Residents at Walang’s Hillview Estate fear they are facing a long, hot summer with no flushing toilets or water for firefighting.
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Three days ago they received two letters from Bathurst Regional Council.
One said the bore that provides water to the subdivision had run dry, and a second advised that council would not be sending out water to make up the shortfall. The subdivision bore pumps water into a reservoir for the residents’ outdoor use, however many families have also hooked their toilets up to it.
They have installed rainwater tanks for the remainder of their indoor water use.
Leonie MacBeth, who has lived on the estate for the past 15 years, said the 30 households pay $112 on their rates for water availability.
She said they bought the land with the understanding there was water on the property.
“We bought it thinking we had bore water, otherwise we wouldn’t have bought it,” she said.
“During the drought council trucked water in every single day until it rained and the bore started working again. I can’t understand why they are shutting us down now.
“Basically they have abandoned us.” she said.
General manager David Sherley said council added 39,000 litres of water to the reservoir on Wednesday, taking it to 80 per cent capacity.
But he said it was a condition of the development applications for these homes that they provide their own water supply for domestic consumption independent of the bore.
He said by trucking this load of water out to Hillview council has ensured the residents have sufficient time to make alternative arrangements for their water infrastructure.
Rainfall on Wednesday night also appears to have replenished the aquifer.
“The residents were advised the bore was not drawing water. My understanding is the aquifer has started to refill and has become operational again,” Mr Sherley said.
“This water is not guaranteed. If the bore runs dry, the residents will have to make their own arrangements.”
Mrs MacBeth said on receiving the letters she immediately got in touch with Mayor Monica Morse who has been very helpful.
“My main concern is that we won’t have a flushing toilet, surely that is a health risk.
“The tanks at the fire shed are also filled from the reservoir so I am afraid we will have no water to fight a bushfire if we need to.” she said.