Alan Dickens, Brunswick Heads
The Echo October 24 article by Paul Bibby states that the Waste Water Sewer Advisory Committee (WWSAC) has recommended the trial of a Low Pressure Pump System (LPPS) in Mullumbimby.
I was a member of the committee and was present when this trial was raised by the manager of utilities. There was very little discussion held on the trial apart from questions asked by myself and another member about what would this trial achieve? Only Duncan Dey, a long term member of the committee, said ‘well at least they are doing something’. The committee never voted on any recommendation.
I was made aware that a recommendation for the LPPS trial was going to the elected council at their next meeting supposedly from the WWSAC. I contacted the director of infrastructure Phil Holloway and asked about this, Mr Holloway said that I had had until the last Friday after the meeting to raise any problems with the minutes and recommendation going to councillors.
As a then member of the WWSAC we are supplied with a copy of the agenda on the day of each meeting and the minutes from the previous meeting are then discussed and approved.
What was done by submitting this recommendation to the elected council was a total change to the committees normal procedure, why?
Mayor Simon Richardson stated on the 13/6/2018 ‘the vacuum pump process has shown itself very cost efficient , more reliable and more effective and staff are keen to explore this… staff have not yet closed their minds to anything… We have the dollars and the commitment, but as yet, not the set method and plan identified.’
BSC has a vacuum system that was installed to convey the waste from the Byron Industry Estate in the mid-nineties. Could councillors not have asked for a comparison of the LPPS at New Brighton and the Vacuum System at Byron Industrial Estate?
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
