Funding released for NSW Mid Western region

The NSW Government and Mid Western Council are collaborating to deliver a clear pathway to bolster water security for Mudgee and Gulgong.

The NSW Government and Mid Western Regional Council are collaborating to deliver a clear pathway to bolster water security for Mudgee and Gulgong. Early planning works are underway to help build a greater understanding of the region’s water challenges.

This is thanks to a $330,000 partnership between the NSW Government’s successful Safe and Secure Water Program and the Mid-Western Regional Council, which contributed $165,000 each.

The area, home to about 26,000 people, has expanded significantly over the past 5-10 years and is expected to continue growing.

“Mudgee and Gulgong will soon become one of the fastest growing inland regional centres in NSW, which is why we must look at how an increase in population will impact water availability, particularly in the context of climate change,” NSW DCCEEW Executive Director of Infrastructure Development Lisa Hingerty said. “The first step in ensuring towns have the water infrastructure they need is to take a deep dive into the health of their current water supplies and the risks and challenges with increased demand over the short and long term.

“Having accurate data at our fingertips is key to planning for the future and ensuring that we provide Mudgee and Gulgong with the right support to ensure they continue to have safe and secure water.”

This early phase of the project focuses on water availability, water usage, and how an increase in population will impact water supply over the short and long term.

It includes an assessment of population growth and water demands, which will be critical to securing the region’s water future.

“Teaming up with the NSW Government to assess the water supply in Mudgee and Gulgong will allow us to look at what we need to do to support population growth that will set us up for the next few decades,” Mid-Western Regional Council Mayor Des Kennedy said. “This project is just one piece of the puzzle and will benefit the community by providing us with the latest data that will inform how we improve water security for local families and businesses, including new infrastructure.

“It is great seeing this project gaining momentum, and I look forward to seeing the results so we can kick our water planning into the next gear.”

The NSW Safe and Secure Water Program supports over $1 billion worth of projects across the state, with more than 260 in various delivery stages.

Related Articles:

Send this to a friend