Aslan Shand
According to our water supplier Rous County Council (RCC) we are only one dry summer away from water restrictions. As it is water week, and there are fires burning throughout the Northern Rivers, and there isn’t any rain in sight – it seems a good time to dwell on it a little.
‘With a fast-growing population and a changing climate, the regional water authority is urging Northern Rivers residents to change the way they think about using water not just in the dry season, but permanently,’ according to a press release from RCC who is the bulk water supplier for the Byron, Ballina, Lismore and Richmond Valley Council areas.
There is currently enough long term supply of water, or secure water yield, until 2024–28. However, the impact of the increasing population (the councils and state government are preparing to grow the population by 50 per cent in the next 40 years) and climate change will leave the region short of water if new water sources aren’t found.
‘Northern Rivers residents have reduced their water use by 45 per cent since the 1990s. The average resident now uses around 194 litres of water per day, but there’s still room to move that number down,’ say RCC.
They are asking residents to reduce their water use to 160 litres per person per day.
‘Despite Rocky Creek Dam being relatively full, with our current and forecast consumption, we’re only one dry summer away from water restrictions,’ said RCC general manager, Phillip Rudd.
The dam is the region’s primary water source and is currently at 85 per cent capacity. Level one water restrictions usually start when the dam reaches 60 per cent (https://rous.nsw.gov.au).
‘Rous’ existing water sources can cater for the demand for water in the short to medium term,’ said Michael McKenzie from RCC. ‘However, RCC has been planning for our region’s longer-term needs. The Future Water Strategy (FWS) is based on three key actions, which are to: maximise water efficiency through demand management and conservation; investigate increased use of groundwater as a new water source; and, investigate the suitability of water re-use as an additional new water source.
‘Other options, such as the Dunoon Dam, may be reconsidered if these three key actions can’t meet our region’s longer-term needs, at an ecological and sustainable long term cost to the community.’
In the meantime rather than the state government and councils limiting the population to the available water supply, residents are being asked to buckle in and improve their water efficiency.
Water saving tips
RCC suggests that residents follow its 9 Neat Ways to Save Water: conservatively water gardens and only before 10am and after 3pm; use a trigger nozzle for all hoses; take shorter showers; install a rainwater tank; wash cars with a bucket and on the lawn; taps off and plugs in when washing dishes or teeth; use recycled water or rainwater for laundry, toilets and gardens; use water-efficient appliances; and, fix dripping taps.
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