I've never seen a number cause such a dramatic reaction. Brace yourself, you're about to read it.

One-hundred-thousand.

The moment this number is mentioned as Tamworth's future population trajectory, people start freaking out. 

The common catch cry is: "We don't have enough water as it is". 

While that might be true, it doesn't mean it will always be true, and it doesn't mean we should stall all other developments. The water issue will be solved (and the more pressure we put on all levels of government, the sooner it will be).

And while we're solving it, we can start planning and designing what this city is going to look like in 20 years.

People have cited a lack of water as a reason not to build a university campus in the city, a proposal put forward by the University of New England. Let's be honest, the additional 500 people the university would attract, among a city of 60,000 is a drop in the ocean - and a number of those students would already be locals.

Solving the city's water security issue and planning for its future isn't an "either or" question, we can do both at the same time.

If we keep up our annual growth rate of one per cent (which is extremely conservative), the Tamworth Local Government Area will have another 15,000 people in the next two decades - at the very least.

Given growth begets growth, we could be looking at an extra 30,000 to 40,000 people. We need to set aside land for new schools and supermarkets. We'll need a bypass to keep travellers and trucks off the city's arterial roads - and we need to upgrade those roads before the upgrade is needed.

The 100,000 number is convenient because it's a figure that forces us as a community to sit down and think about what happens if we do get there.

The state government has already stated its intention to turn Tamworth in to a 100,000-inland capital of the north.

This is happening. So it's time to get comfortable with the number.