THE amount Orange City Council should charge north Orange and Ploughmans Valley residents for treated stormwater has been sent back to the drawing board for more briefing sessions after councillors felt residents should pay the same rate they do for drinking water.
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The dual water scheme, which sends non-potable to toilets and outdoor taps and potable water to all other areas of the home, was originally slated to cut water treatment costs.
But council investigations revealed potable water cost $1.75 a kilolitre to produce, while non-potable water cost $2.21 a kilolitre because non-potable water required almost the same degree of treatment with lesser economies of scale.
Staff recommended to price them the same, but councillor Reg Kidd said he could not support it “in any way, shape or form”.
“It is sending the wrong message,” he said.
“Having the same price for both will cause a riot in that part of town and I would be up in arms if I arrived in that area.”
Cr Kidd said the council encouraged people to install water tanks when rebates were available.
“But with this system, people have no choice,” he said.
“I think this is a retrograde step as the people of Orange have become very efficient in the way they use their water - they don’t waste water.
“I want staff to go back and relook at the increase and come back with an alternative proposal.”
General manager Garry Styles told councillors he understood the concerns, but the council had committed itself to the project in 2002 and had to make the most of it.
“The calculations by the staff aren’t in error and it is the actual cost - it’s come out at the same price,” he said.
“It is open to council to structure a different rate, but it will be an embedded subsidy.”
danielle.cetinski@fairfaxmedia.com.au
