By JOLENE OGLE
We can all look forward to a more sustainable water supply as Seqwater teams up with Noosa and District Landcare Group to deliver community-based, raw water projects.
Seqwater signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the group on Tuesday to partner on initiatives to improve raw water quality outcomes in the Upper Mary, Six Mile, Yabba and Obi Obi catchment areas.
NDLG general manager Phillip Moran explained the impact of the collaboration while taking Seqwater on a tour of local catchment areas, last Tuesday.
Mr Moran said sites such as the creek that runs next to Mary River Road, adjacent to Cooroy Library, are the perfect example of how the two organisations can work together.
“You can see the road is just on the other side, so the sediment that comes to this creek is filtered out before it reaches Six Mile,” he said.
By working together with other community groups and local schools on planting projects, NDLG is able to maintain the creek, which provides vital filtration that helps reduce the need for Seqwater to treat the drinking water supply.
Seqwater CEO Peter Dennis said the three year alliance would assist both organisations to deliver their goals of maintaining the health of the region’s catchments for long-term water security.
“Together we plan to explore and deliver works which aim to enhance catchments in the Upper Mary, Six Mile, Yabba and Obi Obi as small scale preventative measures across the catchment provide increased protection of raw water quality,” he said.
“This is a well-recognised technique for reducing the need for treatment costs of the drinking water supply.”
Mr Dennis said Seqwater aims to support the community to help manage the water supply.
“By partnering with respected community organisations such as the Noosa District and Landcare Group, we can encourage a holistic approach to sustainable water management and restrict costs for future generations,” Mr Dennis said.
“The program of work will encompass a wide range of capacity building and education services which not only benefit the community through technical and vocational training, but deliver tangible outcomes by promoting partnership arrangements with landholders that directly link to Seqwater’s raw water intakes.”
