Weekly Water Update
12 November 2019
- In addition to making a submission to the review process for the current Namoi Water Resource Plan and associated Peel Water Sharing Plan, Tamworth Regional Council will write to the NSW Minister of Water, Property and Housing requesting the review of the current Water Sharing Plans be delayed until after the current drought is over so lessons that have been, and that will continue to be, learnt can be incorporated. Council will also raise concerns about the lack of changes proposed in the Water Sharing Plan for the Peel Regulated River Water Sources 2020. Council believes the limited number of minor changes does not adequately address how the Water Sharing Plan will improve the reliability and security of Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal’s water supply into the future.
- Each year Council investigates strategic improvements that can be made in the water and wastewater divisions. Due to the ongoing drought Council has already commenced work on and completed a number of water strategy projects this financial year. These projects have exhausted the annual budget allocation to this work. Tonight Council agreed to supply further funds in order to carry out further investigations and improvements to further help investigate options to further secure water supplies across the Tamworth region.
- Council has agreed that, where possible, it will consider providing assistance to owners of active high security and stock and domestic entitlements that are impacted by the stopping of flows in the Peel River scheduled to occur on 30 November 2019. This includes two entitlement holders, 260 Fishers Lane and the Loomberah Heights Water Users Association, who have approached Council requesting access to the Dungowan Pipeline in order to receive their allocations from Chaffey Dam. Water will be made available from the Dungowan Pipeline based on a number of conditions.
- Council have requested further investigations and discussions take place in relation to future effluent from the Westdale Wastewater Treatment Plant being redirected from Council’s Reuse Farm down the Peel River for extraction by high security and stock and domestic entitlement holders located downstream.
- The Seal of Council will be affixed to the funding agreement for the Calala Raw Water Storage Dam which has now been provided by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. The NSW Government has provided a maximum of $1.45 million towards the cost of construction under its Emergency Water Carting and Infrastructure Fund. For updated images of the dam’s construction visit www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/calaladam
- Council will take a conservative approach to ensuring the ongoing water supply for Attunga by closing the Attunga bulk water filling station as of December 1. Current residential water consumption in Attunga is 60kL/day while the consumption from the refill station is almost double, sitting at 115kL/day. While initial groundwater studies are positive in relation to the future short term yield of the Attunga bores, when flows in the Peel River are stopped, it is believed that eventually the loss of river recharge will be detrimental to the available yield from the bores. The bulk water filling station will remain available for domestic water carters only. The station will reopen once Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal return to Level 3 water restrictions.
- Council has agreed to an amendment of its Drought Management Plan which will see Manilla and Barraba now treated as one water supply. The two towns recently began sharing a 515ML/year entitlement from Split Rock Dam. The amendment will be implemented once a Temporary Water Restriction issued under Section 324 of the Water Management Act 2000 is introduced reducing allocations for general security entitlement holders in the Upper Namoi, provided by Split Rock Dam to 0%. This means Barraba will move to Level 3 water restrictions upon introduction of the order which is expected to occur on December 2. The order will result in the only releases from Split Rock Dam being made for Manilla and Barraba. It is expected that when the order is introduced there will be sufficient supply in Split Rock Dam for Manilla and Barraba for 2 years.
- As per Council’s Drought Management Plan a temporary sandbag weir will be installed in the Peel River downstream of the Paradise Wells. The weir will assist with the maintaining of water levels in the Peel River, adjacent to the wells, and store water than can then be extracted by the nearby Wells system. The Paradise Wells may be required over the coming months to supplement Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal’s town water supply.
