Council seeks more water for Urana Aquatic Centre

The Federation Council in the NSW Riverina is seeking to allocate more water to its Urana Aquatic Centre to keep it at a useable level for visitors for the remainder of the summer.

Federation Council Mayor Pat Bourke brought up the item at an extraordinary Council meeting last Tuesday as a matter of urgency, requesting that 100 megalitres be purchased or transferred into the lake.

At present, water from the Aquatic Centre - an artificial lake used for water based and family activities including water skiing, fishing and boating - is used to service the Urana Caravan Park, Urana Swimming Pool, local tree plantations and the Victoria Park Recreation Ground.

As quoted by the Shepparton News, Mayor Bourke stated "the aquatic centre at Urana is a very popular tourist location within our shire.

“Within a month the water will be at a level that won’t be able to be utilised anymore.

“If it’s left until the ordinary February meeting, it takes two weeks to get a license to allocate that water to the pump. That takes us into the middle of March which will be too late.

“I’m looking for some urgent attention, whether it be to purchase water or the utilisation of current available water to get some water in the aquatic centre as soon as possible.

“I believe that there is excess water available and I’d like to transfer 100 megalitres across which would give us that top up until Easter and capitalise on our tourism.”

Federation Council will now investigate the opportunity to utilise excess water from current licences, or purchase it if possible, to maintain current recreational and tourist opportunities across the shire.

Councillors also agreed it was in their best interests to explore more future opportunities including from the NSW Government's recently announced funding package for more sustainable river and lake systems to access more reliable water.

Image: Urana Aquatic Centre. Credit: Federation Council.