Govt should pay for hospital's smelly impact: Greens

"THIS is a systemic problem and I don't think people are aware of that”.

CONSTRUCTION work on the Stage 3B upgrade of Lismore Base Hospital. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

THE Greens have raised a stink over the State Government's exemption from paying for council sewerage infrastructure contributions for the upgrade of Lismore Base Hospital.

Under the Water Management Act 2000, the NSW Government is is exempt from paying infrastructure contributions for major public developments.

Lismore Greens councillor Vanessa Ekins has sourced an estimate from council staff that a private development with the equivalent impact on the sewerage system would be required to pay $1.7 million in infrastructure contributions.

Greens candidate for Lismore Sue Higginson said in a statement she was "appalled" , and warned that Lismore's ratepayers would end up copping the burden.

Ms Higginson said the NSW Government was flush with a $2 billion surplus in its coffers and shouldn't be cost-shifting to local government.

"This is a systemic problem and I don't think people are aware of that," she said.

"Not paying means Council picks up the tab and an aging water and sewer network being stretched to capacity.

But Lismore MP Thomas George blasted the comments as "political" and said if Lismore City Council didn't want the hospital, it should let him and the community know.

He said the upgrade when fully complete would represent an investment of around $400 million in the region and the hospital was the biggest employer on the Northern Rivers.

He also said the government funded the vast majority of local government infrastructure upgrades through separate funding.

Lismore mayor Isaac Smith could not be reached for comment on the issue.

Either way, Lismore ratepayers are set to cop higher sewerage levies in future years.

Over the next 20 years the council has estimated it will need to spend an estimated $45 million to make a variety of upgrades to its sewerage system.

"Lismore already suffers from a significant number of water mains breaks due to its aged infrastructure and residents often complain that sewers overflow in high rainfall events," Cr Ekins said.

"To cover the costs... council is already increasing water and sewer contributions for Lismore residents," she said.