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🇦🇺 Australia /Energy & Infrastructure

Councils bar thirsty renewable energy zone from accessing town water

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Rural councils in Australia are refusing to supply town water to renewable energy projects.
  • They demand that new water infrastructure be built before providing water for the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).
  • Councils cite concerns about exceeding treatment capacity and water shortages during peak demand, with one mayor accusing the state government of prioritizing projects over local needs.

Renewable energy projects in Australia's New England region face a significant hurdle as rural councils refuse to allocate town water for their construction. The councils are insisting that the state government commit to building additional water infrastructure before any water is supplied to the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).

There's been this really glacial pace by the government to deliver some enabling water infrastructure. It's almost as if they're hoping the REZ will just slide through, and us, as a bunch of yokels, will wake up and wonder how the hell that happened.

— Sam CouplandArmidale Mayor Sam Coupland expresses frustration with the state government's slow progress on water infrastructure, highlighting concerns about local needs being overlooked in favor of renewable energy projects.

EnergyCo's water study reveals that between 2028 and 2032, the REZ will require substantial daily volumes of potable water for concreting and worker accommodation. However, the study found that the treatment capacity of Uralla and Walcha councils is insufficient to meet this demand on top of existing needs. All four affected council areas also face challenges supplying the required volumes during peak usage periods, such as summer.

Armidale Regional Council has taken a firm stance, passing a motion not to allocate water to renewable energy projects until water security issues are resolved. Mayor Sam Coupland criticized the state government's "glacial pace" in delivering necessary infrastructure, accusing them of prioritizing projects over local residents. He emphasized that while the REZ offers benefits, a failure to address enabling infrastructure could be "catastrophic."

This is one of those few occasions where they need us more than we need them. They're hosting the REZ in our region, and granted it'll bring some significant benefits … but it could be catastrophic if the government does not front-run this enabling infrastructure.

— Sam CouplandMayor Coupland emphasizes the leverage local councils have in the water infrastructure debate, warning of potential negative consequences if the state government fails to proactively address the REZ's water needs.

The council has proposed a Water Security Package, including restoring a dam and raising another, and is seeking government funding. Coupland stressed that the councils are not blocking renewable energy but are advocating for responsible development, stating, "We're not blocking renewable energy, we're saying by all means come forward, but you have to do it the right way."

We're not blocking renewable energy, we're saying by all means come forward, but you have to do it the right way.

— Sam CouplandMayor Coupland clarifies the councils' position, stating they support renewable energy but insist on proper planning and infrastructure development to ensure water security.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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