Published on Tuesday, 25 August 2026 at 12:48:10 PM
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
25 August 2026
Shire of West Arthur receives $95,180 to upgrade bore infrastructure, storage and monitoring systems to improve drought resilience.
The Shire of West Arthur has been successful in an application through the Community Water Supplies Partnership (CSWP), which is jointly funded by the Federal and State governments as part of the National Water Grid Fund.
The project consists of infrastructure upgrades to the Gorn Road and Rees Road bores, including the installation of two solar-powered bore pumps, two swipe card metering systems, and a 200kL storage tank at Gorn Road. These upgrades will improve water reliability and management during shortages, enable effective monitoring, and protect water quality to strengthen drought resilience and support agricultural productivity across the south of the Shire.
Shire President, Cr Karen Harrington, said “It was identified in the Shire’s Non-potable Strategic Community Water Supplies Report that the improvement of infrastructure at Gorn and Rees Roads would enable the bores to be a reliable water source for emergency stock water and fire-fighting purposes.”
“It is estimated that the Shire’s current demand for fire-fighting water is over 5,000kL per year”, she said. “Add to that the water used for stock water purposes, which is estimated to be 300,000kL over the five-month summer period, there is a lot of water that needs to be drawn from water sources throughout the Shire.”
“The Shire of West Arthur thanks the State and Federal Governments for the funding, which will result in better water security in the south of the Shire. The $95,180, along with the co-contribution of $39,909 of cash and in-kind labour and plant from the Shire, sees the south of the Shire receiving a significant project in the 2026/2027 financial year.”
Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Hon Murray Watt, said “this funding investment will strengthen community water security, bolster emergency fire-fighting capability, and reduce reliance on scheme water supplies.”
“This funding will help local governments deliver practical projects that improve water security, support community infrastructure, and strengthen emergency response capability,” said Minister for Water Daniel Pastorelli.
**ENDS**
Media Contact
Cr Karen Harrington
Shire President
Shire of West Arthur
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