YOUNG Shire Council faced a new financial threat to its lucrative water reticulation services when Wagga City Council this week discussed the merger of Goldenfields, (Young’s existing water supplier) and Riverina Water County Councils into a new organisation to be called the Wagga Regional Water Authority.

A proposed supplementary submission to the state water inquiry for the formation of the new water authority was deferred at this week’s Wagga City council meeting to enable for consultation and a consensus to be reached with constituent councils and the two existing water authorities.

The suggested new water region would encompass Urana to West Wyalong and include Young and Harden, with Wagga as the business unit centre for operations.

Young Shire Council acting general manager Craig Filmer said council was disappointed that the report and model hadn’t been discussed with any of the proposed member councils, or the existing water county councils, before its proposal.

He said Young and other councils in the region had made final hour representations to Wagga City Council about the proposal and lack of consultation.

Young Shire Council also strongly opposes the Goldenfields’ submission to the water inquiry that seeks approval to take water reticulation services from Young, Harden and Boorowa councils, which each reticulate water to their residents.

The Young council stands to lose over $400,000 annual income if its reticulation role was taken away, and claims that quality of management of water services should be the only determinant.

“Young Shire Council’s position remains that it is prepared to listen to all options, however there would need to be demonstrated advantages as to why it should be involved in any change, when council is already performing significantly better than the state median service delivery costs and targets,” he said.

Yesterday a grateful acting mayor John McGregor rang Wagga councillor Peter Dale to thank him on behalf of the Young Shire community for moving the amendment that stopped the Wagga proposal passing through to the state government.