Hope Valley Reservoir likely to open for recreational activities as early as 2021

The Hope Valley Reservoir may be open for recreational use as early as 2021.

Stephen Ross (centre) and local children have called on the State Government since last February to open Hope Valley Reservoir as a tourist destination. Picture: AAP/Roy Vandervegt.

• Hope Valley Reservoir opening ‘many months away’
• Community calls for reservoir opening

The Hope Valley Reservoir could be open for recreational use as soon as 2021.

Water Minister David Speirs said the State Government was “working hard” to open 10 reservoirs, including Hope Valley, to the public “in the coming months and years”.

His comment comes after the government opened the Myponga Reservoir last week for recreational use, including picnics, walking and cycling.

The government pledged during its 2018 campaign to open the reservoir, and then allocated $5 million in its 2018/19 budget to reopen reservoirs to the public “in the coming two years”, including Hope Valley.

Mr Speirs could not provide a reopening date for the Hope Valley Reservoir.

He said a special taskforce was undertaking “rigorous risk assessments” to determine what recreational activities could be safely permitted there.

“Protecting the health and quality of our drinking water supplies is paramount, as such this has directly informed the types of activities being enabled, which will vary from site to site and may also change over time,” Mr Speirs said.

In a letter to a resident, Mr Speirs said the next reservoirs to be opened would be South Para and Warren.

“Other reservoirs such as Hope Valley, Happy Valley and those in the regions are currently being planned and further information will be made available in due course,” Mr Speirs wrote.

Resident Stephen Ross, who spearheaded a community campaign in February last year to have the Hope Valley Reservoir reopened, did not expect it to happen until 2021.

He said Member for Newland Richard Harvey had told him several months ago it would take “a couple of years”.

“I'm fine with that, they have never given a date on Hope Valley, just said they will open it,” Mr Ross said.

Mr Harvey has been sought for comment.