Pool top ups
We live on the "Otherside" of Chaffey Dam and we have NO water like many others in our community. With the little rain we had around Christmas time we were lucky enough to be able to put some water in our pool for our 6 kids to cool off. BUT now with the drought back in full force, Chaffey down to about 25 per cent we have pumped the water out of the pool and into our water tanks. This has been used up and now we are having to buy water, not cheap by any means, for 6 children and 2 adults and some stock. This is how we have been living for 18 months now and it's not just us, it's many many people in our community. Brushing your teeth with bottled water when the tank's empty, flushing toilet only when you have to, turn the tap on to wash your hands and nothing comes out, driving to Tamworth, 120km round trip, to fill a 1000 litre water shuttle that has to last 2 days, when you can't afford over $300 for half a tank of water.
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So to all the people in Tamworth worried about the level of their precious pools, PLEASE spare a thought for those not fortunate enough to have town water, who struggle everyday being without water, the huge expense to have water delivered and the heartbreaking reality the impact of the drought is having on so many! There really isn't enough water for luxuries.
Jo Meredith, Bowling Alley point
Medical Cannabis
I would love to see medical cannabis legalised. My best friend's daughter-in-law died from being given opiates for pain relief after a minor procedure. She went into a coma and by the time the care worker realised that she wasn't just sleeping she was in a coma and brain-dead leaving two young children, one only months old.
It is criminal to deny such a natural pain killer and nutritionally needed natural plant when people are dying of opiate reactions. Especially for the children whose epilepsy is so helped by this.
Liora Claff, Lismore Heights
Drought & water shortage
The current prolonged drought simply highlights the fact that our various governments (federal and state) should re-visit the "Snowy mountains era" and initiate a plan to dam our eastward-flowing rivers where appropriate and divert water to the inland.
A "blueprint" is there to follow in what has been achieved in the Snowy Mountains but no government seems to be interested to even restart a "conversation". As has been proven through the "Snowy" development the potential benefits are immense, water security, population growth, new and/or bigger towns.
Sir Earle Page, a well-respected Country Party leader, about a century ago, pleaded for plans to be formulated to create water storage in the upper reaches of the Clarence, Burdekin and other significant river catchments and divert to the inland.
Possibly the matter of cost will be raised but we may have to divert some other proposed funding, eg some from "defence" perhaps. It would be a matter of priority.
Bob Scherf, Tamworth
Letters to the Editor
Letters on election issues must bear the name and full address of the writer. Writers should disclose any alliance with political or community organisations and include their phone number for verification.
