The rebates provided in December 2017 and January 2018 are for new or upgraded infrastructure such as bores, dams, solar powered pumps and storage tanks for farms from the Southern and Central Wheatbelt, Great Southern and Mid-West regions.

Funds are from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation’s Rural Water Planning program, and all works were approved following on-ground assessments by local farm water auditors.

Under the Farm Water Supply Planning Scheme, farmers can claim up to 50 per cent of the cost of a water supply audit and call-backs, up to a maximum value of $750.

Farmers can then apply to the Farm Water Rebate Scheme for up to 50% of the cost of a range of infrastructure improvements to dams and catchments, tanks, pipes and pumping systems including solar energy, identified by the audit, up to a value of $15,000.

A grant of up to $20,000 was approved under the Pastoral Water Grants Scheme to support improvements to water supplies on a pastoral station in the Shire of Carnarvon. 

Water Minister Dave Kelly said water deficiency through lack of rainfall is a serious risk to farming productivity.

“As rainfall becomes much less reliable in many areas of the State, having water infrastructure in place that can secure farm water supplies for stock water and firefighting is more important than ever,” Minister Kelly said.

“Already some of this infrastructure has allowed dryland farmers to take advantage of rainfall events to store away water for drier times,” he said.

“In this financial year, we have already approved over $1.1 million for these types of grants.”