Community
1 July, 2021
Gazza’s Goss: Time to be waterwise
IT was not until I lived in Mount Isa that I truly appreciated the pleasure of rainfall and I’m not just talking about that calming pitter patter sound of raindrops on a tin roof.
Being a Pommy, I can definitely confirm that good old precipitation is high on the average Brits’ whinge list. As a cockney in the Wet Tropics, it would be easy to revert to my old ways and cringe at the slightest sign of a black cloud, but as Douglas Shire locals will know, recent years have proven extremely dry.
The last couple of dry seasons have been long, with gardens browning up and restrictions hitting as high as level 4 in 2019.
In order to avoid any complacency, a water education campaign has been launched, in the Douglas Shire, ahead of the 2021 dry season to help increase public understanding of the delicate water situation in this part of the World.
If you’ve ever wondered just how that rain water gets from rainforest water intakes to our homes, Douglas Shire Council has unveiled several educational videos, new web pages and immersive videos to inform, educate and connect customers to their Water and Wastewater team.
There is no doubt that our water is precious and many people aren’t aware of the complex, rigorous processes involved in the water journey, or the number of highly skilled and qualified people that work passionately behind the scenes.
From flowing down mountains to Rex Creek, to making its way to the Mossman water treatment plant where it is extracted, filtered, tested, and treated, to finding its way to the Crees Road Reservoir before making the final journey to your home.
Did you know there is a high-tech control room that operates from the Mossman treatment plant, where a team meticulously oversees water quality, extraction rates and reservoir levels?
The new webpages also provide information on any current water restrictions and the reasons behind the water restriction status at any given time.
Members of the public can also get a first-hand look at the water and wastewater infrastructure through the 360-degrees immersive videos.
Further information can be found at the Douglas Shire Council’s website.
All this H2O talk has made me thirsty so, for now, it’s Gazza signing out!
You can catch up with Gazza each weekday afternoon between
4 – 7 pm on 90.9 FAB FM in Port Douglas
