Dear Mayor Coad …

Bcc neighbours and interested parties

Dear Mayor Coad – I need your assistance please,

I have today attempted to understand from Council ( ‘hvc@huonvalley.tas.gov.au’ ) whether I am allowed/or able to ask the enclosed question at tomorrow evening’s council meeting – given there is a motion on the Agenda from Cr Ian Paul requesting a letter be sent to the EPA over water quality. I have been ignored by Acting GM Thorpe, and GM Simone Watson over the past month – and today (Oct 27) no-one from HVC has gotten back to me.

I confess I am inexperienced in matters of Council and I am at a total loss as to whether I am able to address this enclosed question at tomorrow’s meeting.

Whilst my subject matter is the Russell River, as a resident of Lonnavale I am not concerned about the quality of the drinking water to which I already know the stock standard answer from the EPA and DHHS is not to drink any river water in Tasmania. My concern is there has been 8+ years of what I see as avoidance and neglect by the HVC and other State Authorities to recognise the environmental nuisance and the ongoing degradation of a public amenity – our Community River, and in so doing the continued suggestion that there are “other” reasons for the pollution to our river over and above whatever is coming out of the Huon Aquaculture Fish Farm 2.3km upstream from our property.

Neither the EPA, who have current regulatory control over the HAC discharge, nor the Huon Valley Council are prepared/and or interested to investigate this matter in any way. Importantly the HVC actually had regulatory control over the HAC Fish Farm from March 2007 until September 2014 – and, as I see it, they failed in their duties to stop the ongoing degradation of our small mountain stream – and the exact same thing is now happening with the Snowy Range Hatchery based on the Little Denison River.

(After much personal observation, investigation and interviewing of residents past and present in Lonnavale, I am actually 99% convinced there are in fact no other pollution inputs into this section of our river and it is vitally important to once and for all put a stop to these other suggestions and accept that 100% of the problem is the HAC Fish Farm – and I require HVC assistance in this to be able to move forward)

Can you please offer me any advice, or any suggestion as to whom I need to speak with before tomorrow night’s meeting about proposing my question.

Thank you and regards,

Geoffrey Swan,

Lonnavale TAS 7109

• Geoffrey Swan’s question …

Since 2009 Mr Peter Bender, Professor Peter Davies (UTAS) and the Environmental Protection Agency have been saying there are other pollution inputs going into the Russell River over and above the 26 million litres of daily effluent coming out of the Huon Aquaculture Fish Farm.

These inputs have been attributed to Forestry practices, Agricultural practices, the recent Rivers Edge Caravan and Camping ground, and leaking Septic Tanks.

The section of the Russell River most severally affected by long green filamentous algae and a year round brown slimy riverbed is a 2.3km section of our Community River which is downstream of the sewage discharge coming from the antiquated Flow Through Pond system from the Huon Aquaculture Fish Farm to Lorkins Road Bridge and beyond.

Given the recent promotion of the HVC strategic plan objectives which is highlighting

• A Great Environment, and

• Our Natural Resources are Actively Protected and Sustainably Utilised to Provide Community Benefit

why has the Huon Valley Council General Manager advised me as recently as September 15th that Council does not have cause or resources to conduct any such investigation into what these “other” inputs may be … and then politely signs off by saying “I wish you all the best in your efforts”.

Geoffrey Swan,

Lonnavale TAS 7109