Reports › Report to Ratepayers - 22nd May 2013
Kaywanna Bore Water Board Chairman's Annual Report
Last year, we were uncertain of the outcome of the Webbe Weller Review. The push from the Department to transition to a non-statutory entity seems to have now been abandoned. In the past few months, we have received from the Department, several requirements for new compliance standards which I will outline below. The direct cost to this Board to defend our statutory status has been in excess of $7000.00.
In October, the Department advised that the Minister had previously exempted many water authorities from certain rigid compliance matters and that these exemptions no longer applied. We were requested to address the first of these new compliance matters which was the ‘Public Information Disclosure’ (PID) policy. We adopted this by special meeting on 18th November.
We are addressing other compliance requirements in sections 9 and 23 of the FPMS. These relate to governance, specifically planning, performance management, general resource management, strategic and operational plans. We will review and adopt a strategic plan at the AGM. An asset management register will also be adopted.
In May, we received correspondence from the State Archives in relation to seeking permission to destroy old records and requirements for the retention of various records. The review includes the trends to electronic storage of data and the use of ‘smart devices’. For the record, we generate very little ‘data’.
We will meet the compliance demands but it is most unfortunate that these standards are being imposed on a very simple entity. We have a turnover of approximately $50,000 and no staff. We pay for our annual audit by the Auditor General’s Department and adopt standard controls on expenditure that have proven satisfactory for many years. Complex asset registers, performance plans and archive management plans are overkill for an entity that is less complex than a primary school fete. The new accounting standards we are forced to adopt will increase the cost for ratepayers and I would defy anyone to identify the benefits ratepayers will see for this.
The operational pressure of the scheme was reduced from 5.6 bars to 5.0 bars on 15th May 2012. There have been no adverse effects. Electricity usage is down by 4% and the cost by 13% in the period since. On 19th May, the number 4 distributor pump was exchanged (leaking seal) with a replacement pump (marked No 1).
On 7th June 2012, the outlet at the Boogara booster was cleaned by J Allen and J Thorn. The next day there was a problem with the Danfoss control board and Jim Spink had to make arrangement s for its replacement.
About the 14th June 2012, the 63mm main was damaged by a machine on ‘Walton Downs’. This was repaired on 17th June by John Woods, John Thorn, Brett Crawley, John Allen and I. Although the pumps at the booster station were operating, John Allen and I returned the next day to deal with an air lock upstream that had stopped the pumps.
On 25th June, the new approved take-off point on ‘Hillview’ was connected by Rob Knight, Brett Crawley and I. We used my trenching machine and Crawley’s tractor.
Jim Spink replaced to control board at Boogara booster on 28th June.
On 17th July, the water was diverted from the cooling tank to the receiving tank. This was done by Bevan English, Bill Davison, Jamie O’Toole and I. Using my pressure cleaner, Bevan had about 2/3 of the walls cleaned by 5.30 pm. Over the next several weeks, Bevan cleaned and sealed the cooling tank using a high temperature sealant. This was allowed to cure in the absence of water.
On 4th September, David Woods and I re-diverted the water into the cooling tank. The float controllers were permanently re-installed on 7th September. The cooling tank sealing has been excellent. The number 2 distributor pump was replaced (number 4 on the replacement) and sent for repair.
In mid-September, staff at ‘Kioma’ replaced a rusted out double air valve (DAV) riser (with poly) 244 metres east of the western boundary of ‘Eaglebar’. On 4th October, John Allen, John Thorn and I replaced a 3” bush and plugged off an SAV at 544 metres from this boundary. “Kioma” provided a tele-handler for the excavation.
On 22 nd November, Glen Hunt excavated a leaking scour valve at ‘Box Yards’. This was plugged as was SAV 6600. The risers at BO1 and BO2 were replaced with poly. This work was done by Glen, Bill Davison and I.
On 14th January 2013, Bill Davison and I replaced No 1 distributor pump (CR10) with a CR8 (number 2 on it). I went to ‘Buckhaven’ to investigate the lack of water. I found a leaking trough at ‘Eaglebar’ with no restrictor on the supply tank at EA8. A 12 l/m restrictor was fitted by Ewan Beaton and this resolved the problem. This should be a 10.5 l/m restrictor.
Generally, the system has operated well. The financial position of this board remains very sound.
I extend my thanks to board members.
Geoff Woods
Chairman
Kaywanna Bore Water Board
C/- Findex 24 Mclean Street GOONDIWINDI 4390