BY KYLE CARROLL
Salt Ash residents will be connected to town water, with Hunter Water commencing Stage 2 of the water reticulation scheme in the PFAS management zone, with another 165 residents to be connected over the next nine months.
It comes after years of concerns that the Williamtown RAAF base PFAS contamination into Port Stephens’ waterways would lead to health implications for residents in the affected zones.
Parliamentary Secretary, Scot MacDonald says the Berejik Governmentement are directly assitising the Port Stephens community through this scheme.
“This is the best thing that the NSW Government can do, in collaboration with the Federal Government as a precaution to support the community around Salt Ash,” he said.
The weekend marked the beginning of stage 2, with managing director of Hunter Water, Jim Bentley travelling to Salt Ash to announce the plans personally to local residents.
The scheme includes the installation of over 14 km of new water mains in the Salt Ash area and Fullerton Cove area, as well as domestic plumbing work to directly connect individual homes and businesses to the reticulated water supply.
“This is at no cost to them, it comes right up to their house and they get support including inside their houses,” Mr MacDonald said.
“This is our most direct, material, practical way we can help our community.”
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Salt Ash Water. Image: Newcastle Herald. |