Friday, March 29, 2024

Future water strategy update

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Rous Water has released its revised Draft Plan outlining its future water strategies and community members have eight weeks to respond – amid calls for the Dunoon Dam option to be put back on the table.

Rous Water has outlined the challenges it faces in securing water supply in our region, including:

  • Population growth forecasts indicate a 37 per cent increase in drinking water demand by 2060.
  • Climate forecasts predict a reduction in available surface water of 22 per cent by 2060.
  • On current growth, water demand will exceed reliable supply by 2024.

Rous has currently decided not to proceed with the Dunoon Dam proposal due to feedback received during its recent community consultation. Groundwater, recycled water and desalination are now listed as options on the Rous website.

Groundwater is the first likely to be implemented but may not be a cost-effective option for all future water supply needs, according to the in-depth Future Water Project 2060 Public Exhibition report, which provides detailed information and costings on all five options for future water security.

“Based on the MCA (multi-criteria analysis), the most favourable scenario is groundwater. Although the MCA is informative, it is focussed on the 2060 planning horizon and RCC should consider longer-term issues such as potential source options beyond that timeframe and financial commitment and funding requirements imposed by the schemes,” the report says (page 86).

“Dams have a long design life and there is excess secure yield in the Dunoon dam options well beyond the 2060 timeframe considered by this study. When the long term yield benefit provided by the scenarios is considered, the 50 GL dam option (with high initial cost and lower recurrent costs) with the higher yield benefit is more cost-effective. Although there is a large upfront investment, the dam options can provide long-term certainty and cost efficiencies.”

Recycled water is currently also “firmly positioned” as part of the region’s bulk water supply.

“To ensure we meet our objectives, we will need to meet universal challenges such as public health regulatory approvals, costly approval and planning processes and community acceptance first,” Rous says in its Community Summary.

“To meet these challenges and bring the community onboard, Rous is proposing to implement Pilot Water Scheme to supply purified recycled water to the existing Perradenya residential estate.”

Some Rous councillors are calling for the Dunoon Dam option to be further investigated before it is abandoned entirely.

Richmond Valley Mayor and Rous counciller Robert Mustow recently told The Northern Rivers Times he is disappointed that Rous is not continuing investigations into the feasibility of Dunoon Dam.

“The ground water may not be enough and we could get community pushback,” he reportedly said.

“And recycling wastewater would happen at all recycling plants at a massive cost. All these options come at a massive cost compared to a dam and this plan is for the next 40 years, not the next five or 10 years.”

He is concerned the dam option will be lost forever if land purchased around the site is sold off. He is encouraging community members who support the dam to make that clear in their submissions to the draft plan.

“If you’re not happy with desalination, please say that. If you are not happy with treatment of wastewater, please say that,” Cr Mustow reportedly said.

How to provide feedback on the Future Water Project 2060

Download the Future Water Project 2060 public exhibition document at https://rous.nsw.gov.au/future-water-for-our-region

Submissions open 1 April 2021 and close on 28 May 2021.
You can use the online form to provide feedback, email your submission to council@rous.nsw.gov.au or post it to Future Water Project Feedback, PO Box 230, Lismore NSW 2480.

Dunoon and District Gazette April-May 2021

This article appeared in the Dunoon and District Gazette, April-May 2021.

Related stories: Dunoon Dam – Ballina Council resolves to revive Dunoon Dam option; Dunoon Dam – Respecting the wishes of traditional owners on Dunoon Dam

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