Community News - providing readers with the very latest in local news, sport, entertainment and more.
Camera IconCommunity News - providing readers with the very latest in local news, sport, entertainment and more. Credit: Community News

Anger at Water Corporation plans

Staff ReporterWanneroo Times

Householders can attend a community open house at Craigie Leisure Centre tonight to talk one-on-one with corporation staff and give feedback on Stage I construction of the project, due to start later this year.

But resident Sylvia Tetlow said she wanted a ‘proper’ public meeting so residents could voice concerns about such issues as smell, ground vibration, noise, light and dust from the site.

She believed the new format was a way of keeping residents ‘divided’.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

‘I argued to the highest level, all the way up to the minister’s office, for a proper public meeting and it was flatly refused,’ she said.

‘It’s the height of arrogance and an insult to us.

‘We plan to stand up as a group, ask one (Water Corporation) table at a time to present its information and then ask questions.’

A Water Corporation spokeswoman said a community open house was a different form of consultation comprising ‘stalls’ manned by staff involved in different aspects of a project.

‘People move around them but still have the opportunity to have a say (to them) rather than to a whole room full of people, which doesn’t suit everyone,’ she said.

‘We encourage people to come along, have a chat and ask questions.

‘We’ve had a lot of consultation during the (scheme) trial and there is a community reference group for the site.

‘We’ve had ongoing community consultation with residents for many years.’ Groundwater replenishment further treats treated wastewater to drinking water standard for recharging into groundwater supplies.’

The full-scale scheme will replace a three-year trial completed recently.

The open house is from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Craigie Leisure |Centre on Whitfords Avenue.