A handful of remote communities in the Northern Territory will be able to upgrade their water storage and infrastructure after the federal government announced $53.1 million for water security projects.
Maningrida will build a new tank and upgrade infrastructure, the pipeline in Yirrkala will be upgraded and Gunyangara will be assessed on the Gove peninsula, and new water sources will be investigated in Numbulwar.
Federal environment and water minister Tanya Plibersek and NT Water Minister Kate Worden also announced an $18.2 million investment in the Yulara water supply project, coupled with $5 milliion from Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, which owns Ayers Rock Resort.
“In a country like Australia, there are things that most of us take for granted - like when we turn the tap on at home, safe drinking water will come out," Ms Plibersek said.
“But for more than 25,000 people in remote Australia, that isn’t the case.
"These Australians live in places without access to water that meets basic health guidelines and another 600,000 people live in places without access to water that meets recognised standards - relying on water that’s murky, or contains unsafe levels of minerals, heavy metals and chemicals."
The Yulara project will provide water security for what is the primary service centre for the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and the wider Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara regions.
"This investment at Yulara will allow the building of 60 additional homes," Ms Plibersek said.
"That allows not just good quality housing for people who are already living at Yulara, it will enable an expansion of the cultural tourism offered around Yulara."
Voyages said its commitment had been under consideration for many years in consultation with NT Power & Water.
“The funding ... will be used to update water infrastructure in Yulara to ensure supply can meet increasing demand from visitors, residents and workers in the Yulara community," a spokesperson said.
Ms Worden said providing secure and reliable water supply to these regional and remote would improve the quality of life for many Aboriginal people and help the economy.
“Water is an incredibly important resource for Territorians and ... we can make these investments into our water infrastructure because these assets are owned by Territorians," she said.
Ms Plibersek said the new projects were the next step in the federal government’s $150 million investment to make sure remote First Nations communities have access to clean drinking water.
“There is still a lot of work to be done to Close the Gap on water security, and we cannot do it alone," she said.
“That’s why our government is working closely with our state and territory partners and First Nations organisations and representatives across the nation to identify, plan and deliver water security projects.”
The new funding, which includes $1.8 million for science and research projects on future water management, follows $26.7 million previously announced for Yuendumu and Milingimbi, where work on these projects has created economic and community benefits including the ability to build new housing.
