As part of the Federal Government's commitment to the regions and a promise before the NSW State election in March 2011, Centroc is seeking funding for the first steps in feasibility for the infrastructure components of the Centroc Water Security Study (the Study).

Centroc has been successful in accessing funding for a water security study. The Study has been developed in response to the worst drought on record in the region and local communities seeking a higher level of water security. From the advice within this Study, Centroc will work on ways to improve water security in the region including seeking funding for appropriate infrastructure solutions.

This Study is the first of its kind in the nation as it considers a regional approach to water security as a result of climate change for urban communities in the context of other water users such as irrigators, the environment and industry such as mining.

In November 2009 the Centroc Board unanmiously adopted the Study including emergency infrastructure such as the pipelines to Lake Cargelligo and between Orange and the Macquarie River

The Study has won four awards including national recognition as one of the 6 best engineering projects in Australia.

All Central NSW Council's members form part of the Murray Darling basin and have been experiencing the exigencies associated with the combination of over allocation of water and the worst drought on record. The Study provides advice on the way forward for water secutiry in the region to 2059 includng giving consideration to climate change. This new advice will have impacts on strategic work including funding. Therefore assistance will be sought from other levels of government.

The Study provides advice regarding policy and infrastructure augmentation in Central NSW to improve water security for the communities served by 17 member local government authorities. For a copy of the summary brochure, click here.

For a copy of the options paper, click here. 

Centroc is progressing work in understanding the carbon impact of the Study with a view to its amelioration. This work is being funded through the Strengthening Basin Communities Program, part of the Federal National Water Initiative.

Members are also collaborating on projects to reduce water consumption and deliver best practice in water management across the region.

Centroc seeks support from the State and Federal governments to assure an adequate level of water security as advised in this important regional strategy.

Link to the NSW Office of Water website www.water.nsw.gov.au