Have Your Say On NSW Murray And Murrumbidgee Water Futures

The NSW Government has invited NSW Murray and Murrumbidgee residents to have their say on two draft regional water strategies – long-term plans to deliver safer and more secure water to towns, Aboriginal communities, businesses, and the environment for the next two decades and beyond.

The strategies have received significant community input throughout their development, and during this round of consultation, we are seeking feedback on shortlisted priorities and actions.

These include the best mix of proposed solutions to manage water for the regions as we prepare to respond to a more variable climate in the future, and meet the water needs of the entire NSW Murray and Murrumbidgee over the next 20-40 years.

Shortlisted actions include:

Supporting towns and local water utilities to better manage water security risks, including exploring alternative supply options and urban efficiency measures like stormwater harvesting, water reuse and recycling, leakage reduction, and smart metering;

Leveraging climate model data to improve water management;

Supporting healthy rivers and catchments with the Reconnecting river Country Program and improving flow delivery to key environmental sites;

Advocating for reviews of inter-jurisdictional water sharing arrangements to better meet the needs of NSW water users and the environment;

Increasing numbers of native and threatened fish, improving fish passage and installing screens at priority sites to protect fish from irrigation pumps;

Improving groundwater knowledge and management;

Improving cultural outcomes and creating jobs in the water sector for Aboriginal people and supporting them to be more involved in water management;

Exploring innovative ways to improve water delivery to waterways, including cloud seeding to increase snowfall and considering how bushfire management would mitigate risks to water quality and availability.

The strategy consultation papers will be supported by hydrological, economic and environmental assessments that are available on the department’s website.

Submissions will be open until 14 July, and we encourage everyone to have their say.

We will hold virtual and in-person consultation sessions during the exhibition period to give people an opportunity to learn more about the draft strategies and shortlisted priorities and actions, ask questions and provide feedback.

Community information sessions:

• Wagga - Tuesday, June 4 from 2 pm to 5 pm, Mercure Wagga;

• Griffith - Wednesday, June 5 from 11 am to 2 pm, Griffith Leagues Club;

• Deniliquin - Thursday, June 6 from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm, Deniliquin RSL;

• Albury - Friday, June 7 from 11 am to 2 pm, Albury Library Museum;

• Queanbeyan - Monday, June 17 from 10 am to 1 pm, Breakfree Queanbeyan;

• Wentworth - Tuesday, June 18 from 10 am to 1 pm, Wentworth Grande Resort;

• Webinar - Wednesday, June 12 from 5 pm to 6:30 pm; and

• Webinar - Friday, June 14 from 12 noon to 1:30 pm.

• Topics:

• Community Feedback
• Water