Energy & Water

Following resident concerns regarding the ongoing excessive variations in fuel prices and other essentials that are contributing to the cost-of-living hardships, Sandy asked the Queensland Premier a Question on Notice (QON) in Parliament on what can be actioned, either directly…

In Sandy’s recent Noosa MP Community Survey, some residents expressed concerns regarding the reliability of Noosa’s power supply. In response, we have received the following from the Queensland Minister for Energy: There are six Energex zone substations that deliver supply…

Seqwater have advised the following dates, times and locations for the community information sessions on the Lake Macdonald Dam Upgrade: Tuesday 13 Feb, 2:30-5pm – Cooroy Memorial Hall, Maple St, Cooroy Monday 19 Feb, 9:30am-12noon – Cooroy Memorial Hall, Maple…

Per our previous Noosa 360 update this month, Seqwater have released the final design concept for the upgrade of the Lake Macdonald Dam, with early works set to commence in March ahead of major construction mid-2024. Following enquiries from our…

Following delays, which Sandy has previously reported, Seqwater have released the final design concept for the upgrade of the Lake Macdonald Dam, with early works set to commence in March ahead of major construction mid-2024.  Below is an extract from…

Under the Water Fluoridation Act 2008, local councils in Queensland are able to choose to fluoridate the water supply. All three councils in Unity Water’s service area (Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast and Noosa) have elected to fluoridate. For further information…

With a continuing dry spell, and many new residents with concerns regarding running out of water, we have complied below to assist our community on what is available at the time of posting this Noosa 360 update (November 2023). State…

With a continuing dry spell, and community concerns regarding low water levels at Lake Macdonald in Cooroy, the following information is provided to assist, especially for those new to this area. Lake Macdonald’s full supply volume is 8,018 ML and…

As posted to our Facebook page in June, Sandy met with representatives from South East Queensland (SEQ) Water for an update on the Lake Macdonald replacement project. The review that delayed the project has now been completed and progress can…

A concealed leak is a leak from the customer’s plumbing that is hidden from view. These can be difficult to notice and can create an unexpected and stressful expense – both to fix the leak and because of excess water…

Per our March 2023 update, the new pricing structure for Trade Waste Permit Fees comes into effect on the 1st of July, however as part of a staged approach, we have been advised the first bill will be discounted for…

Budget Week 2023 again held little in surprises, though a couple of deep disappointments for Noosa including the non-allocation for the expansion of the Advanced Manufacturing Hub at Sunshine Beach State High School. It is appreciated that cost of living…

A variety of sources have made claims in relation to cost of living increases in QLD that we have been requested to investigate. Below are some of our findings so far that relate to those claims, so they can be…

Following advocacy, in recent years the Department of Environment & Science (DES) has undertaken dioxin testing in Noosa catchment waterways (more details here), with the last report by the CSIRO in mid-2022. DES have advised the following (in italics) on…

In response to resident concerns regarding fencing, including the use of barbed wire, at the water treatment plant at Lake MacDonald, the Minister for Water has obtained the following information (in italics) from Seqwater: Noosa Water Treatment Plant fence: The…

The following information (in italics) has been provided by Unity Water, in relation to their new pricing structure for their Trade Waste Permit Fees taking effect from the 1st of July: Our new pricing structure will see us move away…

In response to queries regarding Pool Certification requirements for B&Bs, the Department has provided the following information which provides information for both shared pools (eg at B&Bs) and non-shared pools: Pool drowning remains one of the leading causes of death…

In response to queries from constituents seeking guidance for when tree growth laws impact solar panel efficiency, we have been advised the following from the Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning: Property owners can initiate…

It was announced on the January 22, 2021, that the Lake MacDonald Dam Upgrade Project is currently being reassessed after the procurement phase, and as a result, the scheduled water lowering will not be occurring in March. We have been…

Unity Water is a statutory authority with three shareholders – Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast and Noosa Council’s – and is governed by an independent board. Matters relating to Unity Water do not come under the jurisdiction of State Government. Concerns…

This one has been a journey and for those unfamiliar please head to https://sandybolton.com/?s=river+testing In summary, I had organised testing outside the ‘standard’ in response to questions over the recommendations from the 2009 Noosa Fish Task Force Report, and concerns…

An EUA is a financing mechanism used to upgrade the energy efficiency of existing buildings to improve their environmental performance and can provide benefits for the community, industry, building owners, building tenants, financial providers and local governments. EUAs are fixed…

The Department of Environment and Science has been working with Noosa Council to undertake testing of the water and surrounding catchment area in response to my request regarding the unresolved recommendations from the Noosa Fish Task Force 2009. Stage 1…

The debate around 5G has increased over the past few months with some of our residents concerned about the potential health effects of radiofrequency radiation (RF) and electromagnetic energy (EME) associated with mobile phones/devices and 5G towers. There have been…

Minister for Housing and Public Works, Mick de Brenni’s office, has advised the Environmental Upgrade Agreements (EUA) Framework sought for Queensland is currently under review with the findings due early 2020. This legislation would allow Councils across Qld to enable…