Cobar will only receive 80 per cent of its annual water allocation over the next year, while water allocations to the local mines have been reduced to 70 per cent.
Cobar Shire Council announced the reductions on Monday in response to WaterNSW’s proposed new water delivery arrangements that came into effect from July 1.
Cobar’s annual allocation is 1,850 megalitres (ML) from Burrendong Dam (via the Albert Priest Channel) for the town water supply.
In addition CSA Mine has been granted a licence for 1,356ML, Endeavor’s allocation is 1,605ML and Peak Gold Mines receives 1,189ML per annum; however in previous tears the mines generally have not used their full water allocations.
It is estimated around 50 percent of the total allocation of 6,000ML is lost to evaporation.
WaterNSW reports the severe and ongoing drought conditions across NSW has had a significant impact on their ability to deliver water to customers.
Over the past two years, rainfall across northern NSW has been well below average and in many areas is now the lowest ever on record.
This, combined with higher than average temperatures, has resulted in record low inflows to the storages.
Inflows to Burrendong Dam are 36 per cent of the previous low record.
