WE have seen recently the unedifying spectacle of friction between councillors after the mayoral election when the focus should be on what's best for Bathurst.
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Life can be full of disappointments, like politics: just look at what's happened to prime ministers over the past 10 years.
This council has been negligent to allow the current water situation to develop.
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We have been in a severe drought for years - just look around the state - with a lack of winter rainfall, yet the mayor said recently he did not realise how serious the situation was.
This council recently made a move to take water from a small town, Oberon, and direct part of federal drought funding, which was intended for drought relief, to council footpaths.
This is embarrassing.
Because council has had no plan B, it is now scrambling with bores, Winburndale water, water restrictions and the possibility of stormwater harvesting as a fix.
Orange has stormwater harvesting, yet still has level five restrictions.
We need leadership, vision and a long-term water security strategic plan.
Water security is vital for Bathurst to grow. Droughts and flooding rains will happen again and again.
Learn from another inland city, Goulburn. They increased their storage and have access to a back-up supply pipeline to use at a designated level. They now enjoy water security.
They also had an active member of cabinet who had a long-term vision.
Wyangala Dam was full in the past and had to release water that flooded part of the town of Forbes.
Federal funding of $650 million is now earmarked to increase the capacity of this dam to handle future excess rainfall.
Chifley Dam needs more capacity and a serious back-up supply like a pipeline from Wyangala to use at a designated level.
Investigate recycling water as another serious lever, just like they do in Europe.
There was never a better time for councillors to seek state and federal funding. Politicians are feeling pressure at the prospect of towns running out of water.
There is Snowy $4.2 billion earmarked for regional infrastructure, plus federal billions on the table.
Councillors, seek help if you are unable to put together a business case for funding.
When mayor Ashwood started the process to raise the Chifley Dam wall, that was vision.
Another council got the credit later, but that does not matter, as Bathurst was the winner.
Short-termism is no fix. We will be back here again unless we drought-proof the future.
