Wednesday February 26, 2025
Volume 40 No. 06
$2 inc. GST
The Cobar Weekly Water loss management program Pg 3
Farewell after 20 years of service to Cobar Pg 3
Police seize firearms in vehicle stop Pg 4
Plans to replace pipeline put on hold
The NSW Government has decided to the town for more than a decade. disappointing a new pipeline wasn’t going to pause plans to replace Cobar’s oldest water However Cobar Water Board has expressed be funded. supply pipeline due to substantial cost esca- concerns with both pipelines, with the new “We understand that the price has increased lations. pipeline showing signs of rusting from the substantially and that the Government’s fiAfter a thorough and rigorous Final Business outside in some areas. nances are tight,” Cr Marsden said. Case (FBC), the NSW Government has decid- The older pipeline was thoroughly assessed “What I’m concerned about is that if it’s ed to halt the project due to substantial cost in the Final Business Case as it would be over $300 million now, what’s that going to be needed to meet the increased demand for wa- in 12 months or two years? Is it then going to escalations. The NSW Government has an obligation to ter from more mining activity in the region. be a $400 million commitment?” taxpayers in a tough economic climate to be Cobar Mayor Jarrod Marsden said it was Continued Page 2. extra vigilant about investments. Preliminary estimates to replace the pipeline have increased to over $300 million due to rising construction costs. Following this finding, the NSW Government extensively explored other funding options. However, with no viable budget, the investment decision has been deferred. Cobar is one of the few towns in NSW without its own water source, and relies on two pipelines to transfer water 130km from the Nyngan weir pool to local households, businesses and the mining industry. Cobar has long suffered from a lack of a reliable water supply since its establishment in the 1870s. The first water pipeline from Nyngan, a 300mm diameter pipe, was constructed in 1963 and a second pipeline, 375mm diameter, was laid parallel to the existing line in 1983. (There’s also a third 30km section of new 375mm piping between Nyngan and Hermidale which was installed in 2017 at a cost of $9 million.) Water is pumped from Nyngan to Cobar via the two main pipelines. The business case found the newer pipeline to be in good condition with no evidence of The official announcement of new pumping stations was made at Cobar’s new water leaks and it is expected to continue servicing filtration plant in May 2022. File photo