Council secures funding to increase climate change resilience
Wingecarribee Shire Council has secured $50,000 in grant funding as part of the NSW Government’s Increasing Resilience to Climate Change (IRCC) program.
IRCC grants are developed in partnership with Local Government NSW and the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to improve resilience and help communities adapt to the changing climate.
Council’s Water, Sewer and Drainage Asset Coordinator, Tim Day, explained that as the local water authority, Council plays a frontline role in managing the impacts of climate change on water and wastewater services.
“Council provides high-quality drinking water to our Shire’s residents and visitors,” said Mr Day. “In the event of extreme weather, such as a protracted heatwave, water supply may fall short of demand.”
“The IRCC grant funding will be used to conduct a feasibility study exploring how portable water treatment units could be used to treat raw water from alternate dam sources.”
“As part of the study, we’ll look at scalability and determine the practicality of using similar methods at other dam sources,” added Mr Day.
Twenty-nine applications were received for Round 1 of the grants program with 10 projects being awarded grant funding.
“Council is delighted to be working with the NSW Government to reduce the impacts of climate change on our community,” said Mr Day.
For more information on the NSW Government’s Increasing Resilience to Climate Change program visit www.lgnsw.org.au/policy/increasing-resilience-climate-change.