Token effort on waste water

It is with dismay that we learn that Gosford is currently able to recycle only about 1.7 per cent of available waste water from the Kincumber Treatment Works!

This treatment works discharges about 25 Ml/day of secondary treated waste water together with a further 10 Ml/day which is transferred from the Woy Woy Treatment Works.

The combined flow of about 35 Ml/day is then discharged to sea at Winney Bay by gravity flow.

It is utterly absurd for Mayor Laurie Maher to claim (1 June 2007) that "the Kincumber Plant was not suitable for large scale use of recycled water on sporting fields".

Waste water quality from Kincumber is of high quality, better than regulation standards, and at least equal or superior to the recycled water being utilised successfully from the Wyong treatment plants on a small scale.

As the Kincumber Treatment Works is situated at an elevated level (unusual for such works), it is ideal for distribution of waste water for beneficial use on recreational and sport fields and other non-potable uses.

It should not escape notice that at the bottom of the hill almost in the shadow of the Kincumber works a newly emerging sports complex is nearing completion which is desperately in need of water.

Likewise the Frost Reserve sport fields nearby would also benefit enormously from a recycled waste water supply which is readily available.

One wonders how our mayor and council officers are briefed on such matters and public credibility comes into question.

Presently Gosford is providing token attention only to the delivery of high quality treated waste water for community and commercial use.

John Laing Killcare Heights