WA Water Minister, Mia Davies, has announced that the State Government will pursue the development of a single irrigation water supplier for Carnarvon.
The announcement is in response to a new Carnarvon Ministerial Advisory Committee (CMAC) report.
Ms Davies said that, “Having a single organisation responsible for the governance and management of Carnarvon’s irrigation water infrastructure will lead to a more efficient and sustainable horticulture industry.
“It will also provide government and industry with greater confidence to consider future funding of infrastructure as recommended by CMAC.”
The CMAC made 17 recommendations to the state government to improve Carnarvon’s long-term water security.
“Currently bulk water delivery in Carnarvon is shared between Gascoyne Water, the Water Corporation and the Department of Agriculture and Food through its new four gigalitre Gascoyne Food Bowl initiative borefield,” Ms Davies said.
“Government will now work with the Gascoyne water cooperatives and growers to investigate options and deliver the desired outcome of a single entity. In the meantime I have asked the Water Corporation to continue to hold bulk water prices at the current rate while the options for a single entity are being investigated.”
Acting Agriculture and Food Minister, Bill Marmion, said the Government was committed to supporting a sustainable horticultural industry in Carnarvon, which was a vital contributor to the local economy and a major supplier of fresh produce to Perth.
“Water security is central to the Government’s commitment to a sustainable irrigated horticultural industry in Carnarvon, and this report provides the options to work with industry to move forward and achieve this goal,” Mr Marmion said.
