Like many regional towns in Australia, the towns of Rylstone
and Kandos and the villages of Charbon and Clandulla have
experienced extensive periods of water restrictions. This is
due to a relatively small dam and rainfall variability. This
lack of water security prompted the Mid-Western Regional Council in
New South Wales to engage GHD to investigate alternative water
supply strategies.
GHD considered options such as groundwater, long distance
pipelines from alternative dams, indirect potable reuse and buyback
of water licences from upstream irrigators.
Initially, our team conducted: water demand projections, test
drilling for groundwater, a raw water supply dam hydro-graphic
survey, and a yield analysis of the catchment and consequent water
model of the raw water dam. In the evaluation phase, the team
undertook preliminary design, sizing and costing of each option
(taking into account the important operational, social and
environmental considerations of each proposal).
The project is in its final stages and the results will assist
the council to deliver the optimum solution for the
region.
The local GHD Orange office was able to assist the regional
townships to understand the most appropriate solution to a complex
problem by drawing on engineering and environmental
knowledge from across the country. Due to our local
presence and understanding, GHD has also been given the task to
investigate an alternative reuse strategy for the Kandos sewerage
treatment plant.