$7.75million windfall for water project

State member for Barwon Kevin Humphries was in Cobar last Wednesday to deliver a $7.75million cheque to Cobar Shire Council. The grant funding will go towards the  replacement of the Cobar Water Treatment Plant. Mr Humphries is pictured with Cr  Janine Lea-Barrett, Cr Julie Payne, Mayor Lilliane Brady, Cr Tracey Kings, Cr Chris Lehmann and council’s general manager Peter Vlatko.
State member for Barwon Kevin Humphries was in Cobar last Wednesday to deliver a $7.75million cheque to Cobar Shire Council. The grant funding will go towards the replacement of the Cobar Water Treatment Plant. Mr Humphries is pictured with Cr Janine Lea-Barrett, Cr Julie Payne, Mayor Lilliane Brady, Cr Tracey Kings, Cr Chris Lehmann and council’s general manager Peter Vlatko.

Member for Barwon, Kevin Humphries delivered a $7.75million cheque to Cobar Shire Council last Wednesday to help pay for the replacement of the Cobar Water Treatment Plant.

Mr Humphries said the funding was made available through the NSW Government’s Regional Water and Waste Water Program.

“$110million has been provided by the NSW Government to construct modern water and sewerage infrastructure in regional towns across the state,” Mr Humphries said.

The funding will help clear a backlog of projects in country towns affected by ongoing water quality and sewerage problems.

“There are a number of communities across western NSW that have ageing or insufficient infrastructure for their town water supply and sewerage,” he said.

“In small or remote communities, it is difficult for councils to fund this amount of expenditure and so the projects have been put on the backburner for years.

“This funding addresses that backlog and provides infrastructure that will support the community into the future.”

Mr Humphries said the Cobar project will include the construction of a new water treatment plant and the replacement of the raw water and treated water rising mains.

“This project has been on the cards for a long time and it’s great to finally see the funding locked in to provide a secure and reliable water supply to the community,” he said.

The NSW Government’s Regional Water and Waste Water Backlog Program will ensure regional towns have safe and reliable water and waste water services.

The program is part of Restart NSW, which provides funding for critical infrastructure across the state to improve both productivity and competitiveness.

The funding equates to around 50 per cent of the total cost of the project, with the remainder of the funding to be provided by Cobar Shire Council.