Baan Baa residents today welcomed the long awaited news that their village is to have a water supply.
Member for Barwon, Mr Kevin Humphries, announced that the NSW government had allocated $2.2 million for the project which will see the installation of a reticulated supply to homes and businesses throughout Baan Baa.
The $2.2 million will be matched by a $2.2 million grant from Whitehaven Coal which was provided to Narrabri Shire Council as part of the Voluntary Planning agreement (VPA.)
The installation will have the capability of ultimately providing water connections to 400 sites.
“This is fantastic news” said president of Advance Baan Baa, Des Barton.
“The water supply will underwrite Baan Baa’s growth. We are already getting inquiries from people who want to build and live in Baan Baa.”
The community had lobbied for the water supply for years, he said.
The long-term water supply for Baan Baa has been secured with the NSW Government allocating $2.2 million to support new potable water supply to the town, Minister for Natural Resources, Lands and Water Kevin Humphries announced today.
Mr Humphries said the NSW Government has allocated half of the project’s $4.4 million cost through the Water Security for Regions program to allow Narrabri Shire Council to undertake works to increase the reliability and security of the water supply to local households and businesses.
“This project will help to improve economic growth and productivity in the region, while providing greater access to water for our communities,” Mr Humphries said.
“Baan Baa currently uses rain water tanks, and this project, led by Narrabri Shire Council, will provide the community with a new, cost effective and secure mains water supply.
“This funding will provide permanent potable water from a new groundwater bore about four kilometres away from the township which will deliver reliable and secure water supplies.
“This is extremely welcome news for the local community, who have been lobbying for well over a decade to obtain a secure water supply.
“The project will benefit local households and businesses, allow for expansion to meet the needs of the area’s growing mining industry, and ensure that water supply to the wider area is not compromised.”
Mr Humphries said the NSW Liberals and Nationals Government has reserved $366 million under Water Security for Regions to help towns and regional industries deal with drier conditions.
Successful projects are selected by a Regional Independent Assessment Panel, with preference given to those with the best and most timely impact on water security.
Advance Boggabri chairman Mr Des Barton said the campaign for the Baan Baa water supply had been underway for years and had been supported by several key people.
These included Cr John Tough, who successfully moved for the re-allocation of Whitehaven Coal VPA funds from a proposed Tarriaro bridge upgrade to the water supply project, Cr Lloyd Findley, the mayor Cr Conrad Bolton and the Director of Engineering Services, Mr Andre Kompler, among many others.
The quest for a Baan Baa water supply goes back to the 1930s, and experienced a resurgence of interest from time to time over the ensuing decades.
More recent costings found the project would be too expensive for the council’s budget and it was put on the back burner.
The influx of VPA funds from coal mining and the emergence of the mining industry, with its epicentre around Baan Baa re-activated the proposal.
The shire council undertook a survey of Baan Baa residents before embarking on the project to ascertain the level of support for a water supply in view of the ongoing cost to residents.
The survey revealed 73 percent were in favour, Mr Barton said.
“The provision of a water supply will see development for Baan Baa ” he predicted.
“I have already fielded several inquiries from people interested in building here.”