Town Water Risk Reduction Program 

NEWSLETTER ISSUE #15 | JULY 2022

Welcome to the July edition of the Town Water Risk Reduction Program newsletter. 

Join us for our upcoming webinar on the new regulatory and assurance framework

In case you missed it in our last newsletter, we are hosting a webinar on Tuesday 2 August 2022 to provide an overview of the new regulatory and assurance framework for local water utilities, share some of the supporting materials available for local water utilities and answer your questions. 

Webinar details:

Tuesday 2 August 2022, 9:30 - 11:00 am.

Register to attend here.

If you are unable to attend, the webinar will be recorded.

$1.1 billion allocated for a stronger water future

The NSW 2022-23 Budget was recently delivered by the Treasurer with $1.1 billion allocated to ensure the state has sustainable, secure and healthy water resources now and into the future.

We are pleased to share that part of this investment includes $90 million in new funding to expand the Safe and Secure Water Program. The new funding is on top of the $1 billion the NSW Government has already invested in the program since it started in 2017 – supporting 233 projects across these regions, including 23 completed projects that are now benefiting over 300,000 people in NSW.

The Safe and Secure Water Program will allocate this new funding to local water utilities to reduce their most significant risks to water security, water quality and the environment, and to support local water utilities with significant risks to get their projects to a tender-ready stage.

The Safe and Secure Water Program team are well underway identifying eligible councils and we will be in contact with those councils in the coming weeks with options. As the funding must be fully expended by June 2024, we are also identifying activities that can be delivered by Councils in the next two years.

If you have any questions about the Safe and Secure Water Program, please contact sswp@dpie.nsw.gov.au

Guidance for applying for water treatment and sewerage works

The new approach to assessment and approvals of works under section 60 of the Local Government Act 1993 or section 292(1) of the Water Management Act 2000 was implemented from 1 July 2022, with an online application form available and external guidance for local water utilities.

Our interim guidance document Applying for water treatment and sewerage works approvals is now available for use by local water utilities. We are continuing to refine this guidance document and we welcome any feedback on the guidance document via email to regional.town.water@dpie.nsw.gov.au

Phased transition for strategic planning assurance by 1 December 2022

In 2021, we committed to ensuring that those local water utilities progressing their Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) Strategy would not be disadvantaged by the new strategic planning assurance framework.

Following feedback from the sector about the most appropriate transition to the new framework, strategic planning assurance will be fully implemented by 1 December 2022. This will ensure that local water utilities in the process of undertaking strategic planning have adequate time to identify the most appropriate transition path to the new regulatory framework. This additional time will also enable any amendments to be made to funding deeds as required.

For the approximate 40 utilities that are progressing their strategic planning, a clear transition path will be agreed with by the department and the utility to ensure that no utility is adversely impacted.

Visit our website for more information.

Have your say on our approach to quality assurance

Our draft Quality assurance framework for the department’s regulation and assurance of local water utilities is open for public consultation until Monday 1 August 2022.

The draft framework provides assurance to internal and external stakeholders that changes to the department’s approach to regulation and assurance of local water utilities is leading to improved outcomes for utilities and communities.

See you at the upcoming Australian Water Association NSW State Conference

The Town Water Risk Reduction Program team is attending the Australian Water Association (AWA) NSW State Conference in Port Macquarie on 17 - 18 August 2022.

This year’s theme is, Shocks and Disruptions - Operating and Planning in Uncertainty, which aligns with AWA’s Strategy to Share, Connect and Inspire professionals across the water industry.

We look forward to sharing and learning with our water industry colleagues and stakeholders.

You can register to attend the conference on the AWA website. 

Further information and feedback

Visit the Town Water Risk Reduction Program website for more detailed information.

Have your say

For more information or enquires please email the team at regional.town.water@dpie.nsw.gov.au