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Water

Over $11m pumped into Mid-Coast water security

Thousands of people across Taree, Forster, Gloucester, Barrington, Bulahdelah and Manning River are on the path to improved water security thanks to a $9.3 million investment from the NSW Government.

It includes a major expansion of the Nabiac borefield and water treatment plant which is underway and builds on more than $2.4 million from MidCoast Council to progress designs for three key infrastructure projects.

The MidCoast has experienced drought, bushfires and floods so locals are under no illusions about how valuable top quality clean drinking water is in a changing climate.

To make sure we are ready for the next dry spell, we’re boosting the Nabiac Water Treatment Plant’s capacity by 50 percent, conducting vital drought security investigations, and installing five new bores to reduce reliance on the Manning River for supply.

We’ve also injected funding from our Safe and Secure Water Program to deliver comprehensive options studies, concept designs and detailed designs. These are crucial steppingstones to ensure we are making the right decisions to improve the region’s water future, while also getting the best value for money for the taxpayer.

The joint NSW and Australian Government funding includes:

  • $9.97 million towards the Manning Water Supply System Drought Response Stage 2 Project including the Nabiac Borefield Expansion Project where work is underway and an upgrade to the Nabiac Water Treatment Plant due to be completed by the end of 2024, with the successful contractor now confirmed as Gongues Construction

The joint NSW and MidCoast funding includes:

  • $1.5 million towards an options study and concept design for the Manning District Water Security Project that will look at building a new water storage
  • $930,000 towards an options study, concept design and detailed design for the Gloucester & Barrington Water Security Project to determine the best water infrastructure project for the region
  • $830,000 towards an options study, concept design and detailed design for the Bulahdelah Water Security Project to identify the most viable water infrastructure project for the region

“It’s very pleasing to see this level of investment in planning for the future. Delivering a clean water supply is a hallmark of our water services and we want to ensure the MidCoast has adequate supply for the years ahead,” MidCoast Mayor Claire Pontin said.

“There are several options available in our development phase works, and we need to choose the most cost-effective. Climate extremes and variability are increasing and the MidCoast needs to be better placed to deliver water security to residents and businesses.”

The Safe and Secure Water Program is supporting more than $1 billion worth of projects across the state, with over 250 in various stages of delivery.

Sunset over the Manning River
Thousands of people across Taree, Forster, Gloucester, Barrington, Bulahdelah and Manning River are on the path to improved water security thanks to a $9.3 million investment from the NSW Government.