News

Rous County Council Secures $6.9 Million Grant for Bungawalbin Levee Remediation

11 July 2024

Rous County Council is pleased to announce the approval of a grant totalling up to $6.9 million under the Natural Disaster Relief Assistance Program (NDRA) and State and Commonwealth Government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. 

The funding will facilitate the remediation of the Bungawalbin Levee, an 8km earth levee that protects properties along the eastern side of Bungawalbin Creek and in some instances around to Swan Bay and towards Rocky Mouth Creek. 

Located between Woodburn and Coraki in the Richmond Valley Council area, Bungawalbin Levee protects against minor and moderate floods. Recent damage to the levee, notably from the flood events of 2017, 2021, and 2022, emphasised the levee's importance while prompting Rous and community concern.

“This investment in Bungawalbin Levee comes after considerable effort from the community and Rous to highlight its importance. An independent assessment of the levee, funded by Rous, has paved the way for this significant investment. Bungawalbin Levee is highly valued by floodplain landowners and residents for the service it provides,” said Cr Robert Mustow, Rous Chair.

Rous County Council will collaborate with NSW Public Works to finalise the scope of the remediation works, ensuring optimal utilisation of the grant across the levee. This initiative follows successful repairs to the Tuckombil Levee which protects Woodburn and surrounds from flooding from Tuckombil Canal and the Evans River, also funded through the NDRA and disaster recovery arrangements.

The Tuckombil Levee repairs were guided by specialised geotechnical advice on how to repair the levee and what material to use. The repair work was then independently inspected and assessed when completed. Emergency works were also recently completed on Bungawalbin Levee to repair a section of rock armouring that had slumped following the 2022 flood.

“The repair of Tuckombil Levee is an example of the work Rous does to manage and maintain its large network of historic, rural flood mitigation infrastructure. These levees are an important way of reducing the impact of floods on the mid-Richmond community by reducing inundation of valuable agricultural land, residential properties, evacuation roads and infrastructure. Rous looks forward to continuing this approach in utilising the significant investment now secured for Bungawalbin Levee.” Said Cr Robert Mustow.

Rous County Council looks forward to advancing protection and resilience for the mid-Richmond community against future flood events.

NOTICE OF INTENT: Replacement of water main – Bangalow Road and Paterson Street, Byron Bay

UPDATE: 17 July 2024

This project has been deferred until June 2025.

25 June 2024 (Updated from 13 February 2024)

Rous County Council (Rous) intends to upgrade a segment of the water infrastructure along Bangalow Road and Paterson Street from August to October 2024. This work is expected to take between 8 to 10 weeks to complete. 

During the construction period there will be intermittent lane closures around Paterson Street and Old Bangalow Road. Notifications of dates and times will be provided to road users by visual message boards located on Bangalow Road and updates will be posted on the Rous website and Facebook page.

Emigrant Creek Dam boardwalk closed until further notice

13 June 2024

The recent collapse of a tree across the boardwalk has caused severe damage to its foundations. For safety reasons, access to the boardwalk is strictly prohibited until necessary repairs have been completed.

Due to the extensive nature of the repairs, it is expected that the boardwalk will be closed for a number of months. An update will be posted once the boardwalk reopens.

For more information contact Rous County Council on (02) 6623 3800.

Monitoring our drinking water

12 June 2024

Following the recent media interest in PFAS chemicals in groundwater and other drinking water sources, we know that there is a concern about the existence of PFAS chemicals in the greater Rous County Council (Rous) catchment area. 

We can assure you that all water produced by Rous for the residents of the Northern Rivers region is safe to drink. Rous takes extensive measures to ensure the safety and quality of our water. We adhere to the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) and implement rigorous monitoring and treatment processes in the production of clean safe drinking water for the region. To date, PFAS have not been detected in any raw or treated water samples tested by Rous.   

Our treatment plants utilise advanced filtration and purification methods to remove contaminants, ensuring the water meets all health and safety standards. They are built to treat water to the highest quality possible with the available technology. 

Fortunately, the Northern Rivers is not home to many large, primary sources of PFAS, such as industrial manufacturing hubs compared to other regions of the world. Of course, ongoing environmental analysis and close monitoring of our water supply are crucial to ensuring the preservation of public health and the beautiful region in which we all live.

If you have concerns about the condition of your water, please feel free to contact us if you have any topics you wish to discuss. We value community engagement and are always happy to discuss water quality issues. 

For more information contact Rous County Council on (02) 6623 3800.

Aerial survey

29 May 2024

Rous County Council (Weed Biosecurity) with Tweed Shire Council will be conducting the annual Bitou bush aerial survey Wednesday, 29 May 2024, from Final Head to Byron Bay.

For more information contact Rous County Council on (02) 6623 3800.

Bush Regeneration at Fosters Spur update

24 May 2024

The Bush Regeneration Team has completed Stage 4 of Rous’s long-term regeneration project at Fosters Spur. Stage 4 involved the planting of 2,000 seedlings over an area of 0.6 hectares. 

Since the commencement of the project in 2021, approximately 6,000 seedlings have been planted. The completion of this latest stage brings the current size of the regeneration project to approximately 7 hectares. That’s 2.4 hectares through planting and 4.6 hectares through assisted regeneration. 

Restoring Fosters Spur to native rainforest forms part of Rous’s Buffer Zone Improvement Program to manage water quality at the source. The buffer zone around the dam is the first barrier in protecting against water quality risks and promotes improvements in raw water quality. 

The project also aims to enhance the amenability of the Rocky Creek Dam public park area by removing weed infestations that are visible from the recreational area in what is otherwise a pristine forested environment. The removed weeds included Lantana, Camphor laurel, privet and Buddleja. 

The team’s best practice approach has seen the planting first of pioneer species whose seeds are gathered from the nearby forest floor. These include Pencil Cedar, Brown Kurrajong, Red Camara and Bleeding-Heart seedlings. These are classified as pioneer species as they are the first to return after a disturbance or a clearance on the land. Natural regeneration then takes over to create new rainforest areas that expand into the existing forest. Surrounded by conservation areas, there is confidence that birds and other animals will carry in new species so natural seed recruitment continues.

As a leader and service provider in the community, Rous is setting an example of how a long-term and large-scale ecological restoration project can simultaneously improve water quality and a unique environment of great ecological value. 

Rous attends Australia's leading water conference

7 May 2024

Australia’s premier water event, OzWater’24, has given five Rous employees a chance to learn from the experiences of others and stay at the forefront of new approaches in planning and managing water resources and systems.

This year’s theme, ‘Accelerating Action’, addressed the role water plays in a changing climate, including opportunities to create a resilient and sustainable water future. Communities around the world are increasingly facing water availability challenges, including the Northern Rivers. Despite our region’s typically high annual rainfall, our water resources are under pressure and our future water security is a strong focus for Rous.

As we experience more unpredictable weather and with more people wanting to call the Northern Rivers home, Rous must act now to manage our drinking water supplies and develop new supply sources for the future. Conferences like OzWater are an opportunity to discuss these issues and develop new ways to build resilience. The Rous employees who attended the conference represented our water planning, delivery and security teams.

The three-day conference and exhibition featured international and national keynote speakers, scientific and technical papers, case studies, workshops, panel sessions and presentations.
Ozwater’24 is the largest water conference and exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere, run annually by the Australian Water Association. OzWater’24 was held from 30 April – 2 May in Melbourne.