More community input papers released on water management plans

THE NSW Government continues to deliver on a key Basin Plan commitment, with the release of two more Status and Issues papers for community input as part of the water resource planning consultation, water planning and policy acting group director Dr Christobel Ferguson announced.

“Water users and the broader community in two water resource plan areas are invited to comment on the Status and Issues paper for their respective catchment, prepared as part of the development of the region’s water resource plan,” Dr Ferguson said.

“The release of Status and Issues papers is the first step in developing each region’s water resource plan by identifying the water resources in the area.

“This includes identifying issues around water availability, access and sustainability, as well as looking at existing planning mechanisms.

“Each paper defines the status of the water resources and lists existing water issues for consideration in the water resource planning process in each respective region.”

Regions covered by this round of consultation are the NSW Murray (alluvium) and the Namoi (alluvium).

“I urge all stakeholders from the above areas, particularly groundwater users, to comment on the Status and Issues paper for their respective region and to submit additional issues for consideration during the preparation of the water resource plans.”

Dr Ferguson said NSW had set strict principles guiding the development of water resource plans.

“The plans must balance social, economic, cultural and environmental needs of the local communities.

“Stakeholder feedback is critical to delivering on those principles and meeting the needs of local water users,” Dr Ferguson said.

The exhibition period is open until Friday, April 28. All written submissions, from brief emails to full technical papers, are welcome and will be given full consideration.