In this National Water Week, Shadow Minister for Water Steph Cooke is urging NSW residents to consider their community’s water future and join the conversation about the infrastructure needed to secure it.
National Water Week was established to remind communities to use water wisely and never take access to safe, secure, and reliable water for granted.
This year’s National Water Week comes at a critical time, with communities and local water utilities across regional NSW facing mounting pressure from ageing infrastructure and population growth.
Ms Cooke said governments at every level must keep water security a priority.
“Water is one of the most fundamental services any community can rely on, yet too often the infrastructure that delivers it is overlooked until there is a crisis,” Ms Cooke said.
“National Water Week is about appreciating the value of water, but it should also prompt a serious conversation about the critical infrastructure needed to support our communities well into the future.”
Local Government NSW and the Water Directorate estimate a $5 billion backlog in water infrastructure projects across the state and have called for significant investment to ensure communities can meet future demand.
Since taking on the water portfolio, Ms Cooke has worked with councils and communities across regional NSW to advocate for greater investment in essential water infrastructure and develop long-term solutions to address growing funding gaps.
She has proposed a $5 billion Fund to support critical water projects across regional NSW over the next decade and provide communities with certainty as they plan for future growth.
“When communities lack the infrastructure they need, the impacts extend far beyond the water network itself,” Ms Cooke said.
“Housing development, business growth, public health outcomes and community confidence can all be affected when water security is compromised.”
Ms Cooke said National Water Week should remind us that water security is not a future challenge and requires action today.
“Much of the water infrastructure that supports communities across NSW was built to last around 100 years, and many of those assets are now reaching that milestone at the same time,” Ms Cooke said.
“This National Water Week, I really want to encourage people to think about their communities’ long-term water needs, whether current infrastructure can support that need, and question whether governments are investing enough in our water security.”
