Three water workshops, with top experts in their field, have presented examples of sustainable water management to both Council and the community in the last three months.
In the recent water combined forum and Meet the Candidates event, eleven council candidates learned about a variety of water saving schemes, then afterwards outlined their position on Tweed water issues.
Councillors Youngblutt, Skinner, and Polglase were absent from these three forums nor have they produced one expert to support their proposed Byrrill Creek dam option.
Current State and Federal policies recommend to diversify and decentralise water supply so you rely on multiple sources of water, reuse water efficiently, and use appropriate water quality for different needs. These policies target new urban developments and are best applied at the early planning stages but this hasn’t been happening with approvals in the Tweed.
During the last three years this shire has been faced with the two huge massive development approvals, Kings Forest & Cobaki, which together will bring around 25,000 more people to Tweed. The Tweed is missing out on golden opportunities to apply sustainable water solutions for our future developments that would at least delay and possibly avoid the need for any new damming.
What is needed right now is a Council that will actively pursue sustainable options.
Joanna Gardner
Uki
