At Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council’s (CGRC) July meeting, Ros Wight submitted a question with notice that was answered by a Council officer concerning the quality of water hydrants in Cootamundra.
Councillor Wight said, “Councillor Kelly has drawn attention to the state of the Water Hydrants in Cootamundra, in a lengthy, good explanation of what has been going on. This is critical infrastructure. As each hydrant was shut off, why wasn’t it immediately repaired?
“How many hydrants are out of action in Gundagai and Cootamundra, and when will they be repaired? Could I have a report on this, please?”
The question received a response from the Interim General Manager, Roger Bailey.
“Council currently has 422 mapped fire hydrants in Gundagai and 717 mapped fire hydrants in Cootamundra,” he said.
“Where defects have been identified, Council has undertaken interim measures to minimise water loss and maintain network integrity. In some cases, hydrants have been isolated or fitted with bungs pending permanent repair. Immediate repair has not always been possible due to resource constraints within the water and sewer team, which is currently operating with three vacancies from an establishment of seven positions, together with competing operational priorities across the water network.
“Council staff are currently aware of 47 hydrants that have been temporarily isolated or fitted with bungs due to defects requiring repair.
“To obtain a comprehensive understanding of the condition of the hydrant network, Council has commenced a procurement process for the inspection and testing of all hydrants across the local government area. The purpose of this work is to identify the condition of the entire network, verify known defects and identify any additional maintenance requirements.
“The tender is expected to be awarded at the end of July 2026, with inspection and testing anticipated to be completed within approximately six weeks of commencement. Following completion of the assessment, defects will be prioritised according to risk and operational impact, with critical defects addressed first. Rectification works are expected to occur over a period of approximately 12 to 24 weeks following completion of the inspection program.
“A report outlining the findings of the inspection program and proposed rectification priorities will be provided to Council once the assessment has been completed.”
Jack Murray
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