IRRIGATION infrastructure in NSW received a $350 million cash injection from the State and federal governments today.
The funding was jointly announced by State Water Minister Kevin Humphries and federal Senator and Parliamentary Secretary for Environment Simon Birmingham as part of the water recovery strategy in the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
Senator Birmingham said the funding will flow into existing irrigation efficiency programs.
“The new package will include expanding the successful NSW Irrigated Farm Modernisation Project, introducing a new round of funding under the Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operators Program and boosting funding under the Commonwealth On-farm Irrigation Efficiency Program for NSW.”
Mr Humphries said improved water efficiency would boost economic viability of local communities by “allowing irrigators to maintain or improve productivity, adapt to reduced water availability and provide water back to the environment through upgrading irrigation infrastructure”.
The funding allocation includes:
- Expanded Irrigation Farm Modernisation Project $28m
- Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operators Program (Round 3) $100m
- On Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program (Round 5) $125m
- Southern-connected Metering Project $31.5m
- Infrastructure Projects – to be confirmed
Senator Birmingham said the Commonwealth is contributing an extra $125m of funding, to bring total water recover funding for NSW to nearly $1.5 billion.
Mr Humphries said water efficiency upgrades would ultimately benefit local industry and communities.
The NSW government is “improving the long term sustainability of regional communities by allowing irrigators to maintain or improve productivity, adapt to reduced water availability and provide water back to the environment," he said.