Primary Industries, Lands and Water Minister Niall Blair, left, Glen Innes Severn Mayor Col Price and Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall officially opened the new $1.02 million water storage yesterday afternoon.
MINISTER for Primary Industries, Lands and Water Niall Blair officially opened the new Glen Innes $1.02 million off-stream water storage upgrade, which will provide greater water security for the community during dryer weather conditions.
Mr Blair was joined yesterday afternoon in Glen Innes by Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall, Glen Innes Severn Mayor Col Price, council representatives and local community members. The State Government’s Water Security for Regions program provided $970,000 for the project.
“Major infrastructure projects like this one bring security to our regional areas and create economic benefits by using local skills during construction,” Mr Blair said.
“This project is a terrific example of how this government is improving regional water security, with record investment of more than $1 billion slated over the next four years to ensure our communities are protected and better prepared for drought conditions.”
Mr Marshall said the Water Security for Regions funding also allowed the council to fully development water bores on Red Range Road, in addition to the off-stream storage work done at the Glen Innes Aggregates quarry.
“These bores are capable of supplying 600 kilolitres of water every day, which equates to almost half of the water required when Glen Innes is on Level 4 water restrictions,” Mr Marshall said.
“I congratulate council on this innovative and visionary approach to solving its water security issues and am very pleased to say that the debate about water storage and water shortages in dry times is now officially over.
“There aren’t too many communities across the state that can say their town is drought-proof, but Glen Innes can and now has certainty of supply and huge capacity to grow.”
“To use the quarry in this way, boosting water storage by 565 megalitres, is a great example to other communities throughout NSW.”
Mayor Price said the major water security works would give the community access to water through periods of drought of up to two and a half years.
“This development of the off-stream storage, pipeline and bore works will help improve the security of the region’s water supply – the previous Beardy Waters supply had the capacity to last just five months after flow ceased,” Cr Price said.
“The combination of the existing weir, the off-stream storage volume, and the water bore development means that Glen Innes can now survive 30 months of drought.
“Additional groundwater supplies have been identified at the off-stream storage, and an additional bore is also designed and ready if ever required in the future.
“On behalf of the community, I would like to thank the state government for the significant funding for the project and our local member Adam Marshall for lobbying hard to secure it.”