AGY-1076 | Broken Hill Water Board

Full description

The Broken Hill Water and Sewerage Act, 1938 (Act No. 20, 1938) constituted the Broken Hill Water Board . The Board consisted of a President representing the Government, two members elected by the Broken Hill City Councillors and two nominees of the mining companies. Under the Act the Mining Companies paid an annual contribution of £16,000 instead of specific water rates. The Board's loans plus any repayments over 3.5 % were guaranteed by the Government for the next 45 years. From 21 September 1943 the Board became responsible for the installation, maintenance, and renewal of water service pipes from the main to the meter. The connection of residential premises to the sewer mains by the Board commenced on 12 January 1942, however, due to wartime measures the scheme was quickly suspended. (1) The Board resumed this work on a major scale and then discontinued it in 1958. However, funds were made available to ratepayers to finance the connection of private premises to sewer mains by private plumbing contractors. With a severe drought in the first half of the 1940s the Broken Hill Water Board implemented an Emergency Water Scheme in conjunction with the Department of Railways. The Scheme ran from 17 August 1943 to 17 January 1946 with water being transported via train from Menindee on the Darling River to Broken Hill for distribution. (2) The Broken Hill Water and Sewerage (Amendment) Act, 1946 ( Act No 52 1946) reformed the Broken Hill Water Board's financial arrangements. Mining Companies now had to pay for water used for "social services" which included "any dwelling or plantation". There was to be a quinquennial adjustment of the Broken Hill Water Board's accounts between the Government, the Mining Companies, and the Board. Any surpluses from the Water Supply Fund were to be shared equally between the Government and the Mining Companies while the Mining Companies alone would meet any shortfall. The Government would meet deficits in the Sewerage Fund with any surpluses accruing to the Board. The Soldiers Hill Boosting Station was built in 1952 to increase water delivery through Stephens Creek to the Broken Hill rising main in times of peak demands. This station operated until January 1968 when the Imperial Lake Pumping Project was completed. Chlorination equipment was installed at the Menindee Pumping Station in 1969 while sludge processing began at the Wills Street Sewerage Treatment Works. (3) During the mid-seventies, income contribution ratios were first used to distribute anticipated costs between the contributing parties - Ratepayers, Mining Companies and NSW Treasury when preparing estimates each year. Any deficits in the Board's water fund are met by specific payments from the Treasury (13/59ths of any debt) and the Mining Companies (46/59ths of any debt). (4) The Broken Hill Water Board was reconstituted under the Water Supply Authorities Act, Act No. 140 1987 with the Broken Hill Water and Sewerage Act, 1938 being repealed. The Water Supply Authorities Act provided common legislation for statutory bodies engaged in the supply of water. The Broken Hill Water Board was to exercise its functions with regard to the efficient use of water resources, catchment management, the public interest, conservation of natural resources, pollution control and the efficient use of resources. The Board became responsible to the Water Administration Ministerial Corporation. The area of operation of the Board is centred on the City of Broken Hill and includes the Umberumberka Reservoir and Catchment Area, the Stephens Creek Reservoir and Catchment Area, the Yancowinna Catchment Area, the town of Menindee, the Menindee to Stephens Creek Pipeline, and the settlement of Sunset Strip on the shore of Lake Menindee. The Board's water reticulation system serves approximately 10,000 properties and a population of 24,000. Domestic consumers in Broken Hill are provided with a filtered, chlorinated and fluoridated supply. The township of Menindee receives a filtered and chlorinated water supply while untreated water is provided for the settlement of Sunset Strip. A limited water supply is provided to the township of Silverton in the unincorporated area near Broken Hill. In Broken Hill sewerage services are available to 9,830 premises. (5) FOOTNOTES (1) Broken Hill Water Board annual report for the year ended 31 December 1944 in the Parliamentary Papers 1945-46 Vol. 2 page 726. (2) Ibid. page 725. (3) Broken Hill Water Board annual report for the year ended 31 December 1967 in the Parliamentary Papers 1968-69 Vol. 5 pp. 198-199. (4) Broken Hill Water Board annual report for the year ended 31 December 1992 page 14. (5) Broken Hill Water Board annual report for the year ended 31 December 1995 page 3.