With Bathurst Regional Council seriously considering the water saving initiative, local market gardener George Smith has warned it could be a catastrophic move.

Council believes piping the city’s water supply from the local impoundment would stop losses through evaporation and transpiration.

With estimates of the cost of the project ranging from $10-$20 million, Mr Smith says the ramifications could outweigh any benefits.

Mr Smith grows corn, cabbages and cauliflowers on his 220 acre property on the White Rock Road and is one of the main local suppliers to Simplot.

“People should remember that the Bathurst irrigation valley is a significant vegetable growing area,” he said.

“About half the corn that is supplied to Simplot comes from here.

“ I have accurate figures that show Simplot puts more than $20 million into the local economy annually from wages, transport and payments to growers.

“The factory employs 140-150 people and local families rely on it for their livelihood.”

Mr Smith says his big worry about a pipeline is that it may leave irrigators and market gardeners who rely on the Macquarie River without enough water to operate a viable business.

“Whether they let go 30 megalitres or 80 megalitres from the dam, there’ll still be the same losses from evaporation and transpiration,” he said.

“And you won’t get massive savings from a pipeline that’s only 20km long.

“If it was 100km it might be different.”

Mr Smith said local growers supply the cheapest corn to Simplot because of the cheaper transport costs and use less water than many other regions.

“We don’t have to put as much water on the crops because we don’t have anywhere near the summer heat as further out west.

“As well, our growing season is only five months long because of our harsh winter.

“So, I think council should think long and hard before making any decisions about this pipeline. I hope it never comes to fruition.

“They (council) couldn’t find $20 million for the saleyards, so how can they justify $20 million for this project.

“This project could end up costing the local economy millions.

“Surely that’s not good local governance.”