Beardy Waters Dam will welcome experts from WaterNSW on 6 November as part of a collaboration with Glen Innes Severn Council aimed at enhancing the monitoring and safety of local dam infrastructure.
The visit is part of WaterNSW’s partnership with local councils under the NSW Government’s Town Water Risk Reduction Program (TWRRP), an initiative from the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
“One of the big lessons from the most recent drought is the water sector must collaborate more closely to build expertise and provide better access to niche skills outside normal local government functions,” said Fiona Smith, WaterNSW Executive Manager of Strategy and Performance.
She continued, “One of those niche but critically important functions are the five-yearly risk reviews required under the Dams Safety Act 2015 to protect local communities and dam infrastructure. WaterNSW is a national leader in the water sector, operating most of the large dams in NSW, which is why our experts are well placed to help councils and local water utilities identify risk and fast-track improvements to dam safety and water quality.
“The site visit to Beardy Waters Dam is the first step in our partnership with Glen Innes Severn Council. We’re delighted to have our team working alongside Council officers to advise on their next risk review of these important local dams and to advise on other potential compliance improvement measures,” Fiona said.
Collaboration at the Heart of TWRRP
The Town Water Risk Reduction Program brings together the expertise of major entities in the water sector, such as WaterNSW, to offer local councils additional support for improving water security, quality, and reliability.
“Collaboration is at the heart of the Town Water Risk Reduction Program. We are working hand-in-hand with local water utilities to develop solutions that will help local communities lock in a safer, more secure, and sustainable water supply,” said Jane Shepherd, DCCEEW Director of Local Water Utilities.
“Tapping into the expertise of WaterNSW is a great example of how we are doing this. As managers of some of the biggest dams in the state, they understand the challenges of drought, flooding, and water quality better than anyone else,” she explained.
“This is why we have brought them on board to provide extra support at the grassroots level to improve the way we’re monitoring water source quality, to give local water utilities more time to adjust their treatment processes when conditions change.”
WaterNSW has received NSW Government funding under the TWRRP to collaborate with Local Water Utilities (LWUs) on dam safety risk assessments and to help enhance the monitoring of water quality. Through this program, DCCEEW offers continuous support and expertise at no cost to LWUs, including training for water operators and funding for plant upgrades.
