Town Water Risk Reduction Program phase 2

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.

Phase 2 will:

• address 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
• deliver 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
• enable 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 programs

Phase 2 includes the below programs and initiatives:

• Advanced operational support program
• Skills and training program
• 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 includes a new community service obligation of up to $10 million over 2 years 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 will offer services to local water utilities to improve outcomes for regional communities.

Under the community service obligation, WaterNSW will provide information and expert services to local water utilities, where agreed with the council, which reduce dam safety and drinking water quality risks.