Melton councillors are considering returning a Caroline Springs fountain to full operation, despite a recommendation it remain inactive.
The Springlake fountain was installed at the estate by land developer Delfin in 1999 as a marketing tool.
When Delfin’s obligations at the estate concluded in 2013, Melbourne Water elected not to continue operating the fountain.
The fountain has remained inactive since and is not considered to be in working order.
A report authored by operations manager Les Stokes exploring three options for the fountain was presented to the council at last month’s meeting. The report explored the possibility of returning the fountain to full operation, replacing it with a smaller one and leaving it turned off.
Mr Stokes said the fountain served no purpose to improve water quality and, given the significant cost associated with resuming operations, recommended it remain inactive.
But Cr Kathy Majdlik put forward a motion that recommissioning the fountain to full operation be referred to the 2018-19 budget discussion. The motion was carried.
It is estimated returning the fountain to its original state would cost about $44,000 and running and servicing it would cost $23,000 a year.
