Call for voice on water plan

By Kath Gannaway
A MEMBER of the Powelltown Residents’ Water Association (PRWA) is calling for a referendum on proposed changes to a water bottling proposal for the town.
The PRWA’s Angela Neale said a minority of people are against the proposal.
New owners of the lease, Brian Carey and son Tim Carey, had applied to VCAT to change permit conditions.
The Mail reported on 26 September that Ian Martin, president of the Powelltown Residents’ Water Association (PRWA) vowed at a public meeting that the association would fight the changes which sought 24-hour operation and up to six trucks extracting water per day.
More than 60 people attended the meeting at which Mr Martin said the PRWA would fight to ensure the conditions of the permit were not detrimental to the town.
Now Ms Neale has hit out at the comments saying Mr Martin had not consulted with members.
“He certainly does not represent my views,” she said.
“If pipes need replacing I don’t expect everyone to be consulted but when it is something like this which purports to represent the views of people, it should be voted on.”
Mr Martin says, however, that the decision to oppose the changes was made at a previous PRWA committee meeting.
“We were able to contact most members before the information night, but not all,” he said.
Ms Neale said the annual general meeting of the PRWA on Monday, 16 October, would give everyone a chance to have a say.
“I would like to see a referendum on how the association represents its members on this issue and encourage all members to attend,” she said.
Mr Morris told the Mail the VCAT hearing had been deferred to December.