Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure

As part of the $12.9 billion of national investments in the plan, Water for the Future, the Australian Government has committed $5.8 billion to increase water use efficiency in rural Australia. Investment will be principally directed towards projects that:

deliver substantial and lasting returns of water for the environment
secure a long-term future for irrigation communities, and
deliver value for money in the context of the first two tests.

The Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure program initiatives will also help irrigation communities make early adjustments in anticipation of the new Murray-Darling Basin cap on water extractions.

Activities under this program include:

State priority projects

On 3 July 2008 the Australian and state governments finalised the Intergovernmental Agreement on Murray-Darling Basin Reform to secure a sustainable future for the Murray-Darling Basin

The Australian Government has agreed in principle to provide close to $3.7 billion for significant state-based water infrastructure and reform projects in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT, subject to a due diligence assessment of the social, economic, environmental, financial and technical aspects of the projects.

Council of Australian Government reforms:

Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operators Program in New South Wales

The Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operators (PIIO) Program in New South Wales is one of the major elements of the Inter-Governmental Agreement on Murray-Darling Basin Reform.

The Program aims to acquire water entitlements resulting from water savings generated by the implementation of eligible projects to improve the efficiency and productivity of water use and management, both off and on-farm, by private irrigation infrastructure operators, and which also secure a sustainable future for irrigation communities.

These projects will allow private irrigation infrastructure operators and their customers to minimise water losses and manage their water allocations more efficiently. They will also assist dependent irrigation communities to adapt to a future scenario of reduced water availability due to climate change.

The PIIO Program in NSW builds on earlier Australian Government investment in:

Irrigation Modernisation Planning Assistance
The Irrigation Modernisation Planning Assistance program provides an opportunity for Irrigation Water Providers to access funding of up to $500,000 to obtain independent professional expertise to assist in the identification and consideration of options for increasing the efficiency of their irrigation distribution system.
For more information see - Irrigation Modernisation Planning Assistance
Irrigation Hotspots Assessment Project
This project developed a Technical Manual which outlines hotspots assessment methodologies to identify the nature, location and amount of water losses (known as “hotspots”) in existing channel and piped irrigation delivery systems and to identify potential water savings.
For more information see - Irrigation Hotspots Project

Menindee Lakes Project

The Australian Government has made a commitment to invest up to $400 million to reduce evaporation and improve water efficiency at Menindee Lakes; secure Broken Hill's water supply; protect the local environment and heritage; and return up to 200 Gigalitres (GL) to the environment.
For more information see - Menindee Lakes Project