Byron Shire Mayor Michael Lyon, councillor Duncan debate options to lock in Mullumbimby water supply

Byron Shire councillors are at loggerheads over the best way to secure a town’s water supply before it’s too late – with some fairly dramatic options up in the air. Here’s what’s happening.

The mayor of the Byron Shire has proposed a way to secure Mullumbimby’s drinking water supply, but the solution has proved controversial among residents and prompted a fellow councillor to speak out.

Byron Shire Council Mayor Michael Lyon said a century-old water treatment plant near Lavertys Gap Weir, treating drinking water from Wilsons Creek, “cannot be maintained much longer” and “is at risk of failing”.

Mr Lyon said constraints of the site mean a new plant to treat, filter and disinfect water could not be built to meet modern standards.

Byron Shire Mayor Michael Lyon. Picture: Supplied

Several potential solutions have been explored by the council, but Mr Lyon said connecting to the Rous network would be for the best financially, socially and environmentally.

However, some residents have rallied against that option and want a solution that maintains an independent connection. The rest of the shire is connected to the Rous network.

Website Wilsons Water Rights was created to protest the possible changes.

Wilsons Creek, Mullumbimby. Picture: Wilsons Water Rights website

Byron councillor Duncan Dey said all options needed to be thoroughly explored before any decision.

He said one “sexy new” option was using an off-stream water storage solution, with water pumped from a nearby waterway and supplemented with rainfall.

“Off-steam storage is the sexy new way to do surface water supplies – as opposed to shopping at the supermarket, which is my view of what Rous offers,” Mr Dey told this publication.

Mr Dey said running an off-stream systems were generally less expensive and “more environmentally friendly” than options involving damming the creek.

Hydrosphere reports shows Mr Lyon’s preferred solution would be less expensive than Mr Dey’s option, but Mr Dey said he and others believed costings were “skewed” and “wrong”.

“The projected cost of Rous water over a 30-year period was based on Rous increasing its charges by less than inflation only – which it never does,” he said.

Byron Shire Councillor Duncan Dey. Picture: Supplied

“The report deemed the off-stream storage option would cost $35 million – but we know of similar projects including (one involving) Kyogle Council where the cost has been $10 million.”

Mr Lyon said Mr Dey’s preferred plan was “flawed” because the council’s decision would not impact Rous’ Future Water Strategy 2060 and whether a dam would be constructed at Dunoon.

He said water taken for Mullumbimby would “make up only five per cent of Rous’ total supply in 2060, should we connect to Rous”.

Mr Lyon said the off-stream solution “doesn’t stack up financially” and the council would need to purchase land to situate a new water treatment plan and dam.

A map of proposed off-stream storage locations near Mullumbimby. Picture: Supplied

“The water would then need to be pumped uphill to the Azalea St reservoir to feed the town,” he said.

“Given that only the town of Mullumbimby will be using the water, it would seem logical that those residents will need to bear the cost of this, rather than it being spread across the shire.

“Building a new water treatment plant and mini-dam in Mullumbimby will see Mullumbimby residents paying more than $1000 extra per year on their water bills.”

“If this construction cost is spread unfairly across all ratepayers in the shire – even the vast majority who are on Rous (water) currently – that will see average water bills rise by at least $140 per year,” he said.

Lavertys Gap Weir, Mullumbimby. Picture: Byron Shire Mayor Michael Lyon

Mr Lyon said the plan made sense environmentally because the Rous connection would restore flows to Wilsons Creek through Lavertys Gap.

“The weir does not need to be deconstructed to do this, the water can simply flow over the top once we stop drawing from it,” he said.

Mr Dey said ahead of a council meeting on August 15, where a decision is due: “Let’s get a decent investigation and not just clutch at straws.”