About the program
The NSW Government, in partnership with local water utilities and the wider water sector, is collaborating on the Town Water Risk Reduction Program to develop and implement a new approach to working together that enables local water utilities to manage risks and priorities in town water systems more strategically and effectively and, as a result, reduce risks in regional NSW communities over time.
Phase 2 of the Town Water Risk Reduction Program was announced by the Minister for Lands and Water in December 2022 and was extended until June 2025.
Update
The Town Water Risk Reduction Program will be boosted by an additional $15 million and extended to mid-2028.
Now in its third phase the program will build on $38 million already invested by the initiative since 2020, including $2 million in funding through Advanced Operational Support to enable 20 Local Water Utilities to carry out critical infrastructure upgrades.
The program will also address critical skills shortages and boost water operations by providing training and employment opportunities in regional NSW for school leavers, Aboriginal students and existing water operators and develop critical reforms in response to the Productivity and Equality Commission’s Review of Funding Models for Local Water Utilities.
Phase 2:
- addressed critical skills shortages and boost water operations training and employment opportunities in regional NSW for school leavers, Aboriginal and First Nations students and existing water operators, in partnership with Training Services NSW
- delivered a new program in partnership with NSW Health to help optimise the performance of high-risk water treatment infrastructure using innovative technology so that more regional towns have reliable, resilient, and safe water services
- enabled local water utilities to accelerate responses to audits to improve local dam safety and address water quality risks, leveraging the systems and expertise of WaterNSW.
Phase 2 projects
Phase 2 includes the below projects and initiatives:
- Advanced operational support
- Skills and training
- Incident and emergency planning and response support
- Water NSW supporting local water utilities on dam safety
- Reviewing funding arrangements for local water utilities
- Identifying and considering any outstanding policy gaps.
Water NSW supporting local water utilities on dam safety
Phase 2 of the Town Water Risk Reduction Program funding included a community service obligation of $10 million to accelerate local water utilities’ response to the findings of Dams Safety NSW audits and respond to raw water quality risks, by leveraging the capabilities of WaterNSW.
WaterNSW offered services to local water utilities to improve outcomes for regional communities.
Under the community service obligation, WaterNSW provided information and expert services to local water utilities, where agreed with the council, which reduced dam safety and drinking water quality risks.
Have your say
We continually incorporate feedback into our program and would like to hear more about what you think about the program elements. To have your say, simply email water.enquiries@dcceew.nsw.gov.au