Dam Still The Best Option
Newcastle Herald
Saturday July 19, 2008
HUNTER Water has responded to criticism that the proposed Tillegra dam might not be needed, saying the dam is necessary to avoid having to build an expensive desalination plant in the event of a major drought.
Managing director Kevin Young said water levels would drop dramatically in a severe drought and a desalination plant would cost $900 million compared with the $300 million bill for the dam.The Herald reported on Thursday that the Hunter Central-Rivers Catchment Management Authority said in its submission to Hunter Water's long-term water plan H25O that the dam should be re-assessed based on the most recent population projections, water usage and climate change information when it goes before the NSW Planning Department later this year.The statutory authority said planned improvements to the Central Coast network could also justify a re-evaluation of the project.Mr Young said the authority had praised its H25O report overall, including its caution over opting for a desalination plant as a drought contingency option."The H25O report presents a really strong case for Tillegra Dam independent of the Central Coast," he said.Mr Young said the Hunter had not faced water restrictions during the most recent drought because, while severe nationally, the drought was only mildly felt in the region."In 1979-81, in that drought storage dropped from 100 per cent to 32 per cent in 18 months," he said."H25O looks at the last 100 years. That's the kind of drought that happens once every 25 years."Mr Young said the Tillegra dam proposal would be continually updated with new population, climate and water usage information during its environmental assessment as "part of the process".
© 2008 Newcastle Herald