On
the face of it, you would be excused for wondering what all the fuss is about.
What’s wrong with Park Orchards getting a reticulated sewerage system?
- A reticulated sewerage system is not necessarily an appropriate solution in these times of energy and carbon footprint sensitivity
- The
plans for the sewerage backlog system pre-date the drought
and our changing awareness of the environmental impact
of our waste disposal systems
- Well maintained on-site wastewater treatment systems are more than adequate for half acre and one acre blocks. Such systems allow residents to retain water for use in their own gardens - keeping them green all year round
- For
properties for which an individual treatment plant is not a practical
option, combined facilities that could provide water for public land
such as Domeney would be highly desirable
- There would be significant initial costs to connect
to a new sewer, plus ongoing charges, which will inevitably increase over time
- But by far the biggest concern is that the sewering of
Park Orchards would open the door to higher density occupancy and subdivision -
which would adversely affect both the character and the desirability of our
unique suburb
Since then our darkest suspicions have been confirmed. Even the "sniff" of sewerage availability and VCAT awared a permit to the owners of the Chalet for a high-density development in a low-density zone.
If developers could so easily "work the system" and bowl over the iconic centrepiece of Park Orchards, what hope for the rest of the suburb?
Now in 2011, we are poised to have Park Orchards scheduled for the provision of a reticulated sewerage system. We defy anyone to provide us a relevant example of an area that is supplied with reticulated sewerage that has retained its large block size.
Here's a snapshot of the eastern half of Park Orchards, and the abutting sewered areas. Notice how the subdivisions follow the sewerage lines (in red):
