Discussion set to boil on whether to get water from aquifers or building a dam

On this, the last week of public exhibition of the Future Water Project 2060, Rous will hold more community consultation meetings.

Residents of four Northern Rivers LGAs have been asked to provide feedback by the end of this week on the new drafted long-term water security plan for the area.

Public submissions for Rous County Council‘s revised draft Future Water Project 2060 close this Friday, May 28.

Residents of Ballina, Byron, Lismore and Richmond Valley areas are encouraged to provide feedback on the revised draft now.

Last week, Rous held community meetings in Lismore and Casino, including a marquee at Primex Field Days.

On Monday, Rous met community members in Ballina.

On Tuesday, residents will be able to meet council’s staff and ask questions about the plan at the Lennox Community Centre from 9am to 4pm.

Similar meetings will be held on Wednesday and Thursday at Cavanbah Centre in Byron Bay at the same hours.

As some former councillors predicted last year, the conversation has become a Lismore versus Ballina issue regarding who should face the burden of securing water supply for the four shires in the long term.

The debate has led to whether the Dunoon Dam should come back to avoid Rous extracting water from the Alstonville aquifers.

Rous and Ballina councillor Sharon Cadwallader has spearheaded a push to bring the Dunoon Dam back to the plan, although the idea was rejected by Rous councillors in December 2020.

Cr Cadwallader is asking Northern Rivers residents to support a petition to reject the use of aquifers at Tyagarah, Newrybar, Alstonville and Woodburn, reject desalination project, toilet to tap (potable recycled water) and to push for the return of the Dunoon Dam as the centrepiece of the area’s Future Water Plan 2060.

Rous chairman and Ballina councillor Keith Williams hit out at pro dam campaigners, labelling claims it will lower costs and prices for water as deceitful.

“I am concerned that this group is conning people into signing a petition based on information that is demonstrably false,” he said.

“Building a dam at Dunoon will cost at least $150 million more in the next 10 years than the recommended mixed source strategy.

“Financed by long term loans this will cost the community an additional $6 million more per annum, a 25 per cent increase on current costs.

Mr Williams said that figure does not include a figure for the loss of 52Ha of koala habitat, 33Ha of Big Scrub Rainforest (5% of all that remains) and state significant Indigenous heritage.

“Building the dam will push up water prices substantially,” he said.

“Claiming otherwise is nothing but a big damn lie.”

Northern Rivers water asked Rous County Council to explore other options.