Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan is calling for action from the New South Wales Government on the water infrastructure backlog in the region and across the State.
Mr Moylan said the Minns Labor Government has committed no new funding to the former Coalition’s $1.1 billion Safe and Secure Water Program, which is the only dedicated fund for regional water projects.
In the meantime locals have been left with major issues, as their councils cry out for funding.
“Glen Innes has constant problems with the quality of its water, particularly during our summer months,” Mr Moylan said.
“Uralla has the same problem, Guyra has the same problem.
“Further west, we have Warialda with PFAS, running off emergency bores.
“Gravesend has significant problems with its water supply as well and Armidale from a water security and storage capacity point-of-view as well.
“If the government does not start investing in our water infrastructure we’re going to have significant problems and those problems are already on us now.
“Unless the government starts paying attention and starts helping councils to invest it’s going to get too difficult for those councils.
“It shouldn’t be on ratepayers to maintain safe and reliable drinking water.”
The multi-billion dollar backlog will be felt ever harder with more dry conditions ahead across the Northern Tablelands, according to Mr Moylan.
“The current forecast is we will remain dry for at least the next six months,” Mr Moylan said.
“I expect we will see a deterioration in the quality of water in towns like Glen Innes and Guyra.
“It will be safe to drink but it will be cloudy and murky. None of us like to turn the tap on and drink brown water.
“None of us like putting the washing on and pulling our clothes out when they’re brown.
“It’s a massive issue for us and the government has got to start paying attention and investing.”
The NSW Nationals and Liberals have unveiled a $5 billion investment into regional water infrastructure over the next decade.
NSW Shadow Minister for Water and Crown Land Steph Cooke said the government has no answers for the issue.
“We’re in a situation where we’re facing a hot summer ahead and we have many communities across NSW who are at risk,” Ms Cooke said.
“I’d love to see bi-partisan support for the work we’ve undertaken in the last three-and-a-half years.
“The sector has been very honest about the challenges they’re facing and now it’s up to the State government to match what we’ve done or exceed it.”
Shadow Minister for Health and Regional Health Sarah Mitchell MLC said it’s a basic human right to access clean drinking water.
“I’ve heard reports from some communities around rashes and skin irritations. These are real issues people are dealing with in regional communities,” Mrs Mitchell said.
“It needs to be sorted and that’s why I think the Nats plan to really invest in our water infrastructure in rural and regional communities is absolutely important and it’s something we will push very hard.”