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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-06-16 Daily Xml
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Community Wastewater Management System

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (15:27): Since being elected to this place two years ago, few issues have been raised with me by constituents more than the Tea Tree Gully council's Community Wastewater Management System. My community has rightly been angered by the dramatically increasing service charge for being on the system and the increasing number of problems with the system, including blockages.

The weekend before last, I visited a property in Banksia Park where the backyard was quite literally being flooded by sewage bubbling up out of the inspection point at the back of the property. Sewage was flowing through the backyard, under the pergola, through the garden and around pot plants before reaching the front of the property, where it was pouring into the gutter and down the street, into the stormwater system.

Most distressing and, quite frankly, outrageous was the fact that this is the sixth time that this has happened to this family in the past 18 months—the sixth time! My community has been putting up with it and paying for it for far too long. I have spoken about the CWMS a number of times in this place. Two weeks ago, I spoke about the need for the state government to intervene and finally deliver a long-term solution for my community.

I am thrilled that the Marshall Liberal government has listened to my concerns, and those of my community, and is delivering a solution to this decades-old problem. Announced by the Minister for Environment and Water, the government is investing $65 million for SA Water to convert CWMS households from the common effluent system to SA Water sewerage, at no cost to households. This will save the average household $400 a year and provide a better service.

There will be no need to have the backyard, garden, footpath, driveway or garage floor dug up every four years to empty the septic tank. SA Water customers also have the benefit of a well-resourced 24/7 service to respond to the problems that may occur, albeit much less frequently. Planning for the transfer of property started immediately, and SA Water is working to develop a schedule for the conversions.

It is also worth welcoming Labor's belated interest in this issue. Whilst it is disappointing that they did not do something about the CWMS while they had the chance during their 16 years in government, and there are some questions about how exactly they arrived at their figure—I suspect, in the typical Labor fashion, they simply asked council, 'How much do you want?'—their interest in this issue is certainly better late than never, despite the conditions attached to their promise. At the end of the day, though, my community wants a solution to this issue. That is exactly what we are doing, and we are starting right now. Planning is starting immediately, and we expect to see the first properties transfer across to SA Water in 2021.

We believe that it is only fair that the council makes a contribution to this project. Ultimately, these assets are the council's and, after charging ratepayers for years for a service that is becoming increasingly problematic, and quite frankly a financial liability for the council, it is only reasonable that the council play a fair and reasonable part in solving the problem. We cannot have a situation where councils just allow their assets to fall into a state of disrepair, ask for the state government to bail them out but then take absolutely no further responsibility for the solution. It is ultimately in the council's interest and the interest of their ratepayers that this situation is fixed.

I would also urge council to place an immediate price freeze on the CWMS service charge now that there is a solution. I understand that the council recently voted to continue with the planned fee increases, but the situation has since changed. The fee, which is set to reach nearly $900 per year, has been increasing on the basis that it is required to fund upgrades and renewals to the system as well as costs associated with asset depreciation. As the Marshall Liberal government is now providing a long-term solution for the system, there is now no longer justification for the increases.

I have written to all councillors, urging them to abandon the service charge increases in light of the government's announcement. As I have said before in this place, the Tea Tree Gully council's CWMS has been a problem for decades. For decades, councillors and governments have simply kicked the can down the road and ignored the concerns of the community. I am proud to be part of a government that has listened to these concerns and acted swiftly to deliver a real, long-term solution that will save households money and provide a better service. We are fixing this.

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