National Urban Water and Desalination Plan
Water for the Future – Fact sheet
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, 2008
PDF files
The Australian Governments 10-year, $12.9 billion Water for the Future plan provides a national framework integrating rural and urban water issues, to secure the long-term water supply for all Australians.
Climate change is reducing rainfall across much of Australia. Water for the Future is helping major towns and cities secure their water supply and reduce reliance on traditional rainfall dependant water sources by investing $1 billion through the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan to support desalination, water recycling and stormwater harvesting.
Specific projects which will benefit from this funding include:
- $20 million to establish a Centre of Excellence in Desalination in Perth
- $20 million to establish a Centre of Excellence in Water Recycling in Brisbane
- $30.2 million for the Glenelg to Adelaide parklands water recycling project in South Australia, and
- $20 million for the Barwon Shell recycling project in Geelong, Victoria.
In addition the Government has indicated that it will contribute funding to a desalination plant that will reduce Adelaides reliance on the Murray River. A competitive grant process is also underway within this program to invest over six years in water supply projects in areas with populations of 50,000 people or more.
Details of funding
State, territory and local governments, public water utilities and private companies are eligible to apply. Projects costing $30 million or more will be eligible for funding of up to 10 per cent of capital costs. $100 million will be the maximum contribution for any one project.
Source: Photograph courtesy of Western Corridor Recycled Water Pty Ltd 2008
State, territory and local governments and public water utilities will be able to apply for grants, whilst private companies will be able to apply for refundable tax offsets.
State, territory and local governments and public water utilities will be able to apply for grants, whilst private companies will be able to apply for refundable tax offsets.
Provision of funding to state/territory entities will be subject to achievement of water reform milestones to be detailed in bilateral agreements between the Australian Government and the relevant state or territory government.
Guidelines explaining the application requirements are available from the Departments website at: www.environment.gov.au/water/programs/urban/index.html
More Information
Keep checking the Departments website for updates on the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan or call 02 6274 1351.
Published by the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, 2008.
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