Bacteria at unsafe level

A call for water-quality signage along the Vasse River diversion drain has been made by the region’s residents group.

Busselton and Districts Residents Association executive member Vern Bussell raised concerns about water quality in the drain, which runs alongside Queen Elizabeth Avenue, at a meeting on Monday night.

Mr Bussell, who is also a farmer, read parts of a report by the Water Corporation to members as well as segments from the minutes from a Busselton Shire Council meeting in August.

Mr Bussell said a plan showing where the tests were taken suggested high bacteria levels in the vicinity of the waste water treatment plant.

He believes the plant is responsible for these levels rather than farmers, as the report had concluded.

“Most of the higher readings are taken from within or around the waste water plant,” Mr Bussell told members.

"In discussion, residents group member and shire councillor Len Boyling said the accepted level of E.Coli bacteria was 900 colony forming units per 100ml.

“The E.Coli is getting up to 1000cfu per 100ml,” Mr Bussell told members.

He said the waste water plant was working above capacity and Water Corporation resolutions in the report would not reduce the water contamination levels.

“What they are prepared to do is hold that level at what it is now,” he said.

Members unanimously passed a motion to ask Busselton Shire Council to request the Water Corporation erect signs along parts of the diversion drain warning people the water was unsuitable for swimming, fishing and other recreational activities.

Executive member Michael Cassanet also reported on the September 2020 meeting in which the committee decided to investigate the Bovell building on the corner of Queen Street and Duchess Street.

He said the committee would look into getting a work order on the building to pull it down or “do something about it”.

“It has a licence which it has had for about 200 years, for every drink that’s sold in Busselton, it gets 1c,” Mr Cassanet said.

No nominations were made for the position of secretary at Monday’s meeting, leaving the position vacant again.

“I don’t know how Busselton and Districts Residents Association will continue if we do not have one,” executive member Charmian Terry said.

“We need to have somebody who has got reasonable computer skills.”

The members present decided to send an email saying they were desperate for a secretary and contact the Busselton Dunsborough Volunteer Centre to advertise the position.