Hunter Water not willing to pay for Geology Report
At a meeting on 8 November 2007 Hunter Water were interested in finding out where NTDG considers there are major instability problems at the proposed dam site, but they were not prepared to pay for the technical report despite such information having cost the group tens of thousands of dollars. It was only to be expected given that on a previous occasion when the NTDG met with Ministers Rees and Koperberg back in August 2007, they were not even interested in giving the group’s geologist time to speak about the issues let alone listen to our concerns. Now after inviting the NTDG to join in discussion it would seem they want it all one way i.e. their way and wanted the Group to disclose confidential information on the site conditions without some contribution to costs already incurred by the Group to discover this major problem.
It seems this NSW Government and its agencies have decided to treat the people of NSW with contempt. This was further demonstrated by Minister Koperberg’s response to Questions asked by George Souris MLA this month, which were quickly flick passed like the children’s game called “pass the parcel” to another Minister.
This Government does not want to listen, is not prepared to pay for information and blindly goes ahead without due process or consultation. As late as June 2006 in its own agency’s report card to Government, Hunter Water did not consider it even worthy of mentioning Tillegra and in fact stated “Hunter Water’s first priority is to limit demand growth to minimise the economic and environmental cost of creating new sources”.
How can it be that within 5 months of that report we have an announcement to proceed with Tillegra?
We now have the Gosford Wyong Water Authority saying they do not need Tillegra and we now have the major drinking water storages in the Hunter Region at or about full capacity with projected growth at less than the national average – why do we now need a dam twice the size of the current storage capacity in an area which Hunter Water’s own geologist calls “complex”?
Water experts across the world have concluded that dam storage is 19th century technology. So why is this Government and Hunter Water hell bent on putting the Lower Hunter into such a time warp? Why, because they need to sell the water! But the poor consumer has no idea yet that they will ultimately be paying for it!!
Hunter Water’s budget for this project has been summarised in a 5 line budget outline. If this is what Mr Iemma used to make his decision to proceed with this major piece of infrastructure then heaven help this state and all those who live in it!! Maybe we should all try this trick next time we see our Bank Manager for a loan and see where we might get on such scant information.
Sally Corbett said:
The poor consumers in this case will be the customers of Hunter Water. If you are a customer of Hunter Water, maybe it is time to start asking some questions of Hunter Water. If you don’t get a satisfactory answer you could ask your local MP if they have any information on how much this dam folly is going to cost you as a Hunter Water customer.
Simon Brownbridge said:
Hunter Water put out their customary advertisement for the Tillegra Dam proposal in last week’s Chronicle. Apparently the project has been sent to Frank Sartor, Minister for Rubber Stamping Development Proposals. Roll on the next election to get rid of this mob.
What caught my eye was a section called “Geological Investigations”. It referred to a meeting with the No Tillegra Dam Group. Hunter Water stated the meeting “did not meet it’s stated objective” because Hunter Water did not want to cover the costs of the No Tillegra Dam Group’s “investigations to date”.
In July this year I attended a public meeting in Dungog set up by Hunter Water supposedly to reassure the concerned public about dam safety issues. The Hunter Water engineer put up a graphic of a side view of the proposed dam site. Mysteriously, he had the famous Tillegra Fault Line outside the dam area.
Graham Holt, who I understand is a highly qualified geologist and geotechnical expert, pulled the Hunter Water engineer up on this and suggested he put the Tillegra Fault Line under the dam wall where it would be and reminded him of the fault line on the fragile eastern wall of the site! The engineer blustered out his excuses and left me with the impression that Hunter Water do not take their fault lines seriously.
Mr Holt is very concerned about the suitability of this site for safely holding such a vast body of water. I understand he has devoted many unpaid hours to extensive research into the geology of this site and knows the area intimately. If Hunter Water want to harness his expertise they can pay for it. They can then have a truly independent and thorough investigative report into the geological nature of the site. Trouble is they don’t want to pay for something that could wreck their project in my opinion.
As one who lives a few kilometres down the Williams River from the proposed dam wall I take no comfort from Hunter Water’s investigations, they have too much invested in the project.
Simon Brownbridge
Fosterton
Daniel Civitarese said:
could someone please tell me why in technical terms the geology is complex, thanks
"geologist" said:
Complex geology is like the NSW government – bent, fractured and twisted – and costs a lot to fix. Simple geology is what the government wants everyone to believe. The published literature reveals the truth.