Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority Chairman Peter Ryan said the Farm Water Program consortium was very disappointed for regional irrigators that it had not secured in-principle funding through Round 3 of the Australian Government’s On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program.
Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority Chairman Peter Ryan said the Farm Water Program consortium was very disappointed for regional irrigators that it had not secured in-principle funding through Round 3 of the Australian Government’s On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program.
“It is disappointing that we will miss the opportunity for this round of funding to continue the great work in aligning to the modernisation of the distribution system led by the Goulburn-Murray Water Strategic Connections Program,” Mr Ryan said.
He said if the Farm Water Program’s Round 3 application had been successful it had the potential to save 28 gigalitres of water, with half the water savings transferred to the Commonwealth government for environmental purposes and the remaining contributing to regional growth.
Goulburn Broken CMA CEO Chris Norman said that through Rounds 1 and 2 of the Farm Water Program, about 400 on-farm projects, worth more than $100 million had been funded.
“These projects are expected to save 52 gigalitres of water, with 26 gigalitres transferred to the government for environmental purposes,” Mr Norman said.
“Given the huge demand for this type of on-farm investment we will continue to pursue other funding avenues as the consortium is very keen to support Northern Victorian irrigators to improve their on-farm water-use efficiency. We will also be travelling to Canberra shortly to seek some explanation for our unsuccessful application, as we are yet to receive any feedback.”
Goulburn-Broken CMA delivers the Farm Water Program on behalf of a consortium of Northern Victorian agencies.
“The consortium partners are all not-for-profit, well respected agencies with well-established relationships within the irrigation community. They have worked hard in ensuring that the Farm Water Program delivers quality outcomes, on time and on budget,” Mr Norman said.
“The program is a win for the environment, irrigators and the community; it complements the modernisation of the irrigation delivery system; the water savings are returned to the environment to boost river health and water quality; and it has created jobs and attracted investment to this region.
“To miss out on Round 3 funding is therefore extremely disappointing for everyone committed to and involved in this program.”