Meeting papers

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING                                              11 JULY 2023


Unitywater’s Water Matters planning process. Water Matters is Unitywater’s total water cycle
management plan for Noosa and the Sunshine Coast that commenced in 2020.

Public consultation on the plan began in late March 2023, with deliberative community engagement
up until the end of May, and release of a final plan expected in late 2023. Council officers attended
and presented at the two Burgess Creek Water Matters Community Forums to provide input on both
the overarching Water Matters Plan and more specific feedback on issues related to the Noosa Shire
in the Burgess Creek Catchment.

The plan is considering community, environment and economic perspectives and presents several
possible options for the catchment areas. From these, preferred water management options have
been recommended.

For Burgess Creek, expanded fit-for-purpose recycled water use, riparian regeneration and
enhancing management of stormwater run-off quality have been proposed, but stakeholders and the
community are also being asked to provide feedback on the importance of other options such as
improved erosion and sediment control, education and improving water literacy, existing fit-for-
purpose recycled water, and improving water and resource recovery at all wastewater treatment
plants.

Responses to stakeholder and community questions from the consultative process, including those
raised by elected representatives, and community updates are available on Unitywater’s Community
Hub at https://communityhub.unitywater.com/water-matters.

As a member of the Project Steering Group, Council has provided a letter of feedback on the plan
and requested detail on the roles and responsibilities of Unitywater, Council and other stakeholders
for each recommended management option.
Link to Corporate Plan

Theme No 1. - Environment

Focus areas include the natural environment, built environment, waterways and coasts and
conservation and heritage.

The relevant objectives from the Corporate Plan include the following:

1.1. - Maintain and improve water quality and the health of waterways, wetlands and catchments.

1.3 - Fund and deliver Coastal Foreshore and Coastal Hazard Management Plans to protect and
enhance coastal and foreshore areas.

1.6 - Partner with community to improve the health and water quality management of Noosa and
Mary Rivers and Eastern Beaches through whole of catchment management to protect
environmental values while enabling sustainable public access, recreation, and commercial use.


Previous Council Consideration
Ordinary Meeting, 16 June 2023, Page 3 - Notified Motion - Cr Amelia Lorenston
That Council request the Chief Executive Officer to provide a report to a future meeting outlining:
   A. Actions to be undertaken by Council to manage the Burgess Creek Mouth, including
      erosion management;
   B. Council’s current and future plans in relation to the management of outflows and water
      quality from the Unity Water Wastewater Treatment Plant discharging into Burgess Creek;



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