At a recent public meeting, a number of residents said they feared the water licenses they paid for would still not be delivered, even with a new pipeline.

The new 22.4-kilometre pipeline project connecting Raywood and Sebastian to the Bendigo water supply was finished in December last year and brought into operation just before Christmas.

Rural water users who have bought water licenses said they were still uncertain about whether their supply over the water season would be guaranteed.

Sebastian resident Pat Horan said all customers wanted was reliable service.

“For years it’s been inadequate; we’re still unsure about what’s going to happen.”

Councillor Peter Cox, who  chaired the meeting between Coliban Water and residents, said the discussion raised a number of ongoing concerns.

 “There’s still a lot of people very frustrated because they don’t know where they stand with Coliban,” he said.

“The other ongoing concern is use of recycled water.

“The majority of people out there who get that recycled water really don’t want recycled water. They want much cleaner water.”