Steve De Lisle of Kallista is calling for a stop to roadside spraying, saying it is contaminating Perrins Creek. 47721
By Tania Martin
A KALLISTA family has called for Yarra Ranges Council to stop spraying weeds along Perrins Creek Road, fearing their drinking water was being poisoned.
They extract their water from the creek adjacent to the road as there is no mains supply in the street.
Resident Steve De Lisle said roadside herbicide spraying near the spring leads to the creek being contaminated.
He said this means his family was unable to get their drinking water from the creek until the toxins degrade.
Mr De Lisle has a licence to access water from the creek for domestic and stock purposes.
However, authorities said the licence does not mean the water is safe for human consumption.
Mr De Lisle and his family has been living in the home for more than 20 years but said the spraying has only been a problem over the past few years.
He said the herbicide leeches into the soil and because the creek runs into the Yarra River catchment, the toxins could end up in Melbourne’s water supply.
However, shire spokesman James Martin said the spraying was done following stringent guidelines and using an approved herbicide which is absorbed directly into the weed’s root system.
“Spraying is undertaken in such a way as to prevent run off into watercourses,” Mr Martin said.
Mr De Lisle said the biggest issue was that the spraying normally occurs without notifying residents.
He said the last time it happened three months ago the family only had a couple of inches of water supply left in its 900,000 litre water tank.
They had to stretch their remaining tank water until the contamination had degraded enough to use for drinking.
However, Mr Martin said people should not be using creek water for domestic drinking.
“Water used under this entitlement is not fit for any use that involves human consumption, directly or indirectly, without being properly treated,” Mr Martin said.
But Mr De Lisle said there was also not enough rain to sustain using tank water for drinking.
They have been told they shouldn’t be drinking water from the creek but maintain it’s their only option.
Mr De Lisle said it would cost them more than $100,000 to have mains water installed.
“We just can’t afford that,” he said
Mr De Lisle is calling for the council to return to the old practice of roadside slashing and weeding rather than spraying.
