Water charge waived

Gosford Council has agreed to waive a $963.30 water charge from the Crommelin Native Arboretum in Pearl Beach.

Council waived a similar fee in 1993.

However since 1993, the arboretum has remained within the minimum usage of 200 kilolitres a year.

When the arboretum went over the minimum limit earlier this year, the arboretum association president Mr Phillip Westlake referred to Council's 1993 decision and sought the waiving of the current fee and all future water consumption accounts.

Council's director of corporate and community services, Mr Chris Gallagher, said: "To accede to the request would be to some extent against Council's philosophy of ensuring that users are conscious of the need to conserve water."

However, Mr Gallagher recommended that Council waive the current fee and any future water accounts while requesting that arboretum management conserve water whenever possible.

Carl Spears, October 12