‘The Dunoon dam belongs in the last century’

AN OFFICIAL action group has been launched with one goal ‒ to make Rous County Council change direction on its water strategy.

WATER Alliance Northern Rivers has been launched with "a campaign for smart water options in the Northern Rivers, instead of the Dunoon Dam".

The Water Alliance was formed by the Rocky Creek Guardians group from Dunoon and a community of The Channon residents, but it has been joined by individuals from other parts of the Northern Rivers.

Ballina councillor Jeff Johnson was a guest speaker at the meeting, and former Lismore councillor Simon Clough is the co-spokesman for the group, a role that he shares with activist Annie Kia.

Mr Clough said the next action organised by the group will be an online forum.

"It will be a forum about 21st century water options, a free forum for everyone interested to be part of," he said.

"We will be inviting all councillors of the council areas that form Rous County Council: Byron Bay, Lismore, Ballina and Richmond Valley.

"The main speaker will be professor Stuart White from UTS in Sydney," he said.

The forum will be held on Wednesday November 11.

 

Water Alliance Northern Rivers spokesman Simon Clough at the group's launch ceremony in Lennox Head.

 

At the launch, activist and co-spokesman Annie Kia made a call to Rous County Council.

"On the one hand, we can go with last century solutions, or we can listen to what the water experts are saying and we can go this route, to get a water system that we can be proud of, fit for the 21st century," she said.

"It's a no-brainer.

"We want Rous County Council to change direction, because the Dunoon dam belongs in the last century.

"We want Rous County Council to see the opportunity, to choose smart water options and we want them to do that so that we can be with them every millimetre of the way.

"We could be a tremendous asset to a water authority that rearranges itself to smart water systems."