MIDCOAST Water councillors and staff will make an onsite inspection at Redhead this morning, prior to meeting with residents concerned at replacement of a sewerage pump station on their local reserve.
The water and sewerage authority wants to augment Hallidays Point services by replacing the existing No. 4 pumping station from its site on Redhead Reserve � at the end of Redhead Road � to a new site further from existing houses but on the same reserve.
Augmentation is necessary, it says, to cater for new development in the north Redhead area, and rather than build a new and additional pump station, it wants to incorporate the existing service in a larger facility nearby.
The plan has angered residents however, some who claim the pumping station should be sited on land owned by a nearby developer who has benefited from the area's growth, instead of being on a public reserve necessitating removal of even more vegetation in an already sensitive location.
Three members of Redhead Community Group Inc, including president Bill Gillis and publicity officer Peter Ryall, have been invited to speak at this morning's MidCoast Water meeting at 10.30am in Taree.
MCW general manager Neil Hanington confirmed that councillors and senior staff will inspect the Redhead site earlier this morning.
The community group says MCW's proposal involves the only public recreation space in Redhead and residents are incensed at the loss of both the land and its vegetation, believing the pumping station should be on the developer's land and not on public space.
Lobbying to MidCoast Water's general manager and its six councillors (three each from Greater Taree City and Great Lakes councils) has been extensive, publicity officer Mr Ryall said.
Resident Mrs Robin Billings told the Times that destruction of even more of the remaining rainforest is not an option when the developer's own land is available.
In a letter to MCW's development engineer David McKellar, she sought alternatives to the current proposal.
Mr McKellar has replied, however, with a copy of responses to the questions and concerns raised by residents during the exhibition of the Review of Environmental Factors for the project.
He said minor amendments have been recommended to address the concerns raised.
His report to today's meeting recommends MCW endorse the REF determination and approve the project.
He said that while he agrees in principle that the pump station should be located on developers' land rather than a public reserve, it is not practical for environmental, operational and economic reasons.
He said the proposal will not destroy rainforest, and alternative options are considered to have had a greater environmental impact.
Mrs Billings said yesterday she is not satisfied with Mr McKellar's reply and fully supports today's deputation by the community group.
Mr Hanington said his council, rather than upgrade the existing pumping station, planned to build a new one further away from existing homes.
"One of the issues is the environmental effect, and an alternative suggested to us would have meant taking out even more trees.
"We are always loathe to take out extra vegetation, and by agreeing with the new site we will keep disturbance to a minimum."
The existing pump station will be decommissioned after the augmentation, and the area it currently takes up will be returned to public use, he said.
"There is a lot of misinformation out in the community about this proposal," he said, adding that he hopes today's talks will clear up the matter.
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