To boost long-term water security for regional New South Wales communities, the State Government has injected $3 million into round two of its Active Leak Detection Project.
This project forms part of the $35.3 million Water Efficiency and Regional Leakage Reduction Program – which has secured $11.3 million in further funding, on top of an initial $12.5 million investment, to continue its leak reduction activities in the regions over the next two years.
The program has already achieved impressive results between 2022 and 2024, clocking up a staggering 7500ML per year in water savings in more than 60 regional locations.
This next round aims to save up to 4000ML of water per year, or enough to meet the annual water needs of around 20,000 New South Wales regional households.
The active leak detection project uses cutting-edge equipment including noise loggers, electronic listening sticks, ground microphones and leak noise correlators to detect leaks within local water networks that will then be repaired by local councils.
Crews will survey approximately 6000km of regional water supply mains across more than 40 high priority areas that are severely impacted during dry months – including Warrumbungle Shire, Warren, Moree Plains, Forbes, Cobar, Dubbo and Lithgow.
The New South Wales Government said it is locking in more locations over the coming weeks.
The next stage of the program will also focus on identifying leaks in residential properties, with homeowners to be notified if issues are found. Work commenced in January 2025 and will be rolled out until June 2026.
The $35.3 million Water Efficiency and Regional Leakage Reduction Program aims to create a more sustainable and resilient water future for country towns and cities across the state.
New South Wales Minister for Water, Rose Jackson, said, “Our leak detection program has been smashing it out of the park by recovering a massive 7500ML of water in regional New South Wales per year since 2022 that would have otherwise gone to waste.
“That’s why I am absolutely thrilled to announce that we are rolling the program out to even more locations across the state over the next two years,” Ms Jackson said.
“While water levels are currently stable, the next drought could be just around the corner, so projects like this one are a simple solution to make the most of the water we already have by identifying and fixing leaks across local networks.
“You’d be amazed at how much town water gets lost every year because of cracks or holes in pipelines, which is why using high-tech equipment to pinpoint these leaks is one of the most effective ways to safeguard our long-term water supply.”
