Mayor welcomes boost to region's water security

February 2015

Orange mayor John Davis has welcomed the NSW Government’s decision to fund two major water pipeline projects.

Deputy Premier and Regional Infrastructure minister Troy Grant, Water Minister Kevin Humphries and Member for Orange Andrew Gee announced $38 million funding to build two new water pipelines.

The program includes:

• Orange City Council and Central Tablelands water to begin building a water pipeline from Orange through Millthorpe to Blayney and Carcoar. The total project cost is $35.78 million.
• Cabonne Shire Council begin to build a water pipeline from Orange to Molong Dam and from Molong to to Cumnock and Yeoval. The total project cost is $23.42 million.

“These projects are the next step towards delivering water security for the 59,000 people who live in this region for the next fifty years”, Cr John Davis said.

“Towards Carcoar we’ll be building a two-way pipeline that can send water in either direction, according to where it’s needed. The line towards Yeoval will be a one-way system. If there was a break-down in water treatment facilities anywhere between Carcoar and Yeoval, drinking water can be sent from another source to meet that need.”

“The councils of the central west have been taking a regional approach to designing the system we need to deliver water security, and I’m delighted the NSW Government has thrown its weight behind us.”

“Our local member, Andrew Gee, has worked hard to get support for these projects which will have long-term benefits for the people of the central west.”

“As well as getting us through the drought times that will come again in the future, water security is about underpinning our local economies so that local businesses can know there are steady sources of water.”

“On the short-term too there are benefits for the local economy to have another major injection of government investment in major infrastructure projects,” Cr John Davis said.

“This funding comes on top of projects such as the airport upgrade, the Macquarie Pipeline, the Aquatic Centre, the northern bypass, the regional museum and the Anzac Park stadium which have all had spin-offs for local jobs and benefits for the business economy.”

“Since 2011 projects worth more than $160 million have come about through partnerships between Orange City Council and the State and Commonwealth governments.”