Palerang
Issue: Resource Use
This issue is discussed for these areas: [an error occurred while processing this directive]
See these indicator results for more detail:
Drinking Water Quality | Hazardous Waste | Heritage | Noise | Population | Solid Waste | Water Use
In the 2004 Regional State of the Environment Report (RSoER) two issues papers covered community wellbeing and resource use for each Council. Previous ’Community Wellbeing‘ indicators have not been reported in this RSoER following a decision by the RSOER workshop in July 2007. These indicators are now covered in the Council’s Social Plan .
Under the requirements of the New South Wales (NSW) Local Government Act 1993, reporting of Heritage (both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal) and Noise is mandatory in state of the environment report.
What changes took place during the reporting period?
- Affected by drought with use of Level 1 and 2 water restrictions
- Continued drinking water quality of a high standard in most supply areas
- Population has seen a small rise
- Recording of noise complaints started in 2008 the main complaint being in relation to barking dogs
- Waste minimisation strategies include no waste to landfill by 2025 and part of green waste initiative “Groundswell”
- Some change to the listed heritage estate.
| Council Locations | Coastal Councils Eurobodalla Bega Valley |
Alpine Councils Tumut Tumbarumba Snowy River Bombala Cooma/Monaro |
Major Regional Centre Councils Queanbeyan Yass Goulburn/ Mulwaree |
Inland Councils Young Boorowa Upper Lachlan Cootamundra Harden Gundagai Palerang |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population Size change | Increased population | Declining population | Increased population | Declined population |
| Population age change | Aging population | Aging population | Aging population | Aging population |
| Heritage | Spending on heritage programs | Spending on heritage programs | Spending on heritage programs | Spending on heritage programs |
| Noise | Main complaints - barking dogs. Improved noise compliance outcomes |
Main complaints - barking dogs. Improved noise compliance outcomes |
Main complaints - barking dogs. Improved noise compliance outcomes |
Main complaints - barking dogs. Improved noise compliance outcomes |
| Waste | Good initiatives/ reduction strategies in place Improved data collection |
Good initiatives/ reduction strategies in place | Good initiatives/ reduction strategies in place Improved data collection |
Good initiatives/ reduction strategies in place |
| Water Quality | Consistent High Water Quality | Consistent High Water Quality | Consistent High Water Quality | Consistent High Water Quality |
| Water Availability | Higher potential evaporation Water restrictions |
Higher potential evaporation Water restrictions |
Higher potential evaporation Water restrictions |
Higher potential evaporation Water restrictions |
Source: The information in this table is collated from data supplied by Councils (collated by OCSE)
Water
Water is drawn from the Shoalhaven River to supply the Braidwood Dam, which holds 80 ML. The dam is operated at full capacity. Water for the reticulated supply is chlorinated, but receives no other treatment.
The Captains Flat dam is fed from the Molonglo River and has a capacity of 820 ML. This dam was originally constructed to supply a mining area, which is now closed. Water from this dam is micro-filtered and chlorinated. Bungendore is provided with bores, no flow rates were provided. The water is aerated and chlorinated. Water restrictions and conservation measures have been imposed, but their effect cannot be identified.
The population supplied with reticulated water has increased over this period, and the Council provides an estimate of 1.7% increase per annum. It is likely that a small decrease in per capita consumption balanced the population increase.
Both water restrictions and water conservation measures have been put in place in the Council area. Water restrictions follow the framework applied in Canberra and Queanbeyan.
In Braidwood water restrictions applied at Level 1 on 128 days in 2006-07, and 251 days in 2007-08. Water conservation measures applied for 84 days in 2006-07 and 114 days in 2007-08. Since 8 March conservation measures equivalent to restrictions Level 1 or 2 have been in place.
In Captain’s Flat water restrictions applied at Level 1 on 119 days in 2007-08. Water conservation measures applied for 212 days in 2006-07, and 247 days in 2007-08. These are mandatory and equivalent to restrictions Level 1 or 2.
Bungendore was put on Level 1 water restrictions in 2002-03, which applied for the whole year in 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06. In 2006-07 Level 1 water restrictions applied for 153 days and Level 2 came into place for the rest of the year. In 2007-08 Level 2 restrictions applied for 247 days, followed by Level 3. Since March 2008 Bungendore has been on Level 2 restrictions.
Not withstanding these restrictions, the volume of reticulated water used in the Council area rose from 456 ML/Yr in 2004-05 to 492 in 2006-07, the last data available.
The two small water supplies of the Council area, Bungendore and Captains Flat, show a consistently high quality of drinking water. Some occasional minor variations in quality in the Braidwood water supply as the supply is chlorinated but receives no other treatment.
Population
The population Palerang Council area remains relatively static with only a small percentage in growth observed. According to the 2006 Census there were 12,913 residents in the Council area with an estimated 13,419 in 2007. Since the end of the previous RSeER period, the population of the Council area is estimated to have risen by 3.7% or 1,459 persons.
Compared with NSW as a whole, Palerang has a higher aged population, a lower Indigenous population and a slight decrease in the proportion of persons born overseas which is in contrast to the level observed for the State.
Noise
Council only started to record noise complaints in 2008 and currently is no clear systemic implementation of this so far.
The main complaints are in relation to barking dogs, (estimated to be approximately 40 a year) and for motorbike noise complaints (approximately ten a year). In the previous reporting period anecdotal evidence suggested that noise from motor bikes was the main issue in rural residential areas, while barking dogs still attracted the most complaints in the villages.
Reducing solid waste
Palerang Council’s Waste Management Strategy aims to have no active landfill operations in Palerang by 2025, only transfer stations. While waste to landfill volumes is estimated to be growing in line with population growth, Palerang residents are strong supporters of recycling. The volume of recyclables recovered has doubled during the reporting period.
Palerang Council is a partner in an innovative project which aims to reduce waste to landfill and improve soil conditions. The grant-funded program “Groundswell” will reduce the amount of green waste going to landfill by providing village residents with a green waste bin collection service and using the material recovered to produce a soil improving compost product which will improve farming soils in the region.
Heritage
Comparisons of heritage listings between the 2004 RSoER and the present heritage listings do not reflect the true changes that have occurred. This is because of changes to boundaries that make the figures misleading. For example, while places on the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) have not changed, the figures indicate that there are less places on the LEP. Similar erroneous indications stem from an examination of the number of heritage listed places recorded under Register of the National Estate and s. 170 listings.
No information is available on the condition of heritage sites during the reporting period and little information on condition prior to the reporting period either. The condition of many sites has not been updated since they were listed on the Register of the National Estate.
During the past four years, community consultation has occurred through public meetings, community forums, information days and visits to community association meetings to explain Council decisions. This consultation proved valuable in dealing with heritage matters associated with the complex issues of major subdivisions in Braidwood and Bungendore.
The future what does this mean for the Council?
For water
There is no current re-use of treated wastewater. However population growth in the Council area and the additional Defence facility at Bungendore can be expected to stimulate further growth, may change wastewater policy and use in the future. Council has undertaken a Draft Development Servicing Plan for Braidwood Sewage Treatment Plant, to upgrade the facility. The Plan notes the proposal to replace the existing treatment plant in Braidwood because the quality of effluent does not meet the standard required by the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change. It is also noted that the effluent from the new treatment plant will be reused for irrigation including the Braidwood golf course.
Good consistent data collection should be continued to ensure that direct comparisons between water quality reporting periods can be continued.
For population
Along with many other jurisdictions in Australia, Palerang Council will need to consider the impacts of an ageing population on its economy and infrastructure.
The composition of households has continued the trend noted in the 2004 report with a further reduction in the number of households comprising couples with children and a consequent increase in couples without children and also lone person households. These are similar to trends observed in other councils. Palerang Council’s Social Plan is committed to addressing these issues.
For noise
The Council may wish to consider developing a system for keeping statistics on mechanisms for resolution or time taken by staff on resolving these noise issues. These statistics could assist the Council in further planning for resolving noise complaints especially with regard to time management and resources outcomes.
For waste management
Council’s recyclables collections are growing steadily, and the proportion of the waste stream going to landfill has been falling steadily. To give a clearer picture of the waste generation patterns of residents in the future, Council could consider reviewing its landfill tonnage estimation process to enable assessment that is based more on actual volumes rather than relying on calculations that flow from increasing resident numbers, as these may not reflect the behaviour changes in the community over time.
For heritage
As no information is available on the condition of heritage sites during the reporting period and little information on condition prior to the reporting period either, it would be beneficial for the Council to address these gaps to develop a future benchmark from which to work. It appears that the condition of many sites has not been updated since they were listed on the Register of the National Estate, again this could be addressed. However there has been recent work with the Community and the Council’s Heritage Conservation program on the identification, protection and promotion of Palerang’s Aboriginal, European and natural heritage. Key activities for this function were: identification of heritage items for inclusion in the Palerang LEP, provision of advice to the community through the Palerang Heritage Advisory Service, ensuring that heritage values are acknowledged and protected throughout the Council area and regularly reviewing heritage lists for relevance and accuracy.This work will be valuable and should be continued.
