Dam good news for the long term

NSW Farmers has marked the Federal and State Government’s $1 billion pledge for new dam infrastructure as critical for long term water security.
 
The announcement includes the first new dam in NSW in 30 years at Dungowan, raising the Wyangala Dam wall by 10 metres and a study into a 100,000 megalitre dam on the Mole River near Tenterfield.
 
NSW Farmers President James Jackson said there is definitely a need for improved water capture and storage for areas west of the Great Divide
 
“Dams can deliver a quadruple benefit for NSW. They deliver a mechanism for storage of domestic and irrigation water but also in an uncertain future they are flood mitigation tools and a critical part of the energy solution with pumped hydro being a great battery for reliable energy.”
 
“We do need projects that help secure future water supplies for communities and food and fibre production. Today’s announcement from the Prime Minister and the Premier is welcome news, but for the long term,” Mr Jackson said.
 
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said construction would begin in 2020 and hoped works would be completed by 2025.
 
“Unfortunately,  this announcement will do very little for those farmers who have no water for stock and are on very restricted domestic water use for drinking and washing, ” Mr Jackson said.
 
“There is a need for water now and we call on both Governments to continue to work collaboratively with and providing funding to Local Shires who are building pipelines and trucking in water at significant cost.”
  
Date: Monday 14 October 2019  
Media Contact:  Michael Burt  | 0428 228 988 | [email protected]