Minutes of the ordinary Council meeting - 25 September 2012

evegetation will result in improvements in water quality within the Macleay River
as well as Kempsey Shire Council‟s Drinking water. The project will provide Council
the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to ecological land management.
Additionally, this project will help in reducing erosion issues upstream of the
Sherwood Bridge which currently is threatening to impact the northern bridge
abutment.
Social: The Sherwood Borefield provides drinking water to a significant population
in Kempsey and the Lower Macleay. Protection of the drinking water is important
for ensuring that safe drinking water is supplied to the community. Participation in
this project provides opportunities to develop partnerships with the Catchment
Management Authority and adjacent property owners to protect the drinking water.
Economic (Financial): In implementing the management plan for the borefields
Council had already planned for expenditure in this area in the future. Participation
in the grant will effectively extend the area of the works to land outside of the
borefield area and permit the completion of additional work to that originally
planned by Council.
Policy or Statutory: Council is required under the Australian Drinking Water
Guidelines to implement risk management to ensure the safe supply of drinking to
residents. Improving riparian vegetation is a key action in reducing the risk of
contamination from competing landuses.
REPORT DETAILS
The Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority has been successful in
obtaining grant funding from the Australian Government “Clean Energy Future
2011-2012 Biodiversity Fund”. This project supports up to five private landholders
and Council to improve the quality and extent of river bank and floodplain
vegetation upstream and adjacent to the Sherwood Borefield. This area includes the
Sherwood Borefield recharge channel.
The Sherwood Borefield recharge channel facilitates re-charging of the underlying
aquifer, directly from the Macleay River. The Borefield has a number of bore pumps
that pump water from the aquifer, up to the Steuart McIntyre Dam. Water from
the Steuart McIntyre Dam is disinfected and distributed for drinking water to
Kempsey and the Lower Macleay. The Steuart McIntyre Dam is the major supply of
drinking water for the Kempsey Shire local government area.
Council is legislated, through the NSW Department of Health and the Australian
Drinking Water Guidelines, to provide safe drinking water to the community. To
adhere to these guidelines, amongst many other requirements, Council is required
to ensure that drinking water catchments are protected. Protection of the Sherwood
Borefield is of particular importance, due to agricultural use upstream and
surrounding the borefield, and the potential impacts this land use may have on
water quality. These impacts may include:
Erosion causing sediment contamination of the water which may result in
nutrient or pathogen release into the water. Nutrients can affect the water
by allowing algal growth which may release algal toxins that are harmful to
human health and can cause taste and odour issues. Pathogens can be
trapped in sediments which can harmful to human health.
Herbicide run-off after application on land for improved pasture work. The
chemicals in herbicides may be harmful to human health.
Kempsey Shire Council FULL TEXT Minutes Ordinary Meeting 25 September 2012 Page 65