It seems of all the issues facing Byron Shire, mysteriously, Mullum’s water supply has become THE focal issue for the Byron Council election.
A study commissioned by Council rates of high likelihood, a failure in ailing infrastructure. Even a patch-up job, costing an estimated $14m+, offers secure supply only until 2027.
In order that the citizens of Mullumbimby don’t have to mingle water with the rest of us longer term – and no we don’t have fluoride – total remediation of the existing system is required. This includes construction of off-stream storage and a new treatment plant. Estimated cost is $35m+ with water security to last to 2060.
The cost of permanent connection to Rous is estimated at around $4m, a saving in upfront costs of around $31m. It involves little new infrastructure construction and less energy to run. It is unsurprising that the study and staff recommend connection to Rous.
Councillors, and staff, don’t have all the resources for an analysis of this scope but recourse to the experts is summarily dismissed as doing the staff’s bidding, ‘rhetoric’, even ‘standard right-wing scare tactics’. We could though just keep paying for more studies until we get the desired answers – or until system collapse!
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
