That's how Councillor Justin Levido described council's achievement in 'substantial compliance' with the six best practice guidelines for water supply and sewerage.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council's stormwater strategy was discussed at the December meeting.

Cr Levido said the stormwater strategy grew out of the general council election.

"I am encouraged to see the general manager and executive support this issue," he said.

By meeting the guidelines, council is now in a position to apply for payment of a dividend from the water supply to the general fund totalling $896,454.

As well, council will also apply for $836,433 to the general fund from the surplus in the sewerage fund.

Council can also apply for tax equivalents from both areas of $99,606 and $92,9347 respectively.

The NSW department of water and energy issued guidelines for the best practice management of water supply and sewerage operations in August 2007.

The intent of the guidelines is to ensure council’s comply with six best practice management criteria.

Those criteria include, strategic business planning; pricing – which includes developer charges, liquid trade waste policy and approvals; water conservation; drought management; performance reporting; and, integrated water cycle management.

Part of the process included council being independently audited by the NSW public works advisory. That occurred in June 2017.

That audit concluded that: “Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has demonstrated ‘substantial compliance’ with best practice management of water supply and sewerage in line with the DPI water guidelines’.

If successful with the application, the dividend will be quarantined for stormwater related works.

Council currently has some $2.9 million in stormwater reserve.