The government of Australia has announced that the construction of the Wyangala and Dungowan Dam projects have made a step closer to construction after they doubled their cash contribution providing an extra US$205 million as part of their plan for a more secure and resilient Australia. the Liberal and Nationals Government’s cash commitment will increase to US$242 million for Dungowan Dam, 60 kilometers from Tamworth, and US$325 million for Wyangala Dam, 40 kilometers from Cowra.
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The Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said this new cash investment for the two projects, as part of the 2020-21 Budget, showed how serious the Australian Government was about getting these dams built. “We want to deliver critical water infrastructure projects for rural and regional communities because increased water security supports growth in Australian agriculture, creating new jobs and supporting existing ones as we build greater resilience to drought and floods.
“We know the economic road out of this pandemic relies on funding major infrastructure to support local communities and create jobs and these dam projects will do exactly that.
“Negotiations on the funding agreement for the Dungowan and Wyangala projects are close to being finalized and main construction works will begin after the environmental approvals are in place.”
In October 2019, the Australian and New South Wales Governments committed to co-fund the construction of these projects, along with $12 million each towards the development of a detailed $24 million business case for the proposed Mole River Dam.
This new capital grant funding replaces previous loan arrangements agreed with the NSW Government. The fund is the Australian Government’s investment in building the next generation of water infrastructure, which will secure reliable supplies of water now and into the future.
