Council welcomes Auditor General's Independent view of its CWMS
Council received notification in early 2022 that Berri Barmera were one of two councils randomly selected for a review of the community wastewater management systems.
The review assessed whether the Berri Barmera Council and the Yorke Peninsula Council effectively managed their Community Wastewater Management Systems (CWMS) networks in a way that demonstrated at a point in time:
- a safe and reliable service was provided
- financial sustainability over the network’s useful life.
The Auditor General concluded that Council has successfully removed and treated wastewater collected from properties connected to the CWMS networks over the period reviewed.
The report also concluded areas of the Council’s management of its CWMS network were not operating effectively, detailing independent observations and recommendations of actions/strategies which Council can consider and apply to its CWMS Asset Management Plan and including fifteen (15) recommendations in total, twelve of which Council has accepted. Of these, six (6) have already been actioned and others are in progress.
Council is committed to managing the CWMS network effectively to ensure required levels of service, financial sustainability and meet current and future community needs. Many long-standing issues detailed in the report were previously identified by Council. Key issues are at various stages of action or resolution by the current administration, including improved management of relevant fee for service contracts.
Importantly, prior to the commencement of the Auditor General’s review Council initiated the comprehensive review of its Asset Management Plans. Assessment of the state and condition of the community waste water system is currently occurring across the extensive network and revaluation of the assets will also be completed.
This data will be used to update the Asset Management and Long Term Financial Plans, allowing Council to adequately plan and budget for safe and reliable service and financial sustainability over the community waste water network’s useful life.
The Auditor General’s independent review will continue to assist Council in reviewing and improving the way it plans for and manages this essential infrastructure, contractors and service for the Berri Barmera community.
The full Auditor General’s report can be found here link
Council’s responses to the findings can be found here link
Further information of the CWMS can be found here link