The project is jointly funded by the Australian Government ($2,500,000) and New South Wales Government ($2,500,000). Australian Government funding is provided through the National Water Grid Fund.
The preliminary business case will investigate the feasibility of several water supply options to support population growth and improve climate resilience for the NSW Far North Coast region.
Project overview
Population growth has put pressure on town water supply systems in the Far North Coast region of New South Wales. Due to climate change, extreme dry periods are likely to increase and place further pressure on the region’s water supplies.
The preliminary business case will investigate the feasibility of several water supply options to improve the region’s climate-resilience. Options for consideration include:
- connections between bulk water supply systems to efficiently share water supply infrastructure
- a large regional desalination plant or smaller modular desalination plants
- connecting towns that currently run independent water supply systems to the Rous County Council bulk supply network
- using the Toonumbar Dam to augment town water supplies
- connecting the regional water system to the South East Queensland water grid.
These options have the potential to boost water security to the region by tapping into additional reserves to reduce the risk of water shortages and ensure residents have access to a reliable water source.