$5 Billion Plan to Fix Regional Water Crisis

Member for Cootamundra and NSW Shadow Minister for Water, Steph Cooke, has put forward a plan to address the growing backlog of regional water infrastructure projects across the state, including those in the Cootamundra electorate. Ms Cooke has proposed investing $5 billion in water infrastructure over 10 years to address water insecurity and support future housing growth in the regions through a first-of-its-kind fund. The Royalties for Regional Water Fund (RRWF) would replace the previous Safe and Secure Water Program, with mining royalties going towards the design and construction of regional water projects. The fund would be enabled by new legislation, which, if passed, would require successive governments to continue investing in the sector so that no community is left behind. The Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) has welcomed last week’s announcement by the NSW Opposition of a promise to invest $5 billion over ten years to address town water infrastructure in regional NSW. The chairman of the CMA, mayor Rick Firman said that about one-third of CMA member councils are also Local Water Utilities, providing drinking water to the almost 3 million people that live and work in remote, rural and regional NSW. “Currently, most are struggling to meet the costs associated with upgrading existing facilities or building new water treatment plants,” Cr Firman said. “These facilities which are essential to housing growth, cost millions, and the CMA maintains that councils and water county councils need more investment from the State to address the challenge.” “I commend the genuine consultation from NSW Shadow Water Minister Ms. Steph Cooke in the lead-up to this announcement. “The Cootamundra MP met with councils and county councils right across the state to gain a holistic understanding of the challenges being faced in delivering the standard of drinking water that our communities have the right to expect.” According to the NSW opposition It would be the largest-ever 10-year investment in regional water in the state’s history. Ms Cooke said that regional NSW simply cannot build new homes, attract skilled professionals, and grow its economy without reliable water infrastructure. “Across regional NSW, housing growth, industry, local economies and job creation are being stifled by infrastructure that has reached its limits, and whether it be ageing, failing or non-existent, this crisis is jeopardising the health and liveability of existing residents.” Cr Firman added that local water utilities are in desperate need of investment to upgrade and build new facilities. “Since COVID, many remote, rural and regional communities have seen a surge in population which has increased demand for new housing and as a result, quality drinking water,” he said. “While the NSW government is understandably focused on housing, every new house requires a connection to drinking water. “Every resident of NSW should have access to quality drinking water. “This announcement from the NSW Opposition is a big step in the right direction to ensure that happens.” Ms Cooke said that the RRWF, built upon the previous NSW Safe and Secure Water Program has been developed to replace ageing infrastructure, support regional housing development and industrial growth, invest in training in water infrastructure management, and respond quickly to emergencies. “Over the past four budget cycles, the NSW Minns Labor Government invested no new funds into the primary funding program that builds and replaces water infrastructure in regional NSW,” Ms Cooke said. “The latest prediction from Local Government NSW (LGNSW) is that the infrastructure backlog has blown out to $5 billion, including local projects such as the Boorowa pipeline and the Narrandera Water Treatment Plant. “I want to see the state government return to investing in projects that ensure regional, rural, and remote people have access to safe, clean drinking water and manageable sewerage systems. “We cannot tackle an infrastructure shortfall without building infrastructure. “It’s as simple as that, and the longer these water infrastructure projects are left unprioritised, the more ratepayers will pay in the future. That is why I’m proposing this new fund.”

$5 Billion Plan to Fix Regional Water Crisis

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