Armidale Regional Council advances $500m water security plan

The Armidale Regional Council has taken a major step toward securing long-term water supplies by lodging a scoping report with the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. The proposed project is divided into two stages. Stage 1 involves the reinstatement of the Oaky River Dam and the construction of pipelines to supply water to Armidale and Uralla. Stage 2 involves raising the Malpas Dam spillway by 6.5 metres to increase storage, a move projected to be necessary by 2041.

Mayor Sam Coupland has linked the region's water security to the development of the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ). He stated that the council will not provide water for transmission or construction related to the REZ without a significant state government commitment to fund water infrastructure. Coupland estimates the region requires over $500 million in investment to drought-proof the area, noting that current rainfall levels are approximately half of the normal average.