With water levels yesterday at Cataract Dam 35.3 per cent of capacity and Cordeaux Dam 37.8 per cent, there’s renewed calls for decisive action from the state government.
Campbelltown MP Greg Warren said water minister Niall Blair needed to address the “crisis’’ engulfing the two dams that served the residents of the Macarthur region.
Mr Warren said the minister had offered no solutions when he appeared on radio on the weekend to discuss the dams.
“It’s clear that Mr Blair is out of his depth regarding his portfolio,’’ Mr Warren said.
According to Mr Warren, Mr Blair told radio listeners:
- “It’s too simplistic to identify one or two dams and say they are at a low point and therefore we need to panic.”
- “We don’t play politics with water because it’s one thing that can put uncertainty through communities and at the moment we are not at that stage.”
- “This is a number one priority for the NSW Government but we take expert advice on board and we don’t rush in unnecessarily to try and cause panic throughout our community.”
- “People should always treat water with respect – it is a precious natural resource.”
- “Organisations like Sydney Water are constantly reminding residents how they can be water wise.”
Mr Warren denied that he had raised the dams issue to “cause panic or play politics’’.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“I did so to highlight the issue so the minister would actually address the problem,’’ the Campbelltown MP said.[/social_quote]
“I have written to Minister Blair on multiple occasions and raised a question on notice in parliament – but I have not received one reply.
“Residents in Campbelltown and Macarthur don’t expect Minister Blair to panic – they just expect him to actually do his job.”
The lib government has had no foresight whatsoever. You can’t keep building new housing estates without thinking about water security, but that’s what’s happening. Between climate change and housing we are in a lot of trouble here in this region.