On Tuesday, 5 August, I had the pleasure of representing the Minister for
Regional and Rural Development in officially announcing the Macarthur water
supply project. The $557 000 project, to be partly funded under the Brumby Labor
government’s Small Towns Development Fund, will allow Macarthur to meet the
health criteria of the Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2005.
At present the Macarthur water supply is sourced from a local
groundwater bore which has always contained levels of arsenic derived from
natural mineral deposits within the volcanic sub-terrain. This project will
ensure that Macarthur has a reliable drinking water supply that meets all
regulations and expectations with regard to a safe and high-quality water
supply. The project will begin in October and will be completed in February
2009.
I would like to acknowledge Wannon Water for its financial
contribution to this project and also the community of Macarthur, which has been
involved in every step of the project and has been very supportive. I
particularly thank Henry Byron and Bernie Warren.