NSW Government still "adamant" - no water for Howard, Turnbull & Co.

According to Phil Koperberg, NSW Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water, the Federal Government is underestimating proposed water diversion costs from the Clarence River to south-east Queensland and the Mann River to the Border Rivers region.
In today's terms, the former would likely cost in the vicinity of $3,500 per megalitre per annum and the latter might cost around $2,100 per megalitre per year.

In addition:

"Based on current data, the options to dam the Clarence River or Tooloom Creek are highly unlikely to provide reliable supplies of water for export to south east Queensland during periods of drought. In critical months, such as November, when demand for extraction is greatest, flows are reduced to a point where they would not adequately fill the proposed storages.

I am advised that the minimum flow estimates used to prepare the latest Australian Government report are based on information that is not current and, in fact, overestimates the percentile flows in the listed areas. The results were that the inter-basin proposals are feasible, but very expensive and that there are significant environmental issues. This is not different from the 1981 study.

Further, as you would be aware, the next 25 years will see the north eastern part of NSW undergo rapid growth with water security a key issue to be considered. Also, it is anticipated that augmentation of water supplies may be necessary to meet the expanded population needs for the next 50 years.

The NSW Government is adamant that the social and environmental needs of our State should take priority over any proposed interstate water transfers."

[Koperberg,P,letter to JM Melville,dated 24 July 2007]