Motion to reallocate Wanderers game money to groundwater exploration fails

At the May 17 meeting, a notice of motion penned by councillor Marg Hogan was on the agenda, asking for $165,000 to be reallocated to groundwater exploration.

Water security has been a focus for Cr Hogan since she was elected to council in December, 2021. The potential to use groundwater to diversify Bathurst's water security measures, as highlighted by Norman Wise's research, was an intriguing prospect.

On the night of the council meeting, she asked her fellow councillors to consider what it could do for the future of Bathurst if exploration of groundwater and the historic groundwater tunnel proved fruitful.

"Three years ago, we were in the throes of the worst drought on record," she said.

"We are a rapidly expanding city. We are encouraging people to move here. We are encouraging businesses to come here.

"I had a conversation this afternoon that extolled the economic development virtues of building the relationship with the Western Wanderers and I don't dispute that the argument has some merit.

"But, I quickly realised there is something far more important that will safeguard our economic future, and that is a secure water supply. A bore near the groundwater tunnel could give us up to 3.6 megalitres a day. That will be an important addition to our water portfolio."

However, she could not convince enough of her colleagues to support her proposal, with the motion lost in a narrow four-five vote.

Deputy mayor Ben Fry and councillors Kirralee Burke and Andrew Smith voted with Cr Hogan, but were outvoted by mayor Robert Taylor and councillors Warren Aubin, Graeme Hanger, Jess Jennings and Ian North.

Groundwater exploration received a lot of support in the chamber on the night, but the primary concern was where the money for the project would be sourced from.

Cr North did not want to see money taken from council's ongoing efforts to work with the Wanderers on bringing an A-League game to Bathurst, a deal that, if struck, could have long-term economic benefits for the city.

"We don't know what the tunnels are like, if there's any problems, the condition of the water - is there any other problems down there? There's a lot of work got to be done [on groundwater]," he said.

"So, I agree, let's start it, but I don't think robbing from one to give to another. I think future budgets can fund it and we can also provide other facilities and events to this community that are important."

READ MORE: North pushing for money to stay with Wanderers as reallocation vote looms

The money for the potential Wanderers game in Bathurst is allocated from council's general fund.

Council also has a water fund, money specifically set aside for water projects.

Cr Jennings, who does "fully support the intention of further exploring drilling and to find additional water sources for water security", said this is where any funding for groundwater exploration should come from.

"I really do believe this should be, in the first instance, allocated to the water fund. The water fund is virtually all about water security, so that is where I would like to see this funding be coming from," he said.

The challenge, which Cr Jennings acknowledged, is that council's water fund is stretched.

In response to a question from Cr Smith about redirecting money within the water fund, council's director of Corporate Services and Finance, Aaron Jones, said that there wouldn't be enough.

"The current financial situation of the water fund is actually quite known and it's quite tight, and I would say in the current budget there are no allowable funds even to the tune that's being suggested in this report to be redirected to this project," he said.

And, while using money from the general fund on a water project is not impossible, it's something Mr Jones advised against.

"By its very nature, it being called general fund, that money can be spent wherever council decides. My advice, though, as council's responsible accounting officer is that water fund money should be spent on water projects, general fund money should be spent on general fund projects," he said.

Cr Marg Hogan said her sources suggested the $165,000 she proposed to reallocate to groundwater exploration would cover the cost of a monitoring bore, which would tap into the tunnel to study water quantity and quality.

However, even if the bore was to cost that amount or less, council would face further and significant costs in the process of groundwater exploration.

Cr Jennings asked the director of Engineering Services, Darren Sturgiss, for a combined cost estimate of the drilling proposed and water testing.

Mr Sturgiss couldn't give a precise figure, but said it would be more than the $165,000 sought in the notice of motion.

"I don't have the answer to that in terms of what the dollars would be, but it would be large, and larger than what the notice of motion here includes tonight," he said.

"The test bore is the cheap part. What needs to happen then is quality analysis for compliance with the Australian Water Drinking Guidelines requirements. Testing for that will take a number of years to go through."

Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens. Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.