A Griffith business has welcomed a potential solution which could help end Lake Wyangan’s blue-green algae woes.
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Relevant stakeholders met last Wednesday to discuss a potential solution, which would involve selling off water used to top up the lake’s supply, the profits from which would go back into a long-term fix.
Griffith Marine Centre Owner Scott Collis said as a businessman, he welcomed the idea.
“I’ve been a part of these meetings for six or seven years now, and we always talk about finding a solution but there has never been any funding for it.
“If this gives us 16 to 18 months of pain with low water levels, so be it. My business is going to cop it more than anybody.”
He said by selling off 1200 megalitres of water and making that money available to the new project officer, Tom Ryan, to help move towards a long-term solution.
“You could put 1200 megalitres of water in that lake today and in a months time it will be on red alert and no-one will want to use it anyway… and in six weeks that water will have evaporated.
“If we can sell that water for around $350,000 to $400,000, council may then put some money towards it, we can approach the Member for Murray Austin Evans for more, then we may be able to raise almost $1 million towards a permanent solution.”
‘Red Alert’ warnings are regularly issued for Lake Wyangan, which has meant the loss of several marquee water events.
Mr Collis says despite the low water level and red alerts, people still could and would use the lake.
“At the same time, I’ve used the lake a lot lower than what it is now, so everyone will still be able to ski there, will still be able to sail there, to fish, we just have to be a bit more cautious in what we are doing.
“This way here the door is half way open and their may be light at the end of the tunnel, especially now we have a guy who knows how to fix it.”
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Griffith mayor John Dal Broi was expected to deliver a mayoral minute to discuss the idea at the last general council meeting, however due to the “complexity” of the issue postponed until the next general meeting in November.
“I will wait until the next council meeting before making a comment on the issue,” Cr Dal Broi said.
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