<br />

sustained is to monitor the volume of bulk water production lost through the distribution<br />

system. This IWCM strategy has devised a two stage approach to reducing the amount of<br />

water lost. The accurate determination of unaccounted for water through additional<br />

metering has been identified as the first important step, prior to the implementation of the<br />

loss reduction program.<br />

An additional aspect to consider in managing the urban water cycle of <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> in a<br />

sustainable manner is to establish a common water cycle fund. This would allow Council to<br />

offer choices of price paths for its customers to achieve differing levels of integration.<br />

Although, the current legislative arrangements do not allow this to occur, it is strongly<br />

recommended that Council and DLWC pursue this further, as a common water cycle fund<br />

provides Council the flexibility and opportunity to signal its customers the expected<br />

outcomes.<br />

13.3 <strong>Strategy</strong> Review <strong>Cycle</strong><br />

Although, this strategy has been developed for a planning period of 30 years, it is<br />

recommended that the plan be regularly reviewed. The recommended review interval is five<br />

years but not greater than 10 years.


14 Bibliography<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2001) 2001 Census<br />

Australian Greenhouse Office (2001), Good Residential Design Guide – Your Home<br />

Technical Manual.<br />

Coombes, Argue and Kuczera (2000), Figtree Place: A Case Study in <strong>Water</strong> Sensitive<br />

Urban Development.<br />

Coombes, Kuczera and Kalma (2000), Economic, <strong>Water</strong> Quantity and Quality Results from<br />

a House with a Rainwater Tank in the Inner City.<br />

EPA (1999) <strong>Water</strong> Quality and River Flow Interim Environmental Objectives – Clyde River<br />

and Jervis bay Catchments.<br />

EPA (1999) <strong>Water</strong> Quality and River Flow Interim Environmental Objectives – Moruya River<br />

Catchment.<br />

EPA (1999) <strong>Water</strong> Quality and River Flow Interim Environmental Objectives – Tuross River<br />

Catchment.<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Council, (1998), Population Profile <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire.<br />

Department of Local Government, EPA, NSW Health, DLWC, DUAP (1998) Environment<br />

and Health Protection Guidelines – On-site Sewage <strong>Management</strong> for Single Households<br />

Healthy Rivers Commission, (2002) Independent Inquiry into Coastal Lakes<br />

K.G. Macoun and Associates Pty Limited, (1999) <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Council – <strong>Eurobodalla</strong><br />

<strong>Water</strong> Supply Augmentation <strong>Water</strong> Demand Projections to 2021.<br />

NHMRC/ARMCANZ (2001) Australian Drinking <strong>Water</strong> Guidelines<br />

NHMRC/ARMCANZ/ANZECC (2000) National <strong>Water</strong> Quality <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong> –<br />

Guidelines for Sewerage Systems Use of Reclaimed <strong>Water</strong>.<br />

NSW Agriculture, Organic Waste and Recycling Unit, (1998) <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shirewide Effluent<br />

and Biosolids <strong>Management</strong> Scheme.<br />

NSW Department of Public Works and Services, (1998) Deep Creek Dam – Feasibility<br />

Study to Increase Dam Capacity.<br />

NSW DLWC and Local Government and Shires Association of NSW, (2002) NSW <strong>Water</strong><br />

Supply and Sewerage Performance Comparisons.<br />

NSW DUAP (2001) Sustainable Urban Settlement Guidelines for Regional NSW<br />

NSW DUAP (1997), Lower South Coast Land and Housing Monitor.<br />

NSW DUAP (1997), Lower South Coast Regional Settlement <strong>Strategy</strong>.<br />

NSW Government (1991), <strong>Water</strong> Supply and Sewerage <strong>Management</strong> Guidelines.<br />

243


244<br />

<strong>Eurobodalla</strong> <strong>Integrated</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>Cycle</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />

NSW Health (2000) Greywater Reuse in Sewered Single Domestic Premises.<br />

NSW <strong>Water</strong> Resources Council (1994) Groundwater – NSW South East Region <strong>Water</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong>, <strong>Water</strong> Planning for the Future.<br />

Public works (1993) Urban Residential Reuse Guidelines<br />

SKP (1976)<br />

Sinclair Knight Merz (1998) <strong>Eurobodalla</strong> Shire Council Amplification and Upgrade of<br />

Batemans Bay Sewage Treatment Plant Concept Design.<br />

South East <strong>Water</strong><br />

http://www.sewl.com.au/downloads/corporate_brochures/<strong>Water</strong>Savers_3rd_Quarter_02.pdf<br />

Sydney <strong>Water</strong> Corporation<br />

http://www.sydneywater.com.au/everydropcounts/garden/rainwater_tanks_rebates.cfm,<br />

City Rainwater Tanks http://www.cityrainwatertanks.com.au/html/roundpricelist.html,<br />

ActewAGL http://www.actewagl.com.au/environment/rainwater.cfm,

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!