Planning our water future

Our water security and delivering durable water infrastructure is the number one priority outlined in Blueprint 100, our shared vision for Tamworth. Today we are kicking off our Tamworth Water Security Plan project with the first phase of community engagement now underway.

The Plan will identify options to improve Tamworth, Kootingal and Moonbi’s water security. This will include infrastructure to be built as well as non-infrastructure options such as changes to the way water is allocated to us.

“Project Manager Naomi Schipanski says water is essential for our community to thrive and making sure we have a water system that meets the needs of our growing community is the purpose of the Tamworth Water Security Plan being developed.

“Tamworth is expected to grow significantly in population, housing and employment over the next 30 years. To achieve this, communities and businesses require confidence that water sources are reliable and able to support future demand.”

"Currently, our water supply is dependent on the weather. During periods of average rainfall, it works well, however during periods of extended drought our system is vulnerable. We need to plan for Tamworth’s growth with a water supply system that is reliable and sustainable.”

Council will investigate all supply and demand options available for Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal, engage with our community and work closely with government agencies, industry experts and agricultural, business and other large water users to develop the plan.

Technical investigations are well advanced, the next step is to engage with the Tamworth community to understand what we value about water at home, at school, for business, for our public spaces and our health and wellbeing.

“The first phase of engagement is about learning together. We want to make sure our community understands our water system and where our water comes from. On the other hand, we want to understand what’s important to our community in terms of water supply and use, as this will be a key part of our decision-making about the supply and demand options we consider.”