Page 4182 - Week 13 - Thursday, 2 December 2021
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(1) Controlled native vegetation around the perimeter of the pond binds the bank, reduces erosion at the water’s edge and provides habitat for local wildlife. During maintenance of the pond, some of the vegetation was removed to allow access for machinery, to improve the visual and recreational amenity of the pond and to reduce vegetation density and prevent spreading into deeper water zones. A portion of the vegetation was not removed to ensure habitat remained for local fauna. The vegetation is growing back on the pond edge. Regular inspections are occurring to ensure that unwanted weeds are not growing in place of the native vegetation.
(2) The pond was mostly drained of all its water for the desilting process and therefore measurement of water turbidity was not an applicable test to undertake.
(3) No single factor is responsible for triggering and maintaining algal blooms, which makes it very difficult to reduce the frequency and severity of algal blooms. It is unlikely that the partial removal of the edge vegetation alone was the cause of the algal bloom. Algal blooms occur when the temperature, nutrient and light conditions are right. A more likely possibility is that after the long period of dry climate, recent stormwater run-off has washed more nutrients and pollutants from the catchments into the stormwater system and into the waterway which encouraged the growth of the algal bloom.
(4) Water quality sampling and testing has been planned to occur in January 2022.
Municipal services—mowing
(Question No 559)
Ms Lawder asked the Minister for Transport and City Services, upon notice, on 3 December 2021:
(1) What were the total costs associated with urban mowing services in the financial years of (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019-20, (c) 2020-21 and (d) 2021-22 to date.
(2) What proportion of urban mowing was undertaken by (a) public servants and (b) external contractors in the financial years of (i) 2018-19, (ii) 2019 20, (iii) 2020-21 and (iv) 2021-22 to date.
(3) What is the total number of complaints or queries received regarding overgrown grass and/or mowing in (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019-20, (c) 2020-21 and (d) 2021-22 to date.
(4) Who currently holds the contract for urban mowing in Canberra.
(5) What is the end date for this contract.
(6) What oversight does the ACT Government have for how well the mowing is conducted.
(7) What, if any, key performance indicators (KPIs) are in the contract.
(8) How is the contract progressing against the KPIs.
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