Harkaway alert over fire water

By Jim Mynard
FORMER Berwick councillor Warwick Glendenning has called for more water standpipes in the Harkaway area.
Mr Glendenning said Country Fire Authority (CFA) crews would be unable to access enough water if a major fire hit Harkaway.
He said he had raised the issue with candidates during preelection times, but nothing eventuated.
“We have two 1.8metre diameter pipe lines crossing through the Harkaway area, but not enough water to fight a fire,” he said.
Mr Glendinning said the former State Rivers and Water Supply completed a feasibility study on bringing water to Harkaway and was then prepared to cover the cost of switching gear at the bottom of Hilden Drive.
“This would have enabled water to complete a 90degree turn back to enable a reticulated water supply at Harkaway,” he said.
“A very ‘antiwater to Harkaway’ campaign led by a school teacher who lived in the village and his unfounded beliefs that water would be the beginning of the end for Harkaway had the idea shelved.
“The concern was that after water would come sewerage and then mains gas.”
Mr Glendenning said his concern was not whether or not water or gas or sewerage came to Harkaway.
He said his concern was that CFA volunteers have the ability to draw water for tankers instead of having to drive to Berwick, Narre Warren East or Narre Warren North Road.