The Northern Rivers Times Edition 38

Page 1

Edition 38

March 25, 2021

NorthernRiversTimes

Advertising Ph: 1300 679 787 by Christine Tondorf

Do we need a new dam? Photo by Lode Lagrainge

A DRAFT plan outlining ideas to guarantee water in the Northern Rivers for the next 40 years will soon be released, but it’s already sparking debate. Rous Water will put the draft ‘Future Water Project 2060 – Integrated Water Cycle Management’ on display online and in their building on April 1 and community members have eight weeks to respond. Rous County Council supplies about 100,000 people living around Lismore, Byron Bay, Ballina and the Richmond Valley. Richmond River mayor Robert Mustow, who is on the Rous Water Council, says the plan basically commissions a series of studies to see if water security can be achieved through new initiatives like harvesting ground water, recycling wastewater, and even desalination plants, but he is disappointed the council is not investigating the feasibility of still constructing the Dunoon Dam. Rous Water in December ditched plans for a $220 million 50-gigalitre dam at Dunoon, after the proposal attracted more than 700 public submissions. A heritage-impact report also found historic Aboriginal sites would be flooded if the dam was built. The report found scar trees, grinding grooves, artefacts and burial sites in the area. The assessment found the site was likely to be of state significance. But Cr Mustow said he still believed the draft ‘Future Water Project 2060’ plan needed to go further and consider a new dam. Full details page 2


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