Building Our Regions Round 6 Guidelines Announced

By Zoe Dark, Principal Advisor and Manager, Grant Office

Round 6 of the Queensland Government’s Building Our Regions Program will provide $70 million in funding for Regional Local Governments to improve their water supply and sewerage systems.

Click Here to See All Available Grants

Funding available through Building Our Regions Round 6 will support the delivery of fit for place and fit for purpose water supply and sewerage solutions, considering the community’s ability to pay, the Local Government’s workforce and financial capacity, as well as climate change.

This funding will contribute significantly to aiding regional Local Governments in meeting their regulatory obligations under the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 and Environmental Protection Act (1994) to ensure safe and reliable services for their communities, now and into the future.

Funding will be targeted toward managing current and emerging drinking water quality, water supply security, asset management (water and sewerage), water efficiency, network and distribution system water, and sewerage service-related issues and risks.

It is important that this funding supports long term solutions that are well planned and appropriate to the issue or risk being addressed.

Building Our Regions will fund projects under two streams comprising of:

1. Funding for construction and works projects that are ready to commence construction or works by 15 February 2023. Eligible construction projects that improve water and sewerage services that:
   1. support the sustainability of water services in regional communities.
   2. improve the livability and amenity of regional communities through improved essential services.
   3. support regional economic development and contribute to the creation of new ongoing employment opportunities.
   4. align with regional industry and economic development priorities.
   5. deliver collaborative regional priority infrastructure; and
   6. support the development of new industries or the expansion of established industries in the regions.
2. Funding for scoping, planning, cost-benefit analysis or feasibility assessment to identify the most effective solution Planning projects that will inform decision making about the optimum solution to address a water or sewerage solution service issue. To support these Program objectives, Regional Local Governments are encouraged to consider projects that:
   1. allow for regional activities or joint Local Government or cooperative models for the water and sewerage business.
   2. are a priority for improving regulatory compliance, Building Our Regions Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water 7.
   3. demonstrate they are effective and appropriate to the issue or risk being addressed.
   4. are well planned and scoped to determine priority water and sewerage service needs.
   5. once constructed or implemented, can be operated by the Local Government on an ongoing basis.
   6. account for costs associated with operating and maintaining the Project/asset over its lifespan; and
   7. help address existing skills, staff attraction or retention challenges through innovation, digitization, or automation uptake.

The amount of funding available varies depending on the number of connections in each LGA, a summary is as follows,

• Large Service Provider Fund – $12 million. These service providers deliver water and sewerage services in Regional Queensland (i.e., outside SEQ), have between 25,000 and 100,000 connections, and are mainly located along Queensland’s east coast (see Appendix 1)
• Medium Service Provider Fund – $10 million. These service providers deliver water and sewerage services in Regional Queensland, have between 10,000 and 25,000 connections, and are located along the east coast as well as inland.
• Small and Very Small Service Provider Fund – $48 million. These service providers deliver water and sewerage services in regional and remote Queensland, have up to 10,000 connections.

Peak’s team has the expertise on hand to develop and coordinate your EOI, detailed application and mandatory supporting documentation, such as

• Detailed Project Plan
• Project Gantt Chart or Detailed Delivery/Works Schedule showing timeframes for all project stages up to and including project completion
• Project Cash Flow
• Cost-Benefit Analysis or Benefits Assessment
• Documentation demonstrating that all land-related issues are finalized
• Copy of final/detailed construction/engineering design for the project
• Letters from other contributors confirming financial contributions

Contact Brian Jackson, Director Peak Consulting Services, e: bjackson@wearepeak.com.au, m: 0467 767 825 to discuss how Peak’s experts can help prepare your application today.

Full Building Our Regions Round 6 Guidelines are now available at https://www.rdmw.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/1578809/building-our-regions-6-guidelines.pdf