ARMIDALE Dumaresq Council has reassured the community it still supports saving Dumaresq Dam despite deferring a decision on its future.
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The dam has been in the spotlight since 2012 when the NSW Dams Safety Committee identified a potential for failure of the dam wall in the event of a catastrophic flood event.
A consultancy firm subsequently identified four options for addressing the issue, including reinforcing the wall in order to retain the recreational facility in its current state.
Months of community consultation found residents overwhelmingly supported this option, and at its meeting on Monday night the council was expected to endorse this plan, estimated to cost in excess of $3.5 million.
But at Monday’s meeting Cr Margaret O’Connor moved to delay the decision while the council sought more information about a review into the dams safety committee, and looked into funding assistance.
Deputy mayor Herman Beyersdorf told The Leader yesterday that the council had unanimously supported the option of reinforcing the wall, but would be irresponsible if it didn’t look at every avenue before proceeding with such a costly exercise.
That includes writing to water minister Kevin Humphries about whether the review into the dams safety committee was likely to yield any variation in the safety criteria for the state’s dams – and potentially lead to a reassessment of the likes of Dumaresq.
Funding avenues for the remediation works will also be considered.
Monday’s deferment has angered sections of the community, including the Armidale Dumaresq Ratepayers Association, which circulated a petition during the community consultation period in support of keeping the dam in its current form.
The group’s Maria Hitchcock said the council “had a history of delaying important decisions to the point where they become far more expensive” and was appalled there was no prior notice of Cr O’Connor’s amendment.
“Cr O’Connor’s amendment to delay the decision is now likely to result in a blowout of the final cost of concrete buttressing the wall,” she said.
“Her explanation that it will save ratepayers money is quite frankly ludicrous.”
But Cr Beyersdorf has assured the community the issue “won’t drag on forever and a day” and if council has to proceed with remediation, it will begin work as soon as possible.
Tamworth Regional Council, which is in a similar position with Dungowan Dam, is also seeking clarification from the government about the timing of any action it must take.
