Tamworth has been the focus for many communities this week as the host of the 80th Annual Conference of the Murray Darling Association at Tamworth War Memorial Town Hall.
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The river systems of the Murray Darling Basin are the lifeblood of many communities and they have been represented here.
The basin sustains our agricultural activities, supports biodiversity, and is crucial for our water supply.
We are, of course, all aware of the challenges facing the Basin - from droughts and water management issues to environmental sustainability.
Conferences like this provide us with the opportunity to collaborate and find innovative solutions.
It is essential we work together - governments, councils, industries, and communities - to protect and manage our precious water resources effectively.
One of the most talked about issues during the week has been the Australian Government's water buyback scheme for the Murray-Darling Basin.
It is part of the updated Murray-Darling Basin Plan which sets limits on how much water can be extracted or diverted from the system's river network.
The Federal Government wanted to buy back water entitlements from farmers in the southern Murray-Darling Basin to keep more water in the river network and improve the environment.
I did hear NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson in a media interview suggesting a "more expansive view" was needed.
She described water buy backs as a "cheap and easy solution" and while she agreed with the goal of more water for the health of the river system there are "alternatives which have not been considered".
It is essential we work together - governments, councils, industries, and communities - to protect and manage our precious water resources effectively.
To me this means a multi-pronged approach.
One part of the picture needs to be more invested in water recycling.
It's no secret that Tamworth Regional Council has been looking into the viability of a major water purification facility.
The facility would recycle saline effluent (resulting from local food processing or protein sector industries) to produce high purity water for industrial use.
It would give our region a great step forward in improving our water security. Industry would be able to use the purified water and we would save drinking water for use by householders.
It is an innovative step forward for our water security which the council is not prepared to walk away from.
While we are pushing forward with seeking government help to fund this facility there are also other solutions we also pursue.
