Hunter Water accused of neglecting reservior to build case for half-billion-dollar dam project

Sydney Morning Herald

Hunter Water has been accused of deliberately engineering a drop in reservoir water storage levels in order to strengthen the case for the proposed $477 million Tillegra Dam on the Williams River in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley. Despite good rainfall, water levels in the Grahamstown reservoir have dropped by almost 25% from close to full capacity in May 2008.

Hunter Water has denied any motive connected to the Dam, saying pumping from the river did not occur initially because of good storage levels, and, later, due to algae blooms and a pumping station upgrade project. However, the No Tillegra Dam Group and New South Wales Greens remain unconvinced Hunter Water has optimized pump-based water harvesting.

posted by seamas on September 6, 2010 at 7:28 am · filed under