Onslow Community News Onslow residents to receive smart water meters Water Corporation recently announced Onslow had been added to the list of towns in the Pilbara to receive more than 14,500 smart water meters. Water Corporation North West Regional Manager Peter McAllister said in July 2012 it was announced that nearly 6,000 smart water meters would be installed in Port Hedland and South Hedland, and 8,500 smart meters in the West Pilbara towns of Karratha, Roebourne, Point Sampson and Wickham. “I am pleased to announce that Water Corporation customers in Onslow will now be included in this program, with 450 smart water meters due to be installed,” Mr McAllister said.
“Smart meters record water use hourly, which means we can identify constant flows at a property detect any unusual increases in water use and alert our customers that they may have a leak.” Mr McAllister said smart meters in Onslow were expected to help reduce water use by 80 million litres per year. “I thank the residents of Onslow for their significant efforts to save water to date, and encourage everyone to keep up the good work,” Mr McAllister said. Residents will receive notification of installation in the next month, with smart
meters and associated infrastructure installed by mid-2013. The water efficiency project is jointly funded by the Water Corporation and the Federal Government’s Water for the Future initiative. Media contact: David Hawkins, Water Corporation North West Communications Coordinator D: (08) 9186 8266
Deserving winner always ‘first to put her hand up’ St John Ambulance Onslow sub centre volunteer Lynette Godfrey is the inaugural winner of the monthly Pilbara News West Pilbara Emergency Volunteer of the Year award. Ms Godfrey was nominated by Kim Clement, who said she was very deserving.
The award winner said she did not do the job for the plaudits, but for the community.
“She’s always there, she is the first to put her hand up,” Ms Clement said.
St John Ambulance Karratha community paramedic Dave Joseph said Ms Godfrey was a deserving recipient.
“And sometimes she just does too much.” Ms Godfrey started volunteering with the ambulance service in the middle of 2009. “I’m a registered nurse by trade and I don’t nurse anymore so I thought that I should use my skills,” she said. Ms Godfrey used to work at the Onslow Hospital and said there was a time when there was no ambulance service in the town.
St John Ambulance Onslow sub centre volunteer Lynette Godfrey. Photo by Dave Joseph
“It was really quite bad for the patients, the community and the hospital,” she said.
By Chris Lees, Pilbara News
“I know it sounds corny but I think that the town deserves an ambulance service, and if I can organise people to facilitate that then it’s pretty good.”
Page 20 | Inside Ashburton | March–April 2013
“She really is the backbone of that place and wears so many hats in so many roles,” he said. Mr Joseph said there were seven people who manned the Onslow station and they were on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “They cover a huge area and they all do a great job,” he said. The awards will continue next month. Members of the public are encouraged to nominate a deserving emergency volunteer. Email your nominations to christopher. lees@pilbaramedia.com.au with a short description of why your nominee deserves an award. Harvey Norman Karratha presented Ms Godfrey with a gift voucher.