Four new projects, 1 common goal – improve water security and quality
Improving water security and quality is at the centre of 4 new NSW projects set to receive a share of $12.8 million in joint funding.
It can be hard to imagine turning on our tap, tasting the water and it being unpleasant. But that’s the reality for the discrete self-managed Aboriginal community of Walhallow, in the North West Slopes region of NSW.
The town’s groundwater supply has a high mineral content, resulting in very hard water. Not only does this impact taste, but it’s also damaging the water infrastructure.
In addition, the community’s wastewater treatment system is declining. Their irrigation and reticulation networks have failed. This has led to wastewater overflows into floodplains, posing serious health and environmental risks.
The new $4.4 million project will:
- improve water treatment effectiveness
- replace the existing reticulation network
- establish a 100% solar-powered wastewater recycling scheme.
Further south from Walhallow, a $5.4 million funding boost will help the Cabonne Council replace a section of pipeline prone to leaks and failures.
When a failure occurs, the towns of Molong, Cumnock and Yeoval must rely on an unreliable backup supply, which can also damage appliances.
The section of pipeline being replaced is 8.8 km long and connects the Molong Creek Dam to the Molong Water Filtration Plant. It will help reduce water loss by more than 2 litres per second.
The final 2 projects receiving funding are key business cases:
- $1.1 million for the Central Tablelands Regional Water Supply preliminary business case, which will:
- consider water source options including groundwater, surface water and recycled water
- investigate linking 3 existing water supply schemes into a single system.
- $1.8 million for the Narrandera Water Treatment Plant detailed business case, which will:
- investigate constructing a new water treatment plant.
Image credit: NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
All of these projects support communities in a meaningful way. They will help to improve water security and quality, providing locals with greater peace of mind for the future.