The board of the county council unanimously supported the need for such a committee to have the power to make recommendations to the State Government as appropriate an include representation from the Great Lakes, Greater Taree and Gloucester local government areas as well as representation from MidCoast Water.

The call came following a discussion of the potential impacts of coal seam gas mining at MidCoast Water’s monthly council meeting, held earlier this week.

The application lodged by AGL Upstream Infrastructure Investments, which has been approved in concept by the State Government, is for the construction and operation of 110 gas extraction wells, a central processing facility, a gas transmission pipeline to Hexham and gas delivery station at Hexham to deliver gas to the existing Newcastle Sydney gas supply network.

Chairperson of MidCoast Water, Cr Mave Richardson PSM, said the council’s primary concern was for the water quality of the Manning catchment.

“There needs to be more community consultation on this issue – the community needs to know more about the chemicals being used so the effect on the environment can be determined,” Cr Richardson said.

MidCoast Water councillors also minuted their disappointment at the water and sewer authority being overlooked in the consultation process in the first instance and will be making a submission to the State Government seeking confirmation of their involvement in the preparation of management and monitoring plans.

MidCoast Water was not included in the original consultation process during the preliminary design phase, with a planning focus meeting attended by representatives from Great Lakes and Gloucester councils and the Office of Water, not addressing potential impacts on drinking water quality in downstream catchments such as the Manning.

However the Department of Planning has now assured MidCoast Water they will be involved in consultation associated with the detailed design process and the development of water management plans.

“We will also be putting to the State Government in that submission that the reporting requirements of the monitoring plan should be publicly available, and that includes the fraccing chemicals,” Cr Richardson said.

MidCoast Water will take on the management of Gloucester Shire’s water and sewerage services from July 1.