The Federal Government has been encouraged by the response to its NSW buyback program for the Murray-Darling Basin.
Following a tender process, the government has now recovered a 26.25 gigalitres of water towards the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
“This clearly shows that there is appetite from local communities to participate in voluntary water purchase, especially in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, where the bulk of remaining water recovery is needed,” an anonymous statement from the Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek’s office said.
The water does not go towards the further 450 Gl the government is seeking under the plan.
Through this recent tender to Bridge the Gap to the Sustainable Diversion Limits, the government said they had successfully “bridged the gap” in three NSW catchments — the Lachlan, Namoi and NSW Murray.
While contractual processes are still under way, the government is forecasting an estimated cost of $205 million.
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