Plan to drought-proof Eurobodalla’s water supply

Eurobodalla Council is proceeding with the detailed design of its Southern Water Supply Storage Facility to secure the shire’s water supply for the future.

Council will hold a drop-in session to provide information about the proposed facility at the Eurobodalla Council Chambers in Moruya on Thursday 20 September, 4-8pm.

The $100 million project proposes constructing a 3,000 mega litre water storage facility in state forest near Bodalla. The facility is unlike traditional dams in that it would be located off-stream and receive water pumped to it from the Tuross River in times of high flow.

An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project detailing its environmental impacts and proposed mitigation measures is currently on public exhibition for the community to view and provide feedback on. The EIS supports Council’s application to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment to construct the facility.

Council’s Divisional Manager Water and Sewer Brett Corven said the NSW Government’s recent introduction of Water Sharing Plans, which set rules for when and how water can be extracted from our rivers, brought forward the need for the facility.

“The current drought also highlights why we’re progressing the detailed design, and why we need both the NSW and Australian Government’s help to fund the project,” he said.

“We will be actively lobbying state and federal governments to fund this facility to safeguard Eurobodalla’s water supply into the future.”

Preliminary designs and the EIS, prepared by consultants SMEC, will be on display at Thursday’s information session and representatives from Council and SMEC will be available to answer questions.

The EIS is also available on the NSW Planning and Environment Department’s website and in hard copy at Eurobodalla Libraries and at Council’s Customer Service Centre in Moruya until Thursday 18 October.

Submissions can be made online or by writing to Director, Social and Other Infrastructure Assessments, Planning Services, Department of Planning and Environment, GPO Box 39 SYDNEY NSW 2001.

More information about the project is under Major Projects.