The Deed of Agreement concerning Narrandera’s future Water Treatment Plant has been executed following sustained pressure from the Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke.

The deed was critical in enabling Narrandera Shire Council to progress detailed design and business case work for the project, which aims to deliver clean water to the town.

Until this week, the NSW government had not handed the deed to the council, enabling the business case to proceed, despite contributing no funding toward the project announced in December last year.

Narrandera Shire Council is instead matching the Commonwealth government’s contribution of $908,000 through the National Water Grid Fund to see the project through.

“After many months of delays and uncertainty, Council can now get on with designing Narrandera’s water treatment, which is absolutely critical to delivering clean water to the town.”

“The people of Narrandera have waited far too long for safe and reliable drinking water and cannot afford any further delays.”

Ms Cooke said she appreciated the NSW Premier's intervention to help finalise the agreement after she raised the matter directly in the NSW Parliament earlier this month.

“I thank the Premier for stepping in to help move this matter forward after I raised the ongoing delay in Parliament,” she said.

“We were getting nowhere until that intervention, and I appreciate the formal response provided through the Legislative Assembly process.”

While the signing of the deed was welcome news, focus now shifts to delivering the project as quickly as possible and securing the funding needed for construction.

With the NSW Budget to be handed down in June, Ms Cooke is calling on the Minns Labor government to renew investment in the NSW Safe and Secure Water Program to ensure funding opportunities are available for critical regional water infrastructure projects such as Narrandera’s Water Treatment Plant.

“The Safe and Secure Water Program has been instrumental in supporting water infrastructure projects across regional NSW, and renewed investment in the program is essential,” Ms Cooke said.

“Narrandera deserves certainty that the funding will be there once the detailed plans are completed.”

“I will continue fighting to ensure Narrandera secures the community expects and rightfully deserves.”