By SONJA KOREMANS
EMU Swamp Dam is at risk of never being built unless council fast-tracks a business case for the $80 million water supply.
Eight months after the dam gained federal approval, the project appears to have stalled, with Southern Downs Regional Council allocating insufficient funds to conduct a swift business plan required to secure multi-million dollar government funding.
Federal Member for Maranoa Bruce Scott has delivered a blunt message to the council – get on with the business proposal or risk being turned down on funds for a dam intended to serve as an economic lifeline for the Stanthorpe region.
The SDRC has budgeted $10,000 to begin door knocking state and federal governments for capital so far, with a business plan estimated to cost at least four times that amount.
“I would urge council to complete it’s Emu Swamp Dam business case as soon as practically possible,“ Mr Scott said.
Securing government funding is a highly competitive environment, and projects that drag the chain with submissions risk being disregarded over others,“ Mr Scott said.
“Government keeps grinding on both state and federal levels and there will be other communities that also want funding for a dam project submitting business plans and showing commitment.“
The co-ordinator general Barry Broe approved the dam’s construction in September last year, and Mr Scott said council’s next phase didn’t require many months to complete.
“It doesn’t need to take a long time to get a business proposal out, this dam has been 20 years in the making, so most of the hard feasibility work has been done.“
The SDRC’s case is required to set out how the dam will provide water security for the region and supplement the economy by providing water for the horticultural and agriculture sectors.
Mayor Peter Blundell remains tight lipped on whether SDRC intends to prioritise the business case in its upcoming budget, after admitting last week that council debt had blown out to $31 million.
Cr Blundell this week declined to comment on the dam’s progress, despite previously claiming that it was one of the most significant projects in the SDRC’s history.
The dam would be located on the Severn River, between Fletcher Road and Emu Swamp Road, 5km north of Ballandean and 15km south-west of Stanthorpe.
It is expected to provide 750ML of urban water supply and 1740ML to irrigators each year.
Water principal Lex Applegren from Jacobs engineering consultants said experts with environmental economics, water and accounting expertise would be required to work on the council’s submission.
“There are lots of things to tick off for this dam, but until you have that business case document to find the money, it’s hard to achieve anything else,“ Mr Applegren said.
Jacobs, which has briefed council on the ins and outs of the dam, estimates a business plan would cost at least $40,000.
Southern Downs councillor Vic Pennisi, who has been heavily involved in the dam project for many years, said a business plan was progressing.
“We have already started down the path of developing a pitch to government, we haven’t decided who will put the final bits of information together but, we have a number of stakeholders at the table,“ Cr Pennisi said.
He said if the business plan required more money, growers might be asked to pitch in.
“If there is a shortfall on the cost of a business proposal, I am not certain where that money will come from, we may ask the growers to find the extra funds.“
“We have already been allocated $10,000 in last year’s council budget for some of the work, and a business plan may only cost that amount to complete.“
