Notes for current & new subscribers, purchasers and vendors of PID subscriber properties.

Notes for current & new subscribers, purchasers and vendors of PID subscriber properties.

If you are new subscriber or have acquired an existing PID property welcome to the Broke Fordwich Private Irrigation District, we have put together a few notes to help you in regard to the policies and procedures that apply to all subscribers. These notes will also refresh current members in relation to the PID operations and administration.

 

Please ensure that the PID has your current contact details INCLUDING email address. Your email address is protected by the NSW Privacy Act and will not be passed on to any third parties.

 

The Broke Fordwich PID is a statutory authority controlled by NSW legislation. The controlling instrument is the Water Management Act 2000 No.92. The PID began operations in 2000 and has provided a valuable water resource to the area ever since. Relevant extracts of the act can be found on our web site www.bfpid.com.au

 

To request water, call 1300 767 118, listen to the status message, if any, and request to go “on line” leaving your PID Number and street address. Your PID number is on the account, on the pole beside your meter set and on the label on the green box covering the meter set.

 

Please note, water must be delivered to a storage (Tank or Dam), it is prohibited to irrigate directly from the PID.

 

If water does not flow within a reasonable time (normally 3 working days) call the number again and report that there has been no flow. A serviceman will come and make whatever repairs are necessary to effect supply; this may take up to another three working days. Note: – Water will not be delivered to properties that have any unpaid monies overdue to the PID whether they are Annual Charges, Statutory Interest or Water Usage Charges.

 

Once your storage is full, call the number again and ask to go “off line”. If your storage is close to overflowing, turn off the stop cock you MUST have on your side of the meter. (Remember to turn it back on before requesting water next time). We recommend that your storage input is also controlled by a “float valve”; this valve should be fitted with 2 floats to overcome the inlet pressure from the PID main.

 

As a subscriber you have contracted to take a certain number of shares and the pumping infrastructure and financing have been designed around that commitment. Usually these shares are equal to 1 (One) megalitre  of water, however adjustments may be made from time to time by the State Government depending on the Available Water Allocation to the group water licence held by the PID. These adjustments are usually announced by the State Minister for Water and as far as possible will be notified to subscribers by mail or via the Community newsletter “The Cockfighter”.

 

Should you wish to vary your entitlement, you can write to the Board requesting an increase or decrease. These are not granted automatically and do NOT take effect from the date of your application. Most increases depend on having a subscriber wishing to divest themselves of allocation; as long as it is hydraulically possible shares are taken from them and allocated to you, resulting in the delivery of more water. Divesting of shares relies on there being another subscriber willing and able to take up those shares. All applications are handled strictly in order of receipt, within the hydrology limits of the system.

 

The PID cannot quickly refill empty dams, as you start needing water, go ‘on line’ and keep your daily usage in line with deliveries. Guidelines suggest that for agricultural users storage should be 50% of your annual allocation and for other purposes, a minimum of 2 months use.

 

Please be aware that the system operates in accord with best practice and is relatively reliable, however breakdowns do occur and these will result in an interruption to supply. You cannot rely on daily delivery.

 

The PID renders an Annual Charge (Rate) account to each member in July, that is due for payment in full no later than 31 July, this charge is similar to the Local Government Rates and has the same legal status.

 

Your obligation as a subscriber is to pay your account on time so that the considerable capital bank loan, taken out in 2000 to finance the system, can be repaid. Interest at the statutory rate (currently 9.0% p.a.) is charged on all overdue amounts and must be paid. More drastic collection action is taken to collect any delinquent amounts and any legal and collection costs are to the subscribers account. Unpaid charges and all monies due to the PID are registerable as a Charge over the Land and are recoverable in the Local Court as a matter of right to the PID.

 

The land is the constituent member of the PID and the owner of the land is responsible in law for any monies owing regardless of date of acquisition of the land. Purchasers of land with PID membership should obtain a section 360 certificate detailing the lot and DP of the land, the annual water allocation and financial position of the land at the date of issue of the Certificate. Failure to do so will render the purchaser liable, under the legislation, for any and all monies due to the PID at the date of acquisition of the land.

 

Another thing we ask is that you maintain the area around your green box, grass should be kept short and weeds removed, also a clear access must be available from the road or a nearby driveway, our servicemen can refuse to service meter sets they cannot easily access. In addition any long grass and weeds will provide a fire danger and should your meter set be fire damaged it will result in long delays in supply until the costly components can be replaced.

 

Don’t forget that infrastructure on your property can also influence supply, closed valves, an uphill run to a dam, crushed pipes, faulty regulators, leaky joints etc., will all influence the volume of water you receive, our operators can ensure that water flows to the meter, but you must maintain your own equipment so it flows, unrestricted, to your storage.

 

The PID is run by a Board of elected subscribers, who sit monthly to review operations, administration, financing and upgrades. The Board has a dispute resolution procedure, and there are a number of rules and procedures that apply. These are available to the subscriber via the website www.bfpid.com.au Log on and follow the simple instructions to find the Operating Procedures, FAQs and Instructions for Solicitors and Conveyancers. During the year regular readings are taken of your meters, these readings are posted to the website and are accessible to you by logging in and entering a password, your login name is your PID number. When you supply your email address to the PID we issue an initial password directly to that email address, the password can be changed online

 

One final point, you are responsible for the management of your water, once you receive more than 50% of your annual allocation excess charges will apply, careful reading of your meter or monitoring of the website is advised.

 

Again we welcome you to this farsighted system, which was set up by a group of enthusiastic locals for the benefit of all, We are proud of our record in delivering irrigation water to over 240 farms in the district and ensuring the viability of agriculture, tourism and lifestyle properties in the ‘tranquil side of the valley’.

 

The Board of Management of Broke Fordwich PID.