For 150 years, Ipswich City Council has been responsible for supplying town water and sewering the city.
From today, all that changes as a result of a new system established by the State Government with responsibility moving to a new company QUU - Queensland Urban Utilities.
By law, QUU cannot have any council officers or councillors on its independent board of directors which makes the split from councils 100 percent complete.
If you see a broken water main or sewer main or experience a water supply problem, don't call Ipswich City Council, ring QUU on 13 23 64.
QUU services Brisbane, Ipswich, Scenic Rim, Somerset and Lockyer Valley local council areas.
Thanks to Peter Beattie's determination to emasculate local government, its traditional responsibility for water supply and sewerage has gone forever.
This is one of the worst government decisions in decades - one which will have massive repercussions for the community for many years to come.
Any problems - and there will be many - will be handled by a group of faceless QUU bureaucrats in Brisbane and not by elected members who are directly responsible to the local communities they represent.
Farewell Ipswich Water.
