Hunter Water – Tanks for the dam truth?
On Friday Dec 28, on local ABC radio, Russell Pascoe, Hunter Water assets and operations general manager defended the low rate of rainwater tank installations in the Hunter region. The figures from a recent report show that 6,500 tanks were installed across New South Wales using the government rebate, but only about 200 have been installed in the Hunter this year. That’s a figure of 3%, yet the Hunter region has over 9% of NSW’s population. He said because the Hunter has not had water restrictions since 1994, the need for water tanks ‘probably wasn’t perceived as great here as in Sydney’. In other words, the current Hunter water storage and supply system has successfully got us through a drought period of staggering proportions.Doesn’t that logically lead to the question – Why do we need the Tillegra Dam?
If we don’t need water tanks, why do we need a massive 450GL dam that will destroy 2100 hectares of productive farmland, damage the Williams River system and all the life that it supports, displace farming families who have lived and worked there for 5 generations? Where is the will to investigate the many alternatives for water harvesting that smart thinking and sustainable systems would deliver?
Why is Hunter Water downplaying the value of rainwater harvesting when the comprehensive installation of rainwater tanks alone would supply 20% more water than would be required to meet demand for the forecasted 2030 population increase?