Rous council moves to secure water supply in the region

CRITICAL water infrastructure has been transferred to Rous Country Council to support future needs and supply around the region.

It includes the Marom Creek Water Treatment Plant at Alstonville, with a transfer of assets between Rous and Ballina Shire Council now finalised.

Rous employs expert and advisors in water, weed biosecurity, and rural flood mitigation across the Northern Rivers.

Rous’s general manager, Phillip Rudd, said water supply infrastructure on the Alstonville Plateau, including sought-after water allocation licences, is a strategic step in securing water for the Northern Rivers.

“Consolidating water assets in the Alstonville area and incorporating them permanently into Rous’s supply system will provide the region with greater water security and better cost outcomes for the community,” Rudd said.

“Combining existing groundwater resources and water from the weir into Rous’s network will make better use of the available water,”

The Marom Creek weir holds around 66 megalitres of water and has an estimated average inflow of 30 megalitres of water per day.

It has serviced Wardell, some properties in Alstonville and the Cabbage Tree Island community.

Rous recently constructed a new 220-metre-deep groundwater bore in Wollongbar to access the Clarence Moreton Basin sub-aquifer, located beneath the more widely used Alstonville Basalt Plateau aquifer.

The NSW Government officially granted Rous a new Town Water Access Licence for the deep Clarence Moreton Basin sub-aquifer in March.

Rous’s planning and delivery group manager, Andrew Logan, said it is being designed to maximise the provision of safe drinking water while ensuring that it is affordable, sustainable and reliable.

“Groundwater has the potential to offer the Northern Rivers an additional source of relatively reliable high-quality water, not only in times of drought, but also to meet everyday supply needs,” he said.

“The diversification of water sources supports a more consistent and reliable supply during periods of dry weather, limiting the need for interventions such as water restrictions.”