corporate environmental manager Michael Priest and Endeavor Mine general manager Matt Gill at yesterday’s meeting at the Council Chambers. ▪ Photo contributed
yesterday’s meeting with NSW Minister for Water Rose Jackson.
Plans to secure Cobar’s water supply into the future were discussed when the NSW Water Minister, Rose Jackson, met with State Member for Barwon, Roy Butler and the Cobar Water Board yesterday.
Minister Jackson and Mr Butler met with the Cobar Water Board to discuss long-standing plans for a new pipeline and pump stations from Nyngan to Cobar.
“Cobar’s future prosperity relies on having access to water, not just for residential use but for our mines as well,” Mr Butler said.
There are several areas of disagreement between the Cobar Water Board and the NSW Government around the cost of the project and who should contribute.
There are also concerns the NSW Government has estimated pipeline construction costs at more than 10 times per kilometre the amount Cobar Shire just paid to build a smaller section.
“I’m concerned that NSW Government cost estimates for the Cobar pipeline are way too high,” Mr Butler said.
“This raises the risk of elevated water charges for our mines, and I don’t want to see anything effect their viability.
“I’m also encouraging the NSW Government to bear a portion of the repayments on the pipeline, given they receive so much in royalties from the Cobar mines that will benefit from the project,” he said.
One of the largest water infrastructure projects in Western NSW, a $49 million project that will deliver two new state-of-the-art pump stations at Nyngan and Hermidale, will soon commence.
The Minister said this project will “supercharge water reliability for Cobar” by addressing critical risks of failure ensuring water can continue to be safely transferred to Cobar.
Cobar is one of the only towns in NSW that doesn’t have its own water source, relying on water to be transferred via the Albert Priest Channel, then pumped from Nyngan via 130 kilometres of pipeline.
“These pump stations are part of our commitment to deliver better water security and infrastructure for Cobar,” Minister Jackson said…Full story in this week’s edition out now!
