Monitoring bores being installed in Guyra

Monitoring bores will be installed in Guyra’s Yarrawonda Street this week, as part of a ground water supply system being  developed as a back-up to the region’s town water supply.

The bores being constructed this week will monitor the water table at around 30 metres and 80 metres below the surface, to check water levels at these depths are not affected by deeper bores installed by Council to supplement the town supply.

At least four monitoring bores are being established at three Guyra sites, with equipment installed at Izzeard Park and Oban Street earlier this month.

Their installation coincides with Council’s construction of an underground piping and pumping network linking new emergency  town water bores to the Guyra Water Treatment Plant.

Three emergency supply bores will be located at Izzeard Park, the sports field and Guyra Showground, as one of Council’s measures to supplement the region’s town supply during the ongoing drought and to safeguard supplies during future extended dry periods.

The supply bores have been established more than 100 metres below the surface, much deeper than existing bores supplying nearby properties, and measures such as sealing sleeves will be used to further ensure the Council bores do no impact on shallower ground water reserves.

“A hydrologist engaged by Council to recommend bores sites has advised we can be confident the bores will not affect landholders’ existing bores,” Armidale Regional Council Mayor Simon Murray said.

“The monitoring bores will provide data showing any impact on shallow aquifers  following extraction from Council’s deeper bores

“They will identify any changes to ground water levels at shallower depths and show if those variations could be linked to extraction by the town supply bores.”

Final connection of the emergency bores to Guyra water treatment plant will only proceed if the bore water meets Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and Council is successful in being granted a Water Access Licence from the NSW Government.

Councillor Murray said while the bores would help extend supplies in the Malpas and Guyra dams, the most effective way to safeguard town supplies was to continue maximising water savings.

Water levels in the region’s dams continue to sit at around half their total capacity, following a slight increase from last week’s rain, and Level 5 restrictions remain in place for all customer on the network.

Published on 15 Apr 2020