Water Minister Dave Kelly today announced that the regional shires of Moora, Morawa and Irwin will share in more than $353,728 in grants, in the latest round of the McGowan Government's $3.2 million Community Water Supplies Partnership Program. The latest round of grants will provide over $1 million in new funding for projects to improve local water security and will assist regional communities in managing the impacts of climate change
Many communities in the State's Mid-West and northern Wheatbelt have experienced significantly reduced rainfall due to the impacts of climate change. The Community Water Supplies Partnership Program is part of the McGowan Government's ongoing commitment to ensure our farmers have access to reliable agricultural and emergency livestock drinking water sources.
Funding will assist rural communities to adapt to changing rainfall patterns by establishing infrastructure that maximises the efficient use of available water resources.
A grant of $100,000 will help the Shire of Irwin to expand their emergency water supplies through the construction of three new water tanks, two new bores and an upgrade of an existing bore - helping the community to better prepare for the impacts of climate change.
Two individual grants of $100,000 will contribute to the cost of improving the Shire of Moora's recycled wastewater irrigation supply system. The two projects will improve wastewater reuse management and increase volumes of fit-for-purpose water for irrigation purposes in the town.
Funding of $53,728 will help with the cost of completing the Shire of Morawa's emergency water supply project. This project will secure a reliable fit-for-purpose water supply in the Morawa-Yalgoo area of the Shire through the installation of a new bore, a submersible pump, a solar pump system and four new tanks. The project will assist with emergency water for livestock and firefighting needs in the region.
The Community Water Supplies Partnership Program, which is funded in partnership with local government, provides up to $100,000 per project for local government and community groups to develop off-farm community water supplies.
The $3.2 million Community Water Supply Partnership Program is a collaborative program between the Commonwealth and Western Australian Governments.
Since May 2019, more than $3.9 million has been spent by the McGowan Government on direct water carting to water deficient areas to support emergency livestock needs.
A further $2.64 million has been spent on developing and upgrading 113 strategic community water supplies and government-owned water sources since June 2018, and another $1.5 million for partnerships with local government to upgrade and develop local community water supplies.
In November 2021, the McGowan Government announced an additional $10.5 million in funding over the next two years for projects to help secure additional off-farm non-potable water supplies for agricultural communities, including the upgrade and refurbishment of 70 agricultural area dams from the Mid-West through to the Wheatbelt and Great Southern.
As stated by Water Minister Dave Kelly:
"Congratulations to the successful grant recipients. Improving water management will help manage the impacts of climate change in our regional communities.
"Communities who adapt to alternate water sources will benefit from not having to rely on drinking water for non-potable needs."
As stated by Agricultural Region MLC Darren West:
"The Community Water Supplies Partnership Program with local governments is an important initiative for regional communities who need to ensure water is readily available for livestock, as well as important community amenities.
"I congratulate the shires of Moora, Morawa, and Irwin for their proactive approach to both conserving and developing water supplies.
"I would like to thank Minister Kelly for the investment and his continued work in conserving water in these communities."
