Rous County Council representatives include Andrew Gordon, Big Rob

New faces at the Northern Rivers’ major water authority may not influence whether or not the Dunoon Dam project is put back on the table, according to one councillor.

Newly elected councillors Andrew Gordon and Big Rob have both been voted as Lismore City Council’s delegates for Rous County Council.

A recently ousted leader of the Northern Rivers’ water authority has expressed some concerns about the views of her replacements on a controversial dam project.

Former Lismore City Council mayor Vanessa Ekins, who now represents the region as a councillor, did not gain majority support from the new cohort when the council met last week in her bid to continue representing Lismore on Rous County Council.

Fellow longstanding councillor Darlene Cook also failed in her bid to continue her representation on Rous.

Newcomers Andrew Gordon and Big Rob were chosen instead, each in a 7-4 vote via secret ballot.

Mr Gordon and Mr Rob have signalled their intention to have the Dunoon dam project reintroduced as a future option for the region’s water security.

Their views contrast with those of Ms Ekins, who had concerns about their position on water security.

“I’m pretty sure the delegates appointed to Rous have a very firm position in regard to our Future Water Strategy,” Ms Ekins said.

“In my view, it’s a very uninformed position.”

The footprint of the proposed Dunoon Dam, which was taken off the table by Rous County Council.

Rous handles water supply for much of the Lismore, Ballina, Byron and Richmond Valley local government areas.

It is also a flood mitigation authority for the same areas and has a weed biosecurity branch which also services the Kyogle and Tweed Shires.

The organisations’ involvement in the region’s future water security – and the debate around the proposed Dunoon Dam – was a hot topic across the Northern Rivers at last year’s council election.

The state government is still awaiting the outcome of an independent study into the matter by the CSIRO.

Rous County Council is due to undergo further changes before its first meeting in early February.

Former Lismore mayor Vanessa Ekins.

Richmond Valley Council this week re-elected mayor Robert Mustow and councillor Sandra Humphrys to their positions on Rous.

Their nominations went unchallenged.

Other councils are yet to vote on their Rous delegates.

What is clear is at least four of the eight Rous County Council positions will be filled by new faces.

In the Byron Shire, Cate Coorey was re-elected to her local council but Basil Cameron, who had sat alongside her on Rous, did not recontest his place at the December election.

It’s a similar situation in Ballina.

The dam debate at a glance

💧 In November 2021, The NSW Government engaged the CSIRO to review options included in the Far North Coast Regional Water Strategy. Shortlisted options are expected to be released for public comment. 

💧 In December 2020, a majority of Rous councillors voted to scrap the 50GL Dunoon dam option from the Future Water Plan 2060. Community consultation that focused on that decision attracted 13,781 responses. More than 10,000 respondants wanted the dam option back on the table.

💧 Rous councillors rejected a further attempt to revive the dam proposal in July, 2021. 

💧 Rous County Council adopted the notion of a dam in Dunoon as a potential future water source back in 1995. It's been rejected a few times but the proposal has been repeatedly revived. 

💧 The Future Water Strategy adopted by Rous has prioritised groundwater use as well as water re-use. 

New Ballina mayor Sharon Cadwallader was the existing Rous deputy chair while her Ballina Shire Council colleague Keith Williams, who was Rous chairman, was not re-elected in December.

At Lismore City Council’s first meeting of the new term, Ms Cook said it was important to remember Rous was not only in charge of water supply.

“It’s about river health … it’s about the blackwater, it’s about flood levees,” she said.

Blackwater events occur when flooding washes organic material into waterways, where it is consumed by bacteria, leading to a rise in dissolved carbon in the water which can cause fish kills.

“It’s about working with volunteers to try and stop blackwater events happening along the river.”

She said a change in leadership at Rous was “not going to make a difference” in the future of the repeatedly-rejected Dunoon Dam.

A view version of what a possible Dunoon Dam would look like.

“I just want to remind councillors that it is the position of Lismore City Council not to support the dam,” Ms Cook said.

“The NSW Productivity Commission does not support the dam.

“The state government has ordered CSIRO to investigate full river health as well as urban and rural water supplies.”

Ms Ekins urged her colleagues to consider her experience in the area when they were voting for their delegate.

“Water security is very important for our region,” Ms Ekins said.

“It’s been a hot topic over the last couple of years.”

Ms Ekins said she had been involved in the Future Water Strategy since 2008 and had a “thorough understanding” of the issues at play.

“We don’t want to have a situation where the Lismore community is paying more for infrastructure that’s going to service the coast,” Ms Ekins said.

Lismore councillor Darlene Cook.

“We need to look after Lismore and make sure the future water options that we choose are affordable, that they’re incremental and that they service everyone.”

Following the meeting, Mr Gordon said the dam should not have been removed from the Future Water Strategy.

“In my mind, water security is the bank for any rural community,” Mr Gordon said.

“I advocate that every option be examined, not removed.

“The dam may be the best option; it may not be the best option.”

Mr Gordon said “political games” were played when the dam proposal was scrapped in December 2020 after public consultation showed 10,208 of 13,781 respondents wanted it to remain on the table.

Rous County Council manages water supply for much of the Northern Rivers.

During the council meeting, Big Rob said he also wanted to see the potential for a new dam revisited.

“There’s obviously cultural issues and things like that, that need to be dealt with,” Mr Rob said.

“We can't choose the best option if we take out one of the biggest options.”

Mr Rob also expressed distaste for the notion of recycled water.

“I'm one of the guys that calls it toilet water,” he said.

“I certainly don't want to drink it.

“If Lismore starts using recycled water, I’m leaving or I’m going to be drinking bottled water.”

Ms Cadwallader, who opposed the scrapping of the dam from the Future Water Strategy, said she would nominate to be returned to Rous when Ballina Shire Council meets for the first time next week.

“I would like to see another study completed for the Dunoon dam,” she said.