Central Tablelands Water (CTW) has welcomed the recent joint funding announcement by the Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, and the NSW Minister for Water, the Hon Rose Jackson MLC, of $7.7 million for the completion of a rescoped final business case for the Belubula Water Security Scheme.
The final business case will ensure greater water reliability and increased drought resilience for residents, businesses, agriculture and the environment throughout the region. The final business case will consider:
Raising the Lake Rowlands Dam wall toincrease storage from 4.5 gigalitres to 8 gigalitres, securing water for Central Tablelands Water’s consumers and assisting Orange with their town water security needs.
A new pipeline between Lake RowlandsDam and Carcoar Dam which could transfer up to 2 gigalitres of water per year,capturing spills and boosting supply.
Building a new dam 2.5 kilometres downstream of Lake Rowlands.
Operational rules for an interregionalpipeline connecting the Belubula andMacquarie Valleys.
The Chairperson of CTW, Cr AndrewRawson said, “This recent joint funding announcement of $7.7m to proceed with the final business case is very welcome news. Preliminary works for the final business case first commenced in late 2021 and then the project was put on hold in March 2023 following the change of government (state) of which a review of all capital projects was conducted. Now that the review has been completed, it is extremely pleasing to have both Minister Plibersek and Minister Jackson reaffirm their joint funding commitment to this vital regional water security project.”