Nationals Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke is calling on the NSW Government to deploy a temporary water treatment plant to Narrandera, with neither the State nor Federal Government committing to fund a permanent infrastructure solution.
The call follows a Roundtable hosted by Ms Cooke in Narrandera on Sunday, attended by Federal Nationals’ Leader Matt Canavan, Federal Shadow Water Minister Michael McCormack, Nationals candidate for Farrer Brad Robertson, and concerned residents.
Residents used the meeting to share firsthand accounts of the health and quality-of-life impacts they say are linked to the town’s ongoing water quality issues.
Karin Olsen told the roundtable she began experiencing health problems shortly after moving to Narrandera.
“I turned up three and a half years ago, and within three days, I was as sick as a dog,” she said.
“I went to the local chemist, and she said, ‘You’re not drinking the water, are you?’”
“As a 57-year-old, I’ve never experienced eczema, dermatitis, dry hair, [and dry] nails. In the last three and a half years, I’ve had episodes of contact dermatitis, and I’ve had eczema.”
Another resident, Polly Rombola, brought bottles of discoloured water collected from her home to demonstrate the issue to attendees.
“You turn your bathroom tap on in the morning, and this is what you get met with,” she said.
“You get in the shower, and all of a sudden, you look at the floor, which is white, and it’s not. I’m white-haired, and I get out and the hair’s brown.”
Ms Cooke said the testimonies reinforced the urgent need for immediate action while longer-term solutions are developed.
“There is no doubt that the water quality in this town is the number one talking point, and it’s the number one thing holding this town back,” Ms Cooke said.
“We know that even with a funding commitment, construction of a water treatment plant will take time, so we must see a temporary solution in place so residents can be afforded the basic dignity of clean water.”
Ms Cooke has been working closely with Narrandera Shire Council, which recently secured $908,000 in Commonwealth funding, matched by Council, to develop a business case for a permanent water treatment plant.
The funding was awarded following the Council’s second application to the National Water Grid program, after the NSW Government declined to endorse the initial submission, causing significant delays.
“The NSW Government walked away from Narrandera when it mattered most by declining to support the original Commonwealth funding application,” she said.
“With conditions now worse three years on, delivering a temporary water treatment plant is the very least they can do.”
Ms Cooke said the experience also demonstrated the need to reform the application process.
“The National Water Grid criteria needs to be changed to cut out state governments as the middleman for applications,” she said.
“They are clearly an impediment to councils like Narrandera getting access to funding that they need to improve the water infrastructure in their towns right across NSW.”
Senator Canavan said he was “gobsmacked” that a regional town along the Murray-Darling system was facing water security concerns.
“All Australians deserve access to basic essentials, especially people who live in a good-sized town like Narrandera,” he said.
