Cash splash to save every last drop in towns heading for Day Zero

The NSW Government will spend $81 million to help bone dry country towns stave off “day zero” by eliminating every drop of wasted water before major dams and rivers dry up.

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RUSTY reservoirs, dirty drinking water and unsafe sewerage systems will be fixed in a bid to save every last drop during the state’s worst ever drought.

The state government will spend $81 million to shore up water security and lift safety standards, at the same time as bone dry country towns are installing emergency dams, pipelines, pumps and bores to keep the taps running.

The cash splash is the latest salvo to stave off “day zero” by eliminating wasted water and increasing reliability before major dams and rivers stop supplying drinking water.

Cattle on a drought-affected farm near Armidale in regional NSW. An unprecedented water shortage in drought-stricken eastern Australia is threatening water supply in a large number of communities. Picture: AFP

The Sunday Telegraph earlier this month revealed the state’s river water operator had started its doomsday clock, predicting dam and river water that supplies 170,000 rural residents could run out of water between ­November and March 2021 without significant rain or ­intervention.

The “day zero” timeline suggested the dams and rivers supplying Dubbo, Cobar, Nyngan and Narromine could dry up in as little as four weeks.

At Bourke in western NSW, the state government will tip in $1.35 million to replace the town’s rusty and leaking reservoir after 55 years.

Barry Hollman, Mayor of Bourke, said the town will have to use bore water this summer to supplement supply.

The weir hasn’t spilt over in 410 days and the outback town will almost certainly supplement river water with bore water this summer, even though it is not known how much underground water there is to sustain the town.

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“We’ve patched the weir up over time but it’s getting to a stage now where it’s used by date is well and truly up and we’re patching it up all the time,” Bourke mayor Barry Hollman said.

“How long will bore water last? Nobody knows, we can’t answer that.

“We’ve never been in this situation, it’s trial and error now and we’re just hoping to get through summer.”

Yarrowitch locals Lee-Anne and Jason Magnay have a week's worth of water left before their tank runs dry.

Those living in affected areas are already doing their best to save every drop.

At Yarrowitch, on the southeastern edge of the Northern Tablelands inland from Port Macquarie, where it has rained just once since March, Lee-Anne and Jason Magnay shower every four days and only flush the toilet when necessary.

The Magnays, who live on 2.2ha in the town that’s home to about 160 ­people, mainly sheep and cattle graziers, have a week’s water left and they can’t afford to truck more in.

“We can’t even have a quick shower daily — maybe every three to four days and even then, we’re very quick,” Mrs Magnay said. “I fret over washing my hair, which is just awful.”

For months the Magnays have been surviving on less than half the most conservative target for water use — between 50 litres and 60 litres per person, per day.

The couple sold their horses and drive their washing an hour into Walcha to use the laundromat, which is costing them a fuel bill that’s stretching their budget.

Burrendong Dam which supplies water to communities from Wellington to Cobar down to 5.2 per cent capacity. Picture: Jonathan Ng

On the Central Coast, $6.85 million will be spent ­upgrading a choked water treatment plant that’s regularly clogged with dirty and contaminated water from the Wyong River.

“The filters get clogged up, but the improvements will allow more water to be treated … and it will almost provide the whole Central Coast with water if we need it to,” Central Coast Council water and sewer director Jamie Loader said.

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At Barellan on the outskirts of Griffith in the western Riverina, $4.87 million will be spent installing a sewerage system to replace individual septic tanks that do not comply with health standards and are prone to failing.

In central west NSW, more than $1 million will be spent planning a new pipeline linking Parkes, Forbes and Gooloogong so water doesn’t evaporate or saturate into the Lachlan River when water is released from Wyangala Dam.

Regional Australian towns are expected to run out of water as soon as November if drought conditions continue across NSW. Picture: Getty

Other projects will be rolled out in Bowral, Gwydir, Armidale, the Snowy Monaro region, Mudgee, Dubbo, ­Eurobodalla, Jindera, Khancoban, Albury and Culcairn.

The money will come from the $1 billion Safe and Secure Water fund set up in 2017, of which $680 million has so far been spent.

“This drought is outside the history books, while we continue to invest in emergency water infrastructure we need to ensure the water being consumed is also safe,” Water Minister Melinda Pavey said.

“The Program prioritises key water infrastructure projects — from local drought backup systems through to new or upgraded dams to secure water supplies for our regional communities.”

* The Magnays have set up a Gofundme fundraising page to raise $800, which they would spend on two truckloads of drinking water from town.

Any extra money will go to Mrs Magnay’s parents who live next door.