Earlier this week Mayor Vic Pennisi was on Channel 7 Toowoomba talking about, no prizes for guessing, Emu Swamp Dam.  I found myself wishing that the Mayor could be clearer in talking about the different options for water security in the Granite Belt, because in fact there does happen to be more than one option on the table.

So I thought I could help the Mayor out with some speaking notes on water security, to make the message a little less muddy.

The modelling clearly shows that Emu Swamp Dam would have been empty in the last drought.  This was made clear in a presentation by the Department of Water to Council in November 2020, so the Mayor is fully aware of this.  The Mayor cannot claim that this modelling is biased or inaccurate, because it is based on Granite Belt Irrigation Project’s own modelling.

What this means is that Emu Swamp Dam does not offer a secure supply of water for Stanthorpe during droughts.

James Lister in his recent speech to parliament said “if Stanthorpe is to grow, if Stanthorpe is even to remain viable as it is now, it needs a solution to its water problem.”  Agreed.  The lack of a secure water supply is a major deterrent for prospective new businesses, something other regional centres have had to face up to in recent times.  We may also be at the point where this will limit the development of new residential housing around Stanthorpe.

So if the Mayor was to speak more plainly to Stanthorpe residents about water security, he could try statements such as:

Continuing to support a private irrigation dam for a handful of irrigators may mean that Stanthorpe misses out on an alternative, such as a pipeline, that would provide actual water security for residents.

Existing and new businesses in Stanthorpe that need a reliable town water supply are not as important as getting funding for a private dam for a small group of irrigators.

Even after paying $250 million for Emu Swamp Dam, in a re-run of the last drought we would still have to truck water to Stanthorpe at considerable expense.    

Another option already shortlisted in the Regional Water Assessment is extending the Toowoomba to Warwick (T2W) pipeline to Stanthorpe.  Unlike Emu Swamp Dam this option would provide water to Stanthorpe residents and businesses during a drought.  But our Mayor refuses to engage with this option even though, if the funding was done on the same basis as the T2W pipeline, it would cost far less to ratepayers than Emu Swamp Dam.

It’s time for the Mayor to speak plainly.  If he cares about Stanthorpe residents and town businesses he needs to pursue all options that safeguard us in a drought.  If he also wants to push Emu Swamp Dam then that is a separate issue.  But a plain speaking Mayor would also start talking about options that do actually provide water security for Stanthorpe. 

7 July 2023