Residents of the small village of Biniguy, 20 kilometres east of Moree, will soon have a safe and reliable potable water supply connected to their homes.
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The huge win follows the $3.96 million Biniguy Potable Water Project being given the green light at a Council meeting on August 23.
NSW Government awarded Moree Plains Shire Council funding for the project under the Restart NSW Water Security for Regions program to connect the village to town water, which is expected to be completed early 2019.
The project entails mains water being piped 11.5km from the Pallamallawa Water Supply to two 60kL reservoirs at Biniguy.
A reticulation system will then be installed throughout the village of Biniguy, enabling residents to connect to a safe and reliable treated water supply.
Mayor Katrina Humphries explained the decision by council to proceed with delivering the project was undertaken following extensive community consultation, where the project received overwhelming support.
“Not only do the residents want a secure supply of water, but they need it urgently,” she said.
Council’s project team visited Biniguy in August to host a community information session where project plans were on display and residents could obtain answers first hand prior to completing a survey.
Cr Humphries remarked that this was an exciting time for the village of Biniguy, as for the first time in the village’s history, it will have a safe and secure water supply.
“There is literally no time like the present for council to deliver this project.
“The 100 per cent funding from the state government is unprecedented, and residents are seriously struggling with their current water supply due to drought conditions and poor quality bore water.
“Without this funding, council would never have been able to undertake a project of this magnitude,” Cr Humphries said.
Council’s acting director of engineering Graham Macpherson went on to explain that residents were excited about the opportunity to be connected to a treated water supply, as the bore water and rain water tanks were not currently satisfying their needs.
“Residents have been buying in bottled water for drinking and cooking and have been forced to replace appliances regularly due to corrosion.
“Some have even filled in swimming pools due to the poor quality of the bore water,” Mr Macpherson said.
“Once they are connected to the town water supply, residents will have the best of both worlds – a safe, treated supply for use inside the home, and the flexibility to be able to still utilise bore water elsewhere, including on gardens.”
The project will not only deliver a water supply for domestic use, but will also shore up the village’s fire-fighting abilities with hydrants installed throughout the village and a clean and reliable water supply provided to the Biniguy Rural Fire Station.
“This project has the ability to make a significant difference to the community of Biniguy, making residents’ lives a little easier and taking the stress out of property owners having to provide and maintain water infrastructure in drought times where water availability is at risk,” he said.
