The state and federal government have reached an agreement about $93 million of water funding.
The agreement – secured between Water and River Murray Minister Hunter and previous Parliamentary Secretary Bob Baldwin last September – has immediately unlocked up to $2.7m of Commonwealth funds and $300,000 of state funds to develop proposals for $90 million of funding to increase irrigation productivity, boost economic development and return water to the environment.
Mr Hunter said the state government is working on proposals to help river communities, irrigators and businesses use water resources even more sustainably and efficiently
“This agreement will provide $3 million for the state to develop business cases to help us secure the remaining $90 million of Murray Futures funding for our river communities,” he said.
“The projects being developed will see us continue to modernise our irrigation sector through infrastructure and a new licencing system to support the rapidly-expanding water market.
“There is also an Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges project exploring the potential to return flows to the environment in dry times, to help protect nationally-listed wetlands and species.”
Mr Hunter said the proposals would help achieve the water recovery targets for the Murray Darling Basin Plan.
The $2.7 million for the development of South Australian project proposals has been allocated this financial year and all proposals put forward by SA will be subject to Commonwealth due diligence prior to being approved for funding.
