Moree Plains Shire Council General Manager Lester Rogers, left, Mayor Katrina Humphries, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall and Deputy Mayor Sue Price excited with the news of $4.6 million in funding from the State Government.
$4.6 million project will keep town taps flowing
MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall has today announced the State Government and Moree Plains Shire Council was securing the long-term water supply of Boggabilla and Toomelah townships through the construction of a pipeline that will allow each community to draw water from the other.
Mr Marshall said the State Government would fund the total cost of the works – $4.6 million – from its Water Security for Regions program, which would be delivered by Moree Plains Shire Council.
“Over the years the Boggabilla and Toomelah townships have experienced water security and reliability issues,” Mr Marshall said.
“For Toomelah, the current water supply infrastructure is old and inadequate, with water sourced from a single artesian bore via an electrical pump.
“There have been some instances, during prolonged hot weather, the town’s water supply has failed and water has had to be trucked in by tanker.
“Boggabilla is prone to flooding events, causing siltation of the existing water inlet structure and affecting water quality and supply.
“This project will address those problems and restore the confidence of these communities in their water supply and water quality.”
Mr Marshall said the work to be undertaken by Moree Plains Shire Council included:
- construction of a new bi-directional pipeline between Boggabilla and Toomelah;
- new inlet infrastructure at Boggabilla; and
- new transfer pump stations in Boggabilla and Toomelah.
“I congratulate Moree Plains Shire Council on securing these funds, which is another tangible sign of council’s commitment to improving the amenity of communities throughout the area,” Mr Marshall said.
“Following these works, instances of siltation will be greatly reduced for the Boggabilla community, giving them a more reliable and better quality water supply.
“The new bi-directional pipeline will enhance water security for both towns in times of drought, by connecting Boggabilla with the artesian bore at Toomelah and addressing the peak supply issues at Toomelah by connecting to Boggabilla’s groundwater supply.”
Mr Marshall said the State Government had reserved $366 million under the Water Security for Regions program, which has already helped many farming and regional communities deal with drier conditions, including Glen Innes.
Under the Water Security for Regions program, successful projects are selected for funding by a Regional Independent Assessment Panel, with preference given to those with the best and most timely impact on water security.