Will Casino get water from Rous County Council if the Dunoon dam project is reinstated?

Richmond Valley Council is investigating future water options in an effort to secure supply for residents, business owners and farmers in the face of climate change.

Richmond Valley Council’s study on future water strategies is expected to be complete in August.

Richmond Valley Council expects a study on water options may suggest that Casino should connect to Rous County Council’s (RCC) grid.

The council is current investigating ways to improve water security for Casino, in the face of climate change, according to council documents.

A letter sent on May 26 to Rous by council’s general manager, Vaughan Macdonald, explained that council would prefer the Dunoon Dam project to come back to the Water Future Plan 2060 as a possibility.

“This study will consider a number of options, including additional off-stream storage at Casino, raising Jabour Weir, exploring groundwater sources, or connecting to the Rous County Council regional supply,” the letter states.

“Given the limited groundwater resources in our district, and the water quality challenges of the Richmond River catchment, Council expects that connection to RCC will emerge as a strong option in the study.

“In this regard, the Dunoon Dam proposal would be a significant benefit to our community and Council supports continued investigation into this option.”

The catchment and buffer zones of the proposed Dunoon dam.

Currently, the Richmond Valley Council Local Government Area is supplied by two separate mains water supply sources.

The Casino water supply system is supplied from Jabour Weir, which has an approximate storage capacity of 1700 megalitres, and is located west of Casino on the lower freshwater reaches of the Richmond River.

Coraki, Evans Head, Broadwater, Rileys Hill and Woodburn are supplied by Rous County Council, with water predominantly from Rocky Creek Dam.

The letter also explained that council was not pro or against the construction of a dam in Dunoon, it just wanted the option to be explored further.

“Although Richmond Valley Council is yet to form its position on the Dunoon Dam proposal, it believes the decision to cease investigation into the dam and sell the land before all other alternative options have been fully explored, costed and assessed, is not in the best interest of our regional community,” the letter said.

The council was also concerned Rous may increase water prices in the future.

“Council is concerned that the level of capital investment envisaged by Rous to activate its groundwater projects will inevitably result in an increase in the cost of bulk water for constituent councils, and place pressure on our capacity to maintain consistent and affordable water pricing for our communities,” the letter included.

Rous County Council will have an extraordinary meeting in July to discuss feedback received during the public exhibition period of the second version of the Water Future Plan 2060.

Richmond Valley Council’s study on future water strategies is expected to be complete in August.