Water for Whom
Hunter Water customers will be paying for the proposed Tillegra Dam through increased water rates but it is unlikely that any of the ratepayers will ever see water from this dam flowing through their pipes as it seems destined to be used to settle the dust generated by mining and for cooling more greenhouse gas generating power stations.
If we look at the facts and history of this proposal we find that Hunter Water’s preference was not to build this dam, Dungog Council has indicated opposition to its construction, there is a groundswell of public opinion from within and from outside of the Dungog Shire opposed to the dam, the Wyong and Gosford Shires for whom it was stated that the dam was to be constructed do not want it and a survey conducted in these shires revealed overwhelming opposition to corporatisation of their water supplies by Hunter Water.
Dungog Chamber of Commerce has conservatively estimated that lost revenue to council will amount to something of the order of $300,000 per annum and that the town generally will experience millions in lost income following its construction.
In calculating the real losses consideration needs to be given to the loss of rates to date and into the future from 3,500 hectares land acquired by Hunter Water, the destruction of assets including roads and bridges, power, phone and other infrastructure paid for by ratepayers and taxpayers. Then of course there are the social and environmental factors that may be more difficult to calculate.
As a community we must demonstrate disapproval of this wasteful expenditure on a dam that no one wants and tell the developers where to go.
Geoff Berry
Wallarobba
Letter to Editor Dungog Chronicle 6/3/2008
