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Patterson Lakes

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Patterson Lakes

We are responsible for managing the Patterson Lakes’ waterways and flood protection structures using funds collected through a special precept rate.

What is a ‘precept rate’?
In addition to the normal drainage rate that all Melbourne home owners pay, Tidal Waterways and Quiet Lakes property owners in Patterson Lakes pay a special service charge for works and services that are specific to their waterside properties. This is known as the precept rate, and is approved by the Victorian Government’s Essential Services Commission which independently regulates the prices and service standards of businesses supplying water, sewerage and related services.

Precept rates determined for 2011/12
The Essential Services Commission has approved an increase of 7.9% plus CPI (Consumer Price Index) in the Quiet Lakes, and 9.8% plus CPI in the Tidal Waterways for special precept rates. These changes will be implemented from 1 July 2011 and will appear on your next South East Water bill after that date.

In a letter to Patterson Lakes precept ratepayers in April we said that we were proposing increases of 11% plus CPI in the Quiet Lakes, and 13% plus CPI in the Tidal Waterways. Unfortunately the calculation of the property value-based rates submitted to the ESC did not include last year’s CPI. Because of this, it may be necessary to recover the approximate 3% CPI shortfall in future precept rate reviews as the ESC approval was based on the submitted rates.

Proposed changes to future precept rate structure
Melbourne Water is reforming the way precept rates are calculated, to achieve a fair and sustainable rate structure.

In October we sent a letter to all ratepayers in Patterson Lakes advising them of our proposed changes which would take place from July 2013, and inviting them to provide feedback.

If you would like to provide feedback, or have any questions:

Call: Evaluation Solutions (03) 9863 7554
Online: Contact us online
Write to: Melbourne Water - Precept Pricing Feedback
PO Box 367, CHELSEA VIC 3196

Feedback closes at midnight on Tuesday 25 October 2011.

If you are a ratepayer and you did not receive a letter, please contact Evaluation Solutions on (03) 9863 7554. Evaluation Solutions is an independent company that is assisting us with our consultation.

For more information, please refer to:

2011 Patterson Lakes precept ratepayer survey
In July 2011 Melbourne Water released an independent survey of all Patterson Lakes precept ratepayers. The survey is anonymous and allows precept ratepayers to comment on the way we calculate precept rates, priorities for services Melbourne Water provides at Patterson Lakes and the development of a customer service charter.

Below is the final report of the survey results, as well as two summary sheets (one for Quiet Lakes and one for Tidal Waterways).

Our Role at Patterson Lakes

The precept rate helps us provide services such as flood protection and maintenance to residents in the Tidal Waterways and Quiet Lakes areas. When Patterson Lakes were developed it was agreed that we would manage the waterways within these areas.

History of Patterson Lakes

What is now the suburb of Patterson Lakes was previously part of the Carrum Carrum Swamp.

It was drained in 1879 when the man-made Patterson River was created and at that time, the P Lakes area was used as farmland up until the 1960s. High levees built along the Patterson River protected the low-lying area from large floods.

In the early 1970s, the Patterson Lakes Partnership and others began constructing the lakes and tidal waterways system.

The development was approved by the local councils of the day on the condition that the lakes and waterways would remain under the control and management of a waterway authority.

Patterson Lakes Advisory Committee

The Patterson Lakes Advisory Committee (PLAC) advises Melbourne Water on the resident’s views on all matters relating to the commissioning, operating and maintenance of the Tidal Waterways and Quiet Lakes. The committee consists of Tidal Waterways and Quiet Lakes property owners and Melbourne Water officers.

Maintenance Access Working Party

Water Quality Management - The Quiet Lakes

Melbourne Water is adopting a staged approach to managing water quality in the Quiet Lakes at Patterson Lakes - lakes Legana, Illawong and Carramar.

The Quiet Lakes Water Quality Management Plan commenced in 2011 and has been developed:

  • in consultation with PLAC
  • on advice from water quality specialists
  • considering aspirations, input and ideas from the Quiet Lakes community.

Actions in the plan are aimed at achieving water quality conditions that:

  • are not favourable for algal growth and algal blooms
  • consistently meet the guidelines recommended by the Victorian government for 'primary contact' activities such as swimming.
2011 Water Quality Management Plan Actions

Ten stages are being implemented in 2011. Timing of stages will depend on review and outcomes of earlier stages. Actions planned for 2011 relate to:

  • reviewing the balance of water sources in the lakes - stormwater and bore water
  • investigating removing accumulated sediment from the bottom of the lakes (sediment contains a build up of nutrients that under the right conditions, may be released, leading to algal growth)
  • increasing aquatic plants (which grow on nutrients) in a way that still permits desired uses
  • changing the balance of fish types in the lakes by:
    • reducing exotic fish numbers (which eat aquatic plants)
    • increasing native fish numbers.

In July 2011, Melbourne Water ran public information sessions about the Water Quality Management Plan 2011, presented by Jason Sonneman of DesignFlow. DesignFlow is a team of water management professionals engaged by Melbourne Water to develop the plan. A copy of the presentation is available below:

Melbourne Water’s Quiet Lakes Sustainable Water Quality Management Plan 2011
Stage Project Start Date * Progress
1 SolarBee® – Lake Illawong Installed 23 Feb 2011 SolarBee® continues to run in Lake Illawong.
2 Stratification testing of the Lakes Commenced May 2011 Ongoing monitoring across all the lakes. Lakes currently not stratified
3 Review of Water Bore Management Options (PDF, 48kb) April 2011 Review of the level of acceptable bore water use completed.

Melbourne Water are working with SKM and SRW around an increase to the current bore licence.

Community Bulletin - October 2011 - Drilling Of Shallow Observation Bore (PDF, 23kb)
4 Carp removal – Fyke netting (PDF, 106kb) Installed 14 July 2011 Nets were installed in Lake Carramar for three weeks. No carp were caught. Trial in Lake Illawong in the coming months.

Community Bulletin - November 2011 - Installation of Fyke Nets in Lake Illawong (PDF, 64kb)
5 Carp removal - Seine netting (PDF, 258kb) 15 & 16 Aug 2011 Seine netting completed on the 15 and 16 of August. A total of 33 carp were caught in Lake Legana.
6 Carp removal - Electrofishing 5 October 2011 Successful trial of Lake Illawong, 92 Carp were removed from the lake. Future programmed electro fishing being investigated.
7 Sediment removal investigation July-Dec 2011 Melbourne Water along with GHD Pty Ltd is currently investigating. Melbourne Water are reviewing the sediment sampling plan (SAP) and dredging options provided by GHD.
8 Planting Sept-Nov 2011 Planting species, quantities and sites currently being investigated.
9 Potential Fish Stocking Sept-Nov 2011 Currently under investigation
10 In Situ Fish Traps - dependent on the success of the Fyke netting 2012 Under review – dependant on the success of the Fyke netting

* Dates of each stage are indicative, as new stages are dependent on review and outcomes of actions undertaken in earlier stages.

Technical reports used to inform the plan
Community Information Bulletins