Free water carting on offer for rural land holders after small amount of rain
Free water carting has commenced in the Southern Downs after council has sent out a desperate message that the region is still running out of water.
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A Darling Downs Mayor has said, despite a small spatter of rain across the region, the drought is nowhere near over, and communities are still in dire need of water.
Mayor Vic Pennisi and the Southern Downs Regional Council moved a motion to deliver free potable water to rural landholders.
“Our region has been thankful for recent rains that filled private rural tanks and dams but we are still in drought, and until we receive significant rainfall, dam levels remain low,” Cr Pennisi said.
“Free water and now carting costs are included under this generous funding from the Australian Government.
“While we are all praying for this ongoing and history-breaking drought to break, we cannot anticipate what the future weather patterns will deliver.
“I encourage rural properties not connected to the reticulated water supply network to seriously consider applying for the free supply of water and carting.”
The initiative comes under the Government’s Extension to the Drought Communities Programme.
The initial expression of interest was found to be undersubscribed for water, and prompted council to vote to extend the offer to include the delivery water.
They will be capped at one delivery up to 17,000L per property.
The new EOI form is online at https://www.sdrc.qld.gov.au/doing-business/grants-to-community-radf.
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