news, act-politics, water charges, Phillip Oval
Summer rain may have delivered a timely band-aid measure for the ACT government, but water cost charges are an issue which won’t go away for a Canberra not-for-profit sports organisation. The chairman of the Phillip Oval Management Group, Paul Walshe, says that as sports activity ramps up again in the weeks ahead, tens of thousands of dollars will need to be set aside to keep the playing surface watered and in tip-top shape. “With the rain we’ve had, all that’s happened is that it has allowed the government to put a [water charges] decision on hold again,” he said. “As sure as eggs, when this weather pattern changes, we will be back to where we started where 40 per cent of our operating budget will go into watering our playing surfaces so we can keep top level AFL and cricket playing here all year round.” Phillip Oval is the home of Canberra AFL and Cricket ACT. It’s Canberra’s second-tier sports oval behind the top-ranked Manuka Oval and one which T20 professional cricketer Dan Christian, who recently visited for a coaching clinic, described as one of the best “boutique” surfaces in the country. “There is a genuine opportunity for make this oval very special but we can’t do it when nearly half of our operating budget – about $70,000 a year – goes into paying for water,” Mr Walshe said. “We’re not asking for free water, just a better deal so that what we save on water charges we can put back into infrastructure improvements at the ground.” The most significant issue for Phillip Oval is that it cannot get access to non-potable water because Icon Water doesn’t have supply pipes anywhere nearby. The only alternative is drinking water. And it’s some of the most expensive water in the country at $2.46 per kilolitre. Once the meter clicks over 50 kilolitres, the Icon Water charge rises to $4.94 per kilolitre. “We were hoping there might be something in the ACT budget – a rebate or something similar – which will help ease the pressure but sadly, that didn’t happen.” he said. READ MORE: He said that the Minister for Water, Shane Rattenbury, was sympathetic to the group’s cause during a January meeting but there has been no further progress. Mr Rattenbury’s office said that “fortunately, the wet year we are experiencing has taken the pressure off in terms of watering costs”. “Since meeting with Mr Walshe in January, I have sought advice on the options for introducing a concessional water pricing rate for community organisations,” Mr Rattenbury said. The ACT government is now taking submissions and reviewing that charges of non-potable water to “high intensity” club users but without supply lines to access, that’s of no use to Phillip Oval. “It puzzles me that there are so many green spaces like ours within our area but no non-potable infrastructure in place, and it appears there’s no plan to put any in,” Mr Walshe said. Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
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Summer rain may have delivered a timely band-aid measure for the ACT government, but water cost charges are an issue which won’t go away for a Canberra not-for-profit sports organisation.
The chairman of the Phillip Oval Management Group, Paul Walshe, says that as sports activity ramps up again in the weeks ahead, tens of thousands of dollars will need to be set aside to keep the playing surface watered and in tip-top shape.
“With the rain we’ve had, all that’s happened is that it has allowed the government to put a [water charges] decision on hold again,” he said.
Phillip Oval is the home of Canberra AFL and Cricket ACT. Picture: Elesa Kurtz
“As sure as eggs, when this weather pattern changes, we will be back to where we started where 40 per cent of our operating budget will go into watering our playing surfaces so we can keep top level AFL and cricket playing here all year round.”
Phillip Oval is the home of Canberra AFL and Cricket ACT. It’s Canberra’s second-tier sports oval behind the top-ranked Manuka Oval and one which T20 professional cricketer Dan Christian, who recently visited for a coaching clinic, described as one of the best “boutique” surfaces in the country.
“There is a genuine opportunity for make this oval very special but we can’t do it when nearly half of our operating budget – about $70,000 a year – goes into paying for water,” Mr Walshe said.
“We’re not asking for free water, just a better deal so that what we save on water charges we can put back into infrastructure improvements at the ground.”
The most significant issue for Phillip Oval is that it cannot get access to non-potable water because Icon Water doesn’t have supply pipes anywhere nearby.
The only alternative is drinking water.
And it’s some of the most expensive water in the country at $2.46 per kilolitre. Once the meter clicks over 50 kilolitres, the Icon Water charge rises to $4.94 per kilolitre.
“We were hoping there might be something in the ACT budget – a rebate or something similar – which will help ease the pressure but sadly, that didn’t happen.” he said.
He said that the Minister for Water, Shane Rattenbury, was sympathetic to the group’s cause during a January meeting but there has been no further progress.
Mr Rattenbury’s office said that “fortunately, the wet year we are experiencing has taken the pressure off in terms of watering costs”.
“Since meeting with Mr Walshe in January, I have sought advice on the options for introducing a concessional water pricing rate for community organisations,” Mr Rattenbury said.
The ACT government is now taking submissions and reviewing that charges of non-potable water to “high intensity” club users but without supply lines to access, that’s of no use to Phillip Oval.
“It puzzles me that there are so many green spaces like ours within our area but no non-potable infrastructure in place, and it appears there’s no plan to put any in,” Mr Walshe said.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
