- The Shires of Jerramungup, Kent, Kondinin and Moora will receive over $270,000 in funding through the Community Water Supplies Partnership Program
- To date almost $4 million in funding has been committed to 34 local governments in dryland agricultural areas to boost local community water supplies
- The new water security projects will support climate resilience in our agricultural regions
Four Shires in the Dryland Agricultural Area will share in more than $270,000 in funding as part of the latest round of Community Water Supply Project funding.
The Shire of Jerramungup will receive $64,974 to install new 184,761 litre and 23,000 litre tanks, a remote-controlled irrigation controller system for monitoring purposes, new pipe connecting a solar pump from the Jerramungup Sports Club Community Dam to the proposed new tank, and upgrades to the sporting field irrigation system.
Harvested water will be used for spraying, oval marking and other activities relating to the upkeep of the oval and will substitute current demand for scheme water.
Jerramungup is a strong sporting-oriented community, and the oval is an important community asset. The oval is used all year by various sporting clubs, schools, community and for entertainment events. The water will be available for use in an emergency for farmland water supplies and emergency firefighting.
The Shire of Kent will receive $29,250 to install two 50,000 litre tanks, pipe work and a solar pump. The tanks will be filled from the Quartermaine Dam. Currently to access Quartermaine Dam, local farmers and firefighters travel down a 500-metre track. The new tanks will enable easy access to emergency water without having to access the dam.
The Shire of Kondinin will receive $77,899 for water infrastructure at two sites - Kalgarin Dam and CBH Hyden.
At Karlgarin Dam, a new 275,000 litre tank will be installed along with a submersible pump, floating pontoon, diesel generator and shelter. The water will be pumped from the dam into the tank and will be available for emergency firefighting and farmland supplies and public amenity.
The tank will also allow water to be stored during periods of high rainfall and used during dry periods. The tank will assist in reducing stormwater flow into the Roberts Road dam which, when at capacity, currently causes flooding, erosion and waterlogging to businesses and surrounding farmland in heavy summer rains.
A solar pump at the Hyden CBH drainage basin will be installed as well as a submersible pump, floating pontoon, generator and shelter. This will enable sufficient watering of the towns sporting precinct.
The Shire of Moora will receive $100,000 to install a new pipeline as Phase 2 to the previous CWSP WW Pipeline - Phase 1 (finalised June 2023). The project will upgrade the remaining 80mm pipe with 125mm pipe.
Moora has a recycled wastewater system in the townsite, which is the main source of irrigation for APEX Park, the football and hockey ovals. Currently, the system runs very low on water towards the end of the hot season. The existing pipe that pumps water from sewer dams to the recycled wastewater dam is very small and ruptures periodically affecting this irrigation system.
The Community Water Supplies Partnership Program provides financial support to allow rural communities to adapt to changing rainfall patterns by establishing infrastructure that maximises the efficient use of available water resources.
The Community Water Supplies Partnership Program is jointly funded by the Cook Government and through the Commonwealth Government's National Water Grid Connections Funding Program.
As stated by Water Minister Simone McGurk:
"The Community Water Supplies Partnership Program provides important funding to develop innovative water security projects that benefit our rural communities.
"These projects are crucial for regional communities so they can secure water for important irrigation activities and also ensure there is a local water supply in emergency scenarios.
"The State Government has committed $4 million in funding for 34 local governments through this important program, which helps build climate resilience in agricultural regions."
Comments attributed to Agricultural Region MLC Darren West:
"Congratulations to these Shires for taking steps to ensure they have water supplies for emergency situations and their efforts to strengthen water security in their communities.
"These important projects provide many benefits to the community, including increasing public amenities for sport and recreation."
