Council acts on sticky issue

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Council acts on sticky issue

Solutions to the presence of bitumen particles in the Millicent swimming lake are being considered by Wattle Range Council.


Bitumen was laid across the base late last year as a way of curtailing water leakage.


However, councillors Dennis Muhovics and John Shelton told the January monthly council meeting the bitumen particles had become attached to bodies and bathers and had been found in the adjacent caravan park showers.


In reply, engineering services director Peter Halton said the problems with bitumen had also been covered by The SE Voice newspaper and then considered by council’s executive leadership team.


He said it was disappointing that bitumen particles were on bathers and clothes.


Mr Halton said most of the problems appeared to come in the shallow water under the shade structure where young children are present.


“Kids love to dig,” Mr Halton said.


“The application of bitumen may have been too high. Council has placed two loads of sand in that area.


“The sealing of the lake was always going to be a band-aid solution ahead of a longer-term project.


“There has been a major reduction in water usage but it has consequences.


“Like roads, it takes time to stabilise the tackiness of the bitumen.


“We could drain the lake but the amount of water needed to re-fill it means the lake would probably not be re-filled this summer.


“The council staff received an inquiry from the press yesterday.


“Staff will bring a report to the February council meeting and it will inform the community of the benefits of the swimming lake.”


Mayor Des Noll brought the discussion to a close.


“Director Halton is on top of this,” Mr Noll said.

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