: Robert Hanan is encouraging Douglas residents to stand up and be counted at a rally on Wednesday.

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Ann , 18-05-11 16:38:

I've got to say that if everyone took Karens stance on the way CRC spends her rates then every division would have to object to the way the money is spent in all the other divisions on the basis that not everyone lives in one division. Well unfortunately the reality is that we currently do all live in one division, it's called Cairns and all our money goes into the one pot and gets spent wherever the Council sees fit, whether we like it or not! So I object to anything that is spent in Karens division on the basis that I live and pay my rates in Division 10 and not wherever she lives. Is that OK?

Karen , 18-05-11 09:07:

I am not a Douglas resident and I would strongly object to my rates being increased to cover the huge costs associated with providing chlorine free water to this miniority group of rate payers. The former Douglas Shire didn't ask for amalgamation but guess what, neither did we.

Michelle Lihou, 18-05-11 08:52:

Our ultra-filtration plant delivered the most pure drinking water in the world and has already been paid for by our rates. It is up to the CRC to fix the antiquated delivery system so we can again have CHEMICAL FREE water. We can PROVE that chlorination is unnecessary, only if CRC acknowledges their responsibility for our region.

Charlie Broadbent, 18-05-11 07:12:

We've gone from the best water in the world ......to Cairns Council......no more needs to be said .......We've been poisoned in every other way.....
Let's keep our water pure!!!

3.nineteen.. Newest Cafe+Restaurant+in+Port+Douglas, 17-05-11 17:34:

Chemical free water NOW

Anna Wright-Brown, 17-05-11 16:51:

We had the best water in the world no chlorine no flouride. Now we are drinking chemicals in our water and we have no choice but to trust that we are not being overdosed. I would love to return to the days when I enjoyed drinking our beautiful water.

Rhona Eastment, 17-05-11 15:04:

Oh for the days of the old Douglas Shire Council, at least we did have a voice. Who would have ever believed that we would have chlorinated water, in place of the ultra filtration system which served us so well. That is, until the CRC got their hands on it. Now, we must get the chlorine out, fix the reservoirs, the pipes and all that needs the necessary repair and maintenance of any infrastructure, and then pressure the State Government to release us from the destructive practices the CRC is imposing on us. The more people that meet at the Council Chambers in Mossman tomorrow, the better voice we have.

alex mateer, 17-05-11 06:27:

If there was any way we could get to the rally today, we would! I think chlorine free water should be CRC's top priority for Douglas- ahead of things like a lagoon pool etc.

John Wladysiuk, 16-05-11 21:06:

I support clean chlorine and flouride free water.

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Monday 16 May 2011

Chlorine in water? H2NO!

by Mat Churchill

The Douglas community is being urged to rally at the Cairns Regional Council meeting to be held at Mossman on Wednesday.

Robert Hanan of the Friends Of Douglas Shire (FODS) said the community should take the opportunity to voice its displeasure over Council's handling of a number of issues, including the cancellation of a chlorine free trial in the Douglas water supply.

"The main issue will be the water and our horror in terms of the decision not to proceed with the trial, given that we had been led up the garden path, effectively, all the way through. Alot of people wasted an awful lot of money and an awful lot of time, to just have it turned around and dumped on us.

"They (Council) don't want to commit to having the expertise to run a chlorine free system, it's much easier to just dump chlorine in it. That's what they do down there (Cairns), you don't need any great skills, they got rid of the people who knew how to run the system."

Mr Hanan said figures presented to the Water Reference Group to run a chlorine free trial have been changed by Cairns Water.

"The estimates from the experts that came from Holland and the States, on the worst case scenario the Water Reference Group was presented with at the last meeting we had put a figure at $2.75 million to do it. All of a sudden it's turned into $4.75 million."

"12 months ago it was going to happen and we had no choice but to believe them, so their credibility is shot."

Mr Hanan hinted that the group has a plan to gain the attention of the region's media, and said that the Council may have gone past the point of no return in terms of regaining community support.

"I don't think there's a way back," he said. "It's not time to buy firearms but it's getting close."

Mr Hanan asked for those who would like to attend the rally to meet at the Mossman Council Chambers at 9am on Wednesday.