Water security, access and infrastructure has been put under the microscope as part of
‘Water for the Future’ project coordinated by Namoi Unlimited.
Chair of Namoi Unlimited and Mayor of Gunnedah Shire Council Clr Jamie Chaffey said
“the Water for the Future strategy, which is currently on exhibition for the community to
make comment, acknowledges that our climate is changing.
“Climate change is the increasing temperatures, and among other things a change in
regional weather patterns and seasonal rainfall conditions.
“This region knows all to well what climate change is – we are currently in the thick of it
with this current drought.
“One of our responses to climate change is to understand how climate change and other
factors are impacting this region’s water supplies.
“The Water for the Future reports make numerous recommendations about what Local
Governments can do as individuals, or as a region to take action.”
Namoi Unlimited believes the reports make a number of recommendations to Councils to
address water security as a response to changing climatic conditions.
“It is possible that Councils could collaborate to complete a regional Integrated Water
Cycle Management strategy with local considerations which would go along way to
addressing the complexity, linkages and planning for urban water, quality and community
expectations around issues like access, public health and the environment.”
“Recommendations such as completing secure yield studies, water demand and drought
management strategies are all direct responses and actions to addressing water in a
changing climate.
“Assessing how water can or can’t be used by industry and even ourselves is a clear
future consideration.
“Developing and implementing Water Sensitive Urban Design policy in urban areas,
incentivising household and industry water systems and potentially adopting permanent
conservations measures can all be opportunities for Local Government and the community
to addressing climate change.
“Projects that we recently announced, to work across the region to identify better use and
application of waste water, particularly on gravel roads, is another example of how Local
Government is working together to address the impacts of climate change,” said Clr
Chaffey.
The reports prepared by an independent consultant are extensive, Volume 1 is a collation
of water resources and climate change is addressed in section 3 of the report. Volume 2
provides the draft recommendations and actions for Councils involved with
Namoi Unlimited.
Copies of both reports are available at www.namoiunlimited.nsw.gov.au.
Comments can be emailed to Namoi Unlimited at info@namoiunlimited.nsw.gov.au and
should be received by the end of July 2019.