• North Coast Water (Lower Clarence County Council) is responsible through the regional water supply strategy for providing an affordable, secure and environmentally substainable bulk water supply to meet the needs of the Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour Region.
• This region offers attractive climate and lifestyle - demands on our natural resources must be carefully managed to protect our environment and at the same time provide the services to support the people in our developing area.
• The population of the Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour region which will be served by the water supply is expected to more than double in the next 50 years, from 95,000 to approximately 220,000 persons.
• The separate water supply schemes that now service the Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour need to be upgraded to ensure a reliable, secure supply during drought.
• Our natural river systems need to be protected by not taking water during low flows

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One regional strategy to provide a bulk water supply for the Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour.

This online information service briefly outlines that strategy. Additional information is available by contacting the Regional Project Office on (02) 6643 3999 or local freecall 1800 803 496.

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The strategy will secure a reliable bulk water supply for the region extending from Iluka to Sawtell. It has two key elements: a $122 million bulk water supply project, coupled with a regional water efficiency program.

"Build" Element Regional Water Supply Project

• 30,000 megalitre Shannon Creek storage, approximately 9km west of Coutts Crossing.
• 90 km of underground pipelines linking the Nymboida River with the new Shannon Creek storage, the existing Rushforth Road reservoir at South Grafton and Karangi dam near Coffs Harbour.

"Non-Build" Element Regional Water Efficiency Program

• Exploring and implementing better ways to conserve water, to reduce our water needs and future augmentation requirments.
• A co-operative approach to better water management, by assisting regional co-operation between Councils and Government.
• Investing alternative water sources and new technology, to meet future demands beyond 2021.

The Strategy has been developed by the North Coast Water in partnership with the state government and the community.

Working with the community...
Prior to 1995 Lower Clarence County Council (LCCC - now known as North Coast Water, NCW) and the Coffs Harbour City Council had undertaken investigations of their bulk water needs. Recognising the need to work together to find a solution to the region's future water supply needs, in 1995 the LCCC was expanded and a Regional Water Supply Project Office was established in South Grafton to serve as a focal point for the Strategy's consultation and planning activities for a regional bulk water supply.

Working with the consituents councils...
North Coast Water and Coffs Harbour City are working together to ensure the region has a sustainable, secure and affordable bulk water supply.

The development phase of the regional bulk water supply strategy is being project managed by the Department of Commerce on behalf of NCW.

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In developing this project, extensive studies have been completed and many options investigated and evaluated.

Studies include population trends; water use projections; likely impacts on plants and animals; assessment of Aboriginal issues; economic and environmental appraisals and pipeline route selection.

Various alternatives to taking freshwater from the rivers have been investigated - such as desalination, household rainwater tanks and use of treated greywater (home bathroom and laundry waste water). These options are currently much more expensive than the regional project.

The Regional Water Supply Project has been designed to meet water consumption demands to 2021. This allows more flexibility to use new technologies in the future and to achieve NCW's commitment to pursue alternative water sources as a way of reducing future demands on the river system beyond the year 2021.

This approach enables a reduced cost and minimal environmental impact.

Comprehensive studies show that implementation of water efficiency measures alone will not remove the pressing need to upgrade our water supply. A water storage facility is required, as well as efficient use of water.

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Currently there is no large water storage facility in the Clarence Valley and to meet consumer demands it is necessary to constantly take water from the Nymboida River, even in periods when flows in the river are low.

Coffs Harbour is supplied from Karagi dam, a 5,600 megalitre storage which is filled from the Orara River. The regional project will supplement that system by linking Karangi dam with the Nymboida Weir and the new Shannon Creek storage, using 90 km of underground pipeline.

Under the regional project, when there is ample flow in wet periods, water from the weir on the Nymboida River will be gravity fed by pipeline and held in the Shannon Creek storage until it is needed in dry times.

Water will not be taken from the Orara and Nymboida Rivers during periods of low flow, but will be pumped from the Shannon Creek storage to consumers in the Clarence Valley and to Karangi dam at Coffs Harbour.

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The regional project will assist in protecting the health of both the Nymboida and Orara Rivers, with strict licence controls ensuring that no water is taken from the rivers when river flows are low.

It is NCW's aim to limit the maximum amount of water it will take from the Nymboida River to 20,000 megalitres in any year - less than 2.5% of the river's natural flow.

NCW is working closely with the State Government in implementing the improved management and use of water taken from our rivers.

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A rigorous Regional Water Efficiency Program is the second key element of the overall Regional Water Supply Strategy, and when combined with the infrastructure components of the project, will ensure that the region has a sustainable water supply for the next 50 years.

The Purpose of the Regional Water Efficiency Scheme is to:

• provide a planning framework to effectively co-ordinate water efficiency programs and actions for councils, community and government agencies.
• establish a common ecologically sustainable direction to follow in the region, for providing and managing our water supply.
• manage water efficiently and carefully.
• investigate and reduce reliance on water from rivers, by using emerging technologies for other forms of water harvesting, to benefit river environments.
• make sure the proposed Shannon Creek storage and pipelines designed for the estimated demand for year 2021, when combined with other sources and demand management, will provide a safe and secure supply until at least year 2046.

The regional water efficiency program is being developed with the help of the community. A review and evaluation process will ensure the Program will remain relevant as new technology, information and community attitudes change.

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