We”ll struggle

Jane Emerick
The region’s pensioners would struggle to pay an increase of up to 100 per cent on water bills, a seniors group warned yesterday.
East Geelong Senior Citizens Club secretary Joan Budd said an extra $700 on water bills would be too much for many pensioners.
She said the looming hike demonstrated State Government had “lost touch with reality”.
The Government flagged the price rise this week after announcing an $80 million pipeline would connect Geelong to Melbourne’s water supply by 2011.
Residents will fork out $60 million for the pipe to supply 50 per cent more water to Geelong, the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula. The Government will pay the remaining $20 million.
The 50kilometre pipe will bring 16,000 billion litres of fluoridated water from Melbourne’s Cowrie Hill to Lovely Banks reservoir.
The Government said the region’s water bills, which average about $700 a household, could double to pay for the pipeline.
Barwon Water said the price hike could begin flowing to water bills as early as next year.
Bellarine MP Lisa Neville, who announced the pipeline plan, said the community wanted more water and was willing to pay extra.
“The community really wants us to secure water supplies into the future and they have indicated their willingness to pay for it,” Ms Neville said.
But Ms Budd said the size of the likely increase was too much.
“I think doubling the bill is a bit over the top for most people, especially pensioners. We can’t afford it,” she said.
“Politicians have lost touch with reality. They give themselves raises so they can afford it but they don’t increase our pensions.
“I’d like to see a politician survive on a pensioner’s wage.”
Ms Budd said many elderly residents in the region were already struggling to make ends meet.
“It makes seniors very upset, it’s not a nice feeling,” she said.
“They’re very proud people and this hurts them.”
State Government plans to build Australia’s largest desalination plant at Wonthaggi to boost Melbourne’s ability to share water with the Geelong region.
The plant would produce 150 gigalitres of water a year while dispensing salty brine back into the ocean.