ANOTHER month, another delay to stir councillors' frustrations over the slow progress of the NSW Government's critical needs list.
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After applying to be put on the list to fast-track water infrastructure projects, Bathurst Regional Council finally got confirmation in April that two of its projects had been added to the list.
Since then, though, council has continued to be called upon to provide additional information to get the approvals it needs.
Councillors again aired their frustrations while discussing the director of Engineering Services' latest water security update in mid June.
Deputy mayor Ian North baulked when director Darren Sturgiss said staff were still trying to meet the requirements for extra data.
While he has great respect for the work the department is doing, Cr North said he was "extremely and bitterly disappointed" that the bar seemed to keep raising.
"I just wish they'd look over the Blue Mountains and have a look at this region and everything it offers and we're a gateway to the Central West and a very important part of NSW and Australia," he said.
"... We seem to hit the mark, and we're not at the mark."
Although councillors remain frustrated, Mr Sturgiss and council's general manager, David Sherley, have assured plenty of work is still being achieved on water infrastructure projects.
"There has been some frustrations with the paperwork, but we continue to work with the government departments to get things through," Mr Sherley said. "I think it's right to be frustrated, but I don't think you should feel completely that things aren't being achieved."
A table provided within the water security update report details what has been done and is in progress.
For stormwater harvesting, council has completed the preliminary yield analysis and is 95 per cent through the detailed yield analysis.
The project management framework, including legal advice for preparation of GC21 Design and Construct Contract, is also complete.
Council has also completed the analysis work required for route one, has completed the majority of the analysis work for the second route, and has commenced, if not completed, a lot of the work for the third route option.
The design and geotechnical investigation are complete for the stormwater ponds, while the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment and the Flood Impact Assessment are under way.
Regarding utilising water from Winburndale Dam, council has listed all the tasks under the following categories as complete: Winburndale Dam water into the water filtration plant utilising existing pipeline, water filtration plant mixing lagoon, and irrigation allocations.
It has also either completed or commenced all tasks related to the Chifley Dam environmental release and the Winburndale Dam environmental release.