Tillegra Dam unsustainable, unneccessary and unjustified

Saturday, 07 July 2007 00:25

TEC Urban Campaigner Mr Leigh Martin said "it is clear that Tillegra is not needed as investigations by Gosford and Wyong Councils have identified options that are cheaper and less environmentally damaging than a new dam on the Williams River. It is also clear that the Councils don't believe that water from Tillegra would be available anywhere near soon enough to solve their problems. The whole rationale for Tillegra Dam is thus rendered invalid”.   

The need to provide water to the Central Coast has been presented as the key reason for construction of the Tillegra Dam, however, WaterPlan 2050 provides clear options to secure water supplies for Gosford and Wyong without depending on supply from a regional dam in the Hunter.

"Recycling combined with improved demand management and a wider rollout of rainwater tanks offers a superior approach to future water management for both the Hunter and the Central Coast," said Mr Martin. "The principal barrier to the adoption of this sustainable approach appears to be political. Decisions on future water supplies should be based on sound water management principles not short term political considerations", Mr Martin said.

TEC has called on the NSW Government to abandon Tillegra Dam and instruct Hunter Water to focus on sustainable water management.

“Tillegra Dam will be little more than an environmentally disastrous white elephant. The Government should tell Hunter Water to abandon this crazy idea and get on with the job of managing water resources in the Hunter sustainably”.