RE: "We need to learn lessons from this drought", editorial, March 3.
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This water crisis was entirely preventable.
Council failed to do anything to apply from 2007 to 2012 for the Federal Government $1.48 billion in funding for regional centres with populations of 50,000 or fewer to implement recycled water, for which Bathurst was an ideal candidate, to have enabled them to maximise the use of our prime water.
That defies council's own vision and mission statements.
The reality is that there are 8863 immediate jobs on the line and a 40 per cent downturn in Bathurst's economy, not to mention the impact on small business owners who have significant investment in their businesses and what they stand to lose from which they would never recover.
There really should be an inquiry into council's failures to keep infrastructure up to the growing population.
I have been pleading with council for recycled water and water tanks since 2007; they would not listen.
It is timely that this year is a council election year and time that the community stops being complacent that the right things have been and are being done, because if they had we would not be in this situation.
We need fresh blood and up-to-date thinkers to step up and run for council.
