Australian Government invests in New South Wales water projects

The provincial government of New South Wales (NSW) has received AUD$500m ($495.8m) in funding from the federal government of Australia to undertake major water infrastructure projects across the state.

The funding was disbursed in line with a AUD$708m of state-led priority projects agreed in principle in 2008.

New South Wales Minister for Primary Industries and Small Business Katrina Ann Hodgkinson said, "The $500m will now be directed to four major projects led by NSW DPI and the NSW Office of Water."

The funding will be split across four major projects, which constitute the NSW Sustaining the Basin Projects, led by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and the NSW Office of Water.

The NSW Metering Project will receive AUD$197m to augment installation and/or upgrading of metres in the NSW Murray Darling basin, which will lead to regulating the groundwater sources and will also monitor and oversee utilisation of allocated groundwater.

The NSW Healthy Floodplains Project will receive AUD$50m towards development of valley-wide floodplain management strategies.

Meanwhile, AUD$83m will be allocated to the Irrigated Farm Modernisation Project to improve improve farm water infrastructure in northern NSW.

Works already underway at the AUD$7m pilot project in the Gwydir and Border Rivers will also be further expanded.

The Basin Pipe Project will receive AUD$137m ($135.8m) to help save 27 billion litres of water by replacing the current open and domestic delivery systems with pipelines.