Federation Council General Manager Adrian Butler said these council facilities have been open three days per week and currently run at a large financial loss each year, due to the gate fee income being significantly less than the expenditure required to operate each site.
“Council has made the decision to reduce the opening hours at the Corowa, Howlong and Mulwala facilities by removing the Sunday opening hours, and changing the Friday morning at Corowa to a Tuesday morning to provide a more even allocation of opening hours,” he said.
“The facilities receive an average of one customer every 15 minutes during opening hours which is not an efficient use of labour resources, when considering wage costs especially on Sundays.” Although council has a few different funding mechanisms to assist in meeting some of the costs of providing these facilities, Mr Butler said, the fairest and equitable method is ensuring a user pay system and council needs to be very clear on all aspects of its waste management budgets.
“With the Corowa landfill nearing the end of its life, council is faced with an upcoming large closure and rehabilitation cost, plus the cost of a new transfer station and or landfill facility,” he said.
“Council is required to implement these cost saving measures to ensure that our community can still have access to essential waste services as well as being able to fund large upcoming expenditures as they arise.”
These changes will take effect from the Sunday, August 1, 2021, meaning the last Sunday that the waste facilities will be open is Sunday, July 25, 2021.
The new hours from Sunday, August 1, 2021 will be; Waste Facility Opening Hours
Corowa Waste Management Centre
Tuesday 9am to 12pm
Saturday 1pm to 4pm
Howlong Waste Management Centre Tuesday 1pm to 4pm
Saturday 9am to 12pm
Mulwala Transfer Station
Wednesday 9am to 12pm
Saturday 9am to 12pm
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