2016-07-12 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                              12 JULY 2016



11                       HEALTHY WATERWAYS FUNDING CONTRIBUTION
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                             Principal Environment Officer, Peter Milne
                                   Planning & Infrastructure Department

Index                              ECM/Waterways

Attachments                        1.   Deed of Agreement
                                   2.   Performance Milestones


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not Applicable.


RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Principal Environment Officer to the Planning & Environment
Committee Meeting dated 12 July 2016 and authorise the CEO to enter into a 3 (three) year
Deed of Agreement with Healthy Waterways.


REPORT
Healthy Waterways has approached Council to request that it enters into a three year funding
agreement. The reasoning for this request is that such an agreement would provide Healthy
Waterways with greater financial surety, so that they are able to clearly focus on the delivery of
their strategic programme. The funding request is as follows:
2016/2017 $24,000
2017/2018 $23,500
2018/2019 $23,000
A total financial commitment of $70,500 over 3 years.

BACKGROUND
In the past, Healthy Waterways have provided services to Council at a cost of $26,000
(2015/2016) and $24,000 has been approved as a budget item for 2016/2017. The following
services are provided to Council through the Healthy Waterways membership:
1.                       Water quality monitoring of the Noosa River Catchment and Report Card
Water quality monitoring is undertaken by contractors in freshwater and estuarine waterways,
and the data is used to inform the development of the Healthy Waterways Report Card. Healthy
Waterways have now improved the scorecard and added social and economic values to their
assessment. In 2015 Noosa River received an A-minus rating for the Environment Condition
Category and 4.5 stars for the Community Waterways Benefit Rating.
2.                       Urban Water Program
Healthy Waterways is a leader in the development of guidelines in relation to Water Sensitive
Urban Design (WSUD), Erosion and Sediment Control (ESC) and the Living Waterways design
initiative. Guidelines are used to support State Planning Policy and development of industry
standards.
3.                       Co-ordination of Water-play Program
Recreational waterways such as bathing reserves are water quality monitored by contractors for
health parameters including Enterococci to inform appropriate management responses.

                                                                                           Page 165 of 185