At $480-million, the new Dungowan dam will be the most expensive dam per megalitre ($21.3 million) built in Australia.
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A report by Water NSW shows that for an additional $46 million, the dam could be doubled in size to 40GL, dropping the price per megalitre to $13.15 million.
However, when the idea was put to Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson, he flatly refused to even consider it, stating "the time for talk is over".
It's disappointing Mr Anderson was instantly dismissive of the idea. As the region's elected representative, he has an obligation to consider not just the current wellbeing of his community, but its future wellbeing.
Let's fast forward a decade or two. The new dam is built, our population has expanded. We find ourselves in the middle of another devastating drought, and the city finds itself in the same position it's in now.
Do we really want to be looking around asking why we didn't at least investigate if the dam could have been bigger?
Mr Anderson says "it's time to get on with it". But given we only have a vague timeline of finishing it by 2024 and no designs drawn up, it's hard to see how an inquiry about its size would slow the process down any further.
There are plenty of reasons why it might not be possible to expand Dungowan Dam beyond 22.5GL.
There's the Murray Darling Basin cap, which restricts how much water can be taken from each valley. The dam may not have an effective yield at 40GL, or at that size it may push up against the old dam wall's footings, creating a safety issue.
But we won't know unless we ask the question.
If extra funding is the issue, that's fine. The dam can be designed so a future upgrade is possible - just like Chaffey Dam has been designed so it can be upgraded by 20 per cent to 120GL.
For Mr Anderson to not ask the question - regardless of the reason, whether it be fear of rocking the political boat or "getting on with the job" - is a disservice to his future community. Hopefully he reconsiders, and asks this simple and necessary question.