Page 1258 - Week 04 - Thursday, 17 March 2005

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(2) (a) ACT WorkCover has finalised the two investigations regarding fireworks that were commenced since the inception of the Dangerous Substances Act 2004.

(b) Both investigations identified sufficient evidence of a contravention of the Act to support the preparation and forwarding of a brief of evidence to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

(3) A brief was prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions as ACT WorkCover considered the circumstances of the alleged contravention of the Act warranted the commencement of a prosecution.

(4) The Director of Public Prosecutions is prosecuting the matter and it is presently before the Court.

Water—pressure testing
(Question No 153)

Mr Pratt asked the Minister for Urban Services, upon notice, on 16 February 2005, (redirected to the Chief Minister):

(1) Is routine testing of water supply pipes carried out in each Canberra suburb to check for adequate water pressure; if so, (a) who carries out this testing, (b) how often is it done and (c) at what time of day is this testing carried out; if not, why not;

(2) Which Canberra suburbs have been found to have problems with inadequate water pressure in each of the last three years;

(3) Have any of the suburbs listed in part (2) had the problem rectified; if so, which suburbs have been rectified and which have not;

(4) If the water pressure problem in some Canberra suburbs has not been remedied, why not;

(5) Can ACT residents now be guaranteed adequate water pressure for the purposes of defending their homes in the case of another bushfire emergency; if not, why not.

Mr Stanhope: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) ACTEW’s water network includes sites where the system pressure is monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. These sites have been chosen to allow ActewAGL to assess overall system performance from the pressure at these sites. There is one in every pressure zone, amounting to around 30 across Canberra.

In addition to these permanent installations, ACTEW have temporary pressure recorders that can be placed anywhere to study system performance.

(2) The overall network is designed to meet pressure standards that are consistent with standards in other Australian cities. The standards include allowance for maintaining pressure at times of extremely high demand, and during building fires. The standards are set out in the Water Supply and Sewerage Service Standards Code, made under the Utilities Act 2000.


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