Orange residents will have the chance to learn more about how the city is responding to the drought and to ask their questions at two Water Forums to be held next week.
Orange City Council will hold Water Forums on:
- Monday 4 November at 5.30 pm in the Civic Theatre foyer
- Thursday 7 November at 12 noon in the council chambers
Orange City Council CEO David Waddell believes there’s a huge amount of interest in the topic of water around Orange.
“Whether it’s water restrictions, or how long the water in the dam will last, or how our stormwater harvesting system works, it’s a topic that everyone is talking about,” David Waddell said. “On top of the work that’s already been done, we’re working on a number of different water infrastructure projects and we want to keep people in the loop about progress.”
“If we’re going to get through this drought together, it’s crucial that everyone has the most accurate, the most up-to-date information.
“There are signs people are really taking the new Level 5 water restrictions seriously. For the last two weeks there’s been a sudden and very noticeable spike in our water consumption on Sunday nights between 6pm and 7pm. That’s a sign people are willing to work together and only watering their gardens in line with the time mentioned in the Level 5 restrictions. That’s encouraging.”
The forums are scheduled to last for one hour. There’ll be a series of short presentations from a panel of council staff about different aspects of how the council is managing water. There’ll also be half on hour allocated for taking questions from residents.
“If people have a question, it’s sure to be something that someone else is also wondering about,” David Waddell said. “I hope people come along with their questions and with a willingness to listen and to learn about something new.”
“The council has been working hard on an awareness campaign. So far that’s included TV and radio, local newspaper coverage, online resources and brochures that have been mailed to every ratepayer in Orange. But there’s nothing like a face to face opportunity that can also add to people’s understanding.”
