New South Wales Government
Water and Energy

• Urban water
• Metropolitan water
• Country town water
  • Local water utilities
  • Programs
    • Water and sewerage
    • Aboriginal communities
    • Drought relief
  • Planning and best practice
  • Technical support
• Saving water
• Recycling water
• Plumbing
• Review and reform

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2. Urban water
3. Country town water
4. Programs
5. Drought relief

Urban Water

Drought relief for country towns

The Department of Water and Energy (DWE) works in partnership with local water utilities (LWUs) in regional NSW to manage town water supplies during drought. In NSW, LWUs are responsible for water supply to country towns and villages.

Local water utilities have the responsibility to manage their water supplies and, where necessary, impose restrictions to maintain essential demand and avoid the need for cartage of water.

When country town and village supplies are threatened by drought or blue-green algae outbreaks, the NSW Government will help LWUs maintain a basic supply to their consumers. DWE will provide technical assistance and aid to LWUs in applying for financial assistance from the Government.

Types of assistance available

Technical or financial assistance may be provided to assist in the preparation of drought management plans, manage depleted supplies, to implement emergency capital works or to cart water, depending on the particular situation.

Emergency capital works may be recommended as the best solution to the local water utility's water supply problem; these might include emergency bore supplies, temporary or permanent connection to another source or water supply scheme, or the development of new water sources.

Current Assistance

NSW has been in continuous drought since 2001. During periods of drought the Government provides technical and financial assistance to local water utilities to maintain essential water supplies. In pursuit of the key result that urban water supplies are reliable and secure, the prime objective of DWE is to ensure no town runs out of water.

For the year 2007–08 DWE approved more than $6.9M for emergency drought works including $642,000 for water cartage. The drought situation in the second half of 2007–08 generally improved with welcome widespread rain over the summer.

The major projects for which funding was approved include construction of the Cowra to Woodstock emergency pipeline ($2.25 million), groundwater investigations for Bourke ($275,000), emergency drought investigations and design works for Orange ($390,000) and construction of an emergency bore at Ivanhoe ($200,000).