Bellingen Shire Council has received funding for two projects from the NSW Government's $1 billion Safe and Secure Water Program.
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The $22 million sewering coastal villages project announced prior to the state election is going ahead, and so is a study investigating ways to secure Bellingen's water supply.
The announcement was made this morning at the Urunga sewage treatment plant on Hungry Head Road by Member for Oxley Melinda Pavey alongside representatives from Bellingen Shire Council.
"We are investing over $11 million to Bellingen Shire Council for the design and construction of sewerage systems in Mylestom, Repton and Raleigh, and to connect the systems to an existing sewage treatment plant at Urunga," Mrs Pavey said.
"The Urunga plant will also be upgraded to provide capacity for the expanded sewerage network, addressing environmental issues relating to on-site systems to protect the region's aquaculture and tourism industries.
Bellingen's population depends on water from bores on the Bellinger River, which is why the council will also receive $49,760 to further investigate additional secure water sources.
Mayor Dominic King said council welcomes the NSW government's contribution to the sewering coastal villages project, which will see a total investment of $22 million as well as funding assistance towards securing Bellingen's water supply.
"This funding boost is most welcome and will assist the council with the completion of a large body of work already underway around integrated water cycle management and a secure yield analysis, which is designed to ensure the sustainable management of our water supply," Cr King said.
The Safe and Secure Water Program is a $1 billion regional infrastructure co-funding program established in 2017 under the NSW Government's Restart NSW Fund.