Dams and pipeline projects will be fast-tracked in NSW under new legislation

“Game-changing” new legislation in NSW will help towns cope with severe drought.

The new legislation will streamline approvals for water infrastructure projects where there is a critical town water supply need Picture: Getty

Dams and pipeline projects will be fast-tracked in NSW to help towns cope with severe drought, with some environmental assessments sidestepped altogether.

The legislation, which will self-extinguish in two years unless extended for a maximum of a further 12 months, will streamline approvals for water infrastructure projects where there is a critical town water supply need.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro on Wednesday described the move as “a big step towards drought proofing this state.”

“This legislation is a game changer for our drought-affected communities,” he said.

“Not only does it make sure towns will not run out of water while waiting for approvals, it also ensures three large scale dams are fast tracked to increase water storage in regional NSW.”

The legislation has two parts.

Three dam projects, being the $650 million raising of the Wyangala Dam in the state’s central west, the $480 million new Dungowan Dam near Tamworth in the north of the state, and a proposed dam on the Mole River near Tenterfield in the state’s far north for which an initial $24 million has been allocated, will have the assessment process speeded up.

The projects will be declared state significant, so that environmental approval comes directly under the Minister for Planning, and can be pushed through in as little as a few months rather than a year or more.

Water Minister Melinda Pavey said the dams would still go through “very thorough and critical environmental impact statements”.

The second part of the legislation allows the Minister for Water, with the approval of the Minister for Environment, to eschew the environmental impact process altogether for emergency water infrastructure designed to keep towns from running out of water.

Among the projects in this category is a new pipeline from the Chaffey Dam to the existing Dungowan Dam to get water more efficiently to Tamworth, which has less than 12 months supply of water and dams holding only 19 per cent of their capacity.

“Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures,” Mr Barilaro said.

“NSW is struggling through record low rainfall with 98 per cent of the State in drought.

“We don’t have months ahead of us for some of these towns, the approval process for emergency infrastructure needs to be made in a timely manner so we do not run out of water.”

Mr Barilaro called on the Labor Party and cross-bench MPs to support the legislation to get it through the upper house where the Coalition does not have a majority.

Greens water spokesman Cate Faehrmann accused the government of trying to stop scrutiny of its dam proposals.

“Emergency measures are needed to ensure towns don’t reach day zero, but fast tracking the approval of dams that won’t be built for another four or five years is a cynical attempt to take advantage of the drought to get away with environmental vandalism,” Ms Faehrmann said.

“Building more dams won’t make it rain but they will consign downstream communities to environmental and social disaster as even more rivers dry up.”

— Additional reporting: AAP