The Australian Government has committed $20 million towards a package of 5 projects. The total package cost is $45.1 million. The Western Australian Government and partners are contributing $25.1 million.
Mukinbudin siding tanks – one of the smaller-scale projects delivered as part of the Agricultural Area Dams and Strategic Community Water Supplies project through the WA Connections Package. Image credit: Dirk Sellenger, Shire of Mukinbudin.
Project overview
The Water Infrastructure for Sustainable and Efficient Regions (WISER) initiative will deliver water security outcomes in numerous regions across Western Australia including Albany, Esperance, Jurien Bay and various dryland agricultural regions.
It is expected that these projects will:
- improve the availability or quality of drinking water for more than 55,000 people.
- secure non potable water sources to build resilience in at least 28 communities, including in drought affected areas.
- enable more sustainable management of groundwater resources.
- reduce water losses by improving efficiency.
Western Australia water infrastructure projects under the WISER initiative include:
- Community Water Supplies Partnership Program with local government
- Developing at least 28 new and improved non potable water supplies in priority areas for farming communities to access.
- Agricultural Area Dams and Strategic Community Water Supplies
- Constructing infrastructure facilities such as pipework, tanks, and pumps. This will increase resilience and water security in farming communities in various dryland agricultural regions.
- Jurien Bay Water Security Upgrade
- Equipping a bore and installing a permanent water treatment plant and pipeline. This will improve water quality and availability for around 1,500 people in Jurien Bay in the wheatbelt region of Western Australia.
- Esperance Water Security Upgrade
- Equipping bores and installing supporting infrastructure to improve water reliability and quality for around 16,000 people in Esperance, on the Southern Ocean coastline of Western Australia.
- Albany Water Security Upgrade
- Equipping bores and installing supporting infrastructure to provide additional water for over 40,000 people across Albany, Mt Barker, Kendenup and Denmark in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. The project will improve the reliability of the existing scheme and help to meet increasing demand by transitioning to a more sustainable water source.