Securing our water supply will be the focus of newly re-elected chairperson of Rous County Council, Keith Williams.

At Rous County Council’s annual election last week, Ballina Shire Councillors Keith Williams and Sharon Cadwallader were unanimously voted in as chairperson and deputy chairperson.

This will be Cr Williams’ third and final term as chairperson before the New South Wales local government elections next year. 

“I look forward to leading Council as we consolidate our efforts so far to meet the challenges ahead, especially with regard to securing water in the long term in a way that is sustainable for the community and the environment,” Cr Williams said.

Councillors are elected for a four-year term with the chairperson and deputy chairperson being elected annually by the councillors.

Cr Cadwallader said she was honoured to have been elected deputy chairperson for an organisation that has gone from strength to strength since its amalgamation. 

“Alongside the chairperson and councillors, I look forward to working for the community to provide the best service possible for the region’s bulk water supply, weed biosecurity and flood mitigation,” she said.

Rous County Council is governed by eight councillors with two nominated from each of its constituent councils of Ballina, Byron, Lismore and Richmond Valley. 

Rous County Council’s other six councillors are Cr Vanessa Ekins (Lismore City Council), Cr Basil Cameron (Byron Shire Council), Cr Simon Richardson (Byron Shire Council), Cr Darlene Cook (Lismore City Council), Cr Sandra Humphrys (Richmond Valley Council) and Cr Robert Mustow (Richmond Valley Council).

About Rous County Council 

Rous County Council (RCC) is a multipurpose county council delivering bulk water, weed biosecurity and flood mitigation services to the Northern Rivers of NSW. RCC’s constituent councils are Lismore, Ballina, Byron and Richmond Valley: 

• Bulk water: The regional water supply authority. It provides water in bulk from its principal supply sources at Rocky Creek Dam and Emigrant Creek Dam servicing around 100,000 people. 

• Weed biosecurity: The local control authority for weed biosecurity. Operations cover an area of more than a million hectares including Kyogle and Tweed shires, which are serviced by agreement with those councils. 

• Flood mitigation: The flood mitigation authority across the local government areas of Ballina, Lismore and Richmond Valley. 

RCC also operates Richmond Water Laboratories in Lismore, providing professional sampling and analytical testing services for water and soil to NSW councils, private industry and the public. 

The laboratory is National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited. For more information, visit http://www.rous.nsw.gov.au / http://www.waterlab.com.au