rubyanna wastewater treatment plant - Bundaberg Regional Council

RUBYANNAWASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT1INDEPENDENT VIEWBundaberg Regional Council held a seriesof stakeholder meetings and informationsessions regarding the proposed RubyannaWastewater Treatment Plant from October2011. Feedback on the initial project proposalwas received from residents, industrygroups and the general community. Thefollowing concerns were raised in thesediscussions:• Location of the treated effluent pond• Potential odour, noise, loss of amenity• Traffic during construction and• Impacts to valuations in the areaIt was decided that a Rubyanna WastewaterTreatment Plant Community ReferenceGroup (CRG) be established to act asa reference point for the community toprovide feedback to Bundaberg RegionalCouncil in regard to the design, constructionand operation of this proposed majorproject.The role of the CRG is to provide a conduitfor Bundaberg Regional Council to takeadvice from, and formally respond to,community feedback on the project.Other roles of the CRG are to:• act as a forum to provide information onthe project through stakeholders to thecommunity;• enable stakeholders to discuss issuesabout the design, construction andoperation of the proposed RubyannaWastewater Treatment Plant;PHOTO: Rubyanna Community Reference Group• receive, consider and makerepresentations to Bundaberg RegionalCouncil on behalf of the community.This group enables community access toinformation on the project, as well as anopportunity to comment on the assessmentand planning processes. It is designed torepresent a range of key interests, positionsand concerns. Representation on the CRGwas sought from different stakeholdergroups via an expression of interestinvitation.These stakeholder groups include:• residents• businesses• environmental groups• industry associations• general communityAs independent chair of the CRG, I havebeen appointed to conduct and managemeeting proceedings to ensure themeetings are run fairly and without bias.It is an open exchange of ideas, concerns,project and information updates.I can assure the community that opendiscussion on the project from all partiesinvolved is taking place around the CRGtable. This process is already starting tohave real results that can only benefit theresidents, stakeholders, the Council and theproject itself in the longer term.We are planning more stakeholderconsultation in the comingmonths and we welcomepeople’s views and input.Please feel free to contact meat anytime on 0427217077.Angela WilliamsINDEPENDENT CHAIRRUBYANNA CRGJULY 2012 ISSUE 1AchievementsWe have held 3meetings to datewith excellentrepresentation bystakeholders andstrong discussion andinput into the project.ACHIEVEMENTS TODATE INCLUDE:• a relocation of theproposed treated effluentpond, to a site with lessimpact on residents• input into the groundand surface water qualitymonitoring programto establish baselineinformation. Additionalsites as requested byCRG members havebeen included into themonitoring program• an agreement toinvestigate potentialimpacts to propertyvaluations• an agreement to haveinput into the design,construction and operationof the proposed plan• A Council supported tripto Hervey Bay (Nikenbahtreatment plan) toexperience the latesttechnology first handand experience potentialimpacts of the proposedRubyanna Waste WaterTreatment Plant (seereport over page)RUBYANNA WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT Project Update

ProcessPLANNINGThe development assessment process for the RubyannaSewerage Treatment Plant will follow Queensland’s IntegratedDevelopment Assessment System (IDAS) process, as directedby the Sustainable Planning Act 2009.During the assessment process the proposal will be scrutinizedby a wide variety of State Government Referral Agencies, LocalGovernment Officers, and the general public, via the formalPublic Notification procedures of the IDAS process.Public Notification of this development application will beExperienceFirst HandOn Wednesday 30th May members of theCRG and Council representatives visitedthe Wastewater Treatment Plant atNikenbah near Hervey Bay. The Plantis a similar size to the one plannedfor Rubyanna and we got to get upclose and personal with the site and thetechnology. The Plant operation itself wasvery quiet, surrounded by vegetation andodour was minimal.One process where odour was present on theday was the inlet works, which BundabergRegional Council will be taking steps toovercome by appropriate odour controltechnology. The Plant is “state of the art”,highly mechanised and uses the latest digitaltechnology, with only two staff on site andonly during normal working hours.The proposed Rubyanna project will besimilar, if not even more advanced, takinginto account further advances that will occurby the time it is designed.The trip was very worthwhile for CRGmembers and Councillors and, as one residentsaid: “if you have to have a plant, you’d likeone like that!”undertaken for a minimum 30 business days (asrequired by Statute) and give members of the public aformal opportunity to review and comment on the proposal assubmitted.The full development assessment process has taken a numberof months to complete and it is understood lodgement occurredin late June 2012. The application can be tracked on-line withthe following link: http://bundaberg.qld.gov.au/development/online (using application number: 325.2012.36363.1).Water QualityMonitoring ProgrammeCouncil is undertaking a Monitoring programme over thenext 12 months. The first tests are designed to gatherbaseline water quality data that can then be compared toresults every 3 months.There are four groundwater sites – two each on Kirbys Roadand Rubyanna Road, plus three surface water sites – two onthe proposed site and 1 on Bundy Sugar land.Based on CRG member input, four more sites are to be included:• two groundwater sites on Barrons Road• two surface water sites in Rubyanna Creek and the WetlandsUpcoming activitiesThe next meeting of the Rubyanna Community ReferenceGroup will be held immediately prior to the publicnotification period. More details to follow.KEEP UP TO DATECOUNCIL’S WEBSITE FEATURES THE LATESTINFORMATION ON THE PROPOSED PLANT ANDACTIVITIES OF THE CRG. YOU CAN FIND IT AT:http://bundaberg.qld.gov.au/feature/rubyanna-wastewater-treatment-plantPHOTO: CRG Members & Councillors at Nikenbah PlantYou can also subscribefor updates on the projectby filling out the SurveyForm online.The latest informationto go online is theEnvironmentalFactors Report,which was reviewedand approved bythe CRG.CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILSIf you would like any more information, please contact any members of the Rubyanna CRG or:Angela Williams INDEPENDENT CHAIR – CRG PHONE: 0427 217 077COUNCIL CALL CENTRE: 1300 883 699COUNCIL EMAIL: ceo@bundaberg.qld.gov.au2RUBYANNA WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT Project Update JULY 2012 - ISSUE 1