Regional WA town awarded $100,000 water grant

New pumps, pipes, tanks for a trial desalination plant for the Shire of Dumbleyung will be funded by a $100,000 state community grant to improve water accessibility and offer an alternative water supply.

Western Australia Water Minister, Dave Kelly, announced that the Shire of Dumbleyung will receive the $100,000 in funding through the State Government’s Community Water Supplies Partnership Program.

Many communities in the state’s Wheatbelt have experienced significantly reduced rainfall due to the impacts of climate change. The Community Water Supplies Partnership Program is part of the State Government’s ongoing commitment to ensure farmers have access to reliable agricultural and emergency livestock drinking water sources.

Funding through the program assists rural communities to adapt to changing rainfall patterns by establishing infrastructure to maximise the efficient use of available water resources.

The Shire of Dumbleyung will receive $100,000 in funding to connect new tanks, pumps, pipes, and a swipe-card system to a new trial desalination plant, to improve water accessibility for the local community. The Shire is also contributing $47,425 towards the total cost of the project.

The Dumbleyung desalination trial – funded through the State Government’s WaterSmart Farms program – is delivered through a partnership between the Shire, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Murdoch University, and Water Corporation to provide an alternative water supply for the local community.

In November 2021, the State Government announced an additional $10.5 million in funding over two years for projects to help secure additional off-farm, non-potable water supplies for agricultural communities through a range of initiatives, including the Community Water Supplies Partnership Program.

The Community Water Supplies Partnership Program provides a maximum of $100,000 per project for local government and community groups to develop off-farm community water supplies, and has so far funded 29 projects in regional communities since November 2021.

The $3.2 million Community Water Supplies Partnership Program is a collaboration between the Federal and Western Australian Governments.

Mr Kelly congratulated the Shire of Dumbleyung on its successful grant application.

“This project is a great example of how the Community Water Supplies Partnership Program with local governments helps rural communities adapt to climate change, by establishing infrastructure that maximises the use of available water resources,” Mr Kelly said.

Agricultural Region MLC Darren West thanked Mr Kelly for his continued investment into regional Western Australia.

“Our communities are at the forefront of the effects of climate change, and I’m delighted that the McGowan Government is delivering on real solutions to help secure our water future,” Mr West said.