NSW: Water quality for Sydney's west will be improved: Howard

AAP General News (Australia)
08-23-2007
NSW: Water quality for Sydney's west will be improved: Howard

SYDNEY, Aug 23 AAP - Water quality in the Hawkesbury-Nepean river system will be improved
with a $132.5 million grant from the federal government, Prime Minister John Howard says.

Mr Howard and Environment and Water Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the plan - part
of the federal government's $10 billion national water program - should be supplemented
by assistance from the NSW government.

The money will go to cleaning up the water by improving sewage discharges at three
treatment plants below the Warragamba Dam.

The plan is aimed at improving storm-water management and the management of agricultural
and open-space irrigation systems.

Mr Howard urged the NSW government to back the plan for the good of the state, western
Sydney residents and users of the river.

"I'm told the amount to be contributed by the state government ... we're asking only
something in the order like five to ten million," he told reporters.

"As soon as we can get the plans agreed by the NSW government we can start."

Mr Howard was flanked by western Sydney Liberal MPs at the Nepean Rowing Club Penrith,
in Sydney's western suburbs.

The Nepean River was the venue for the 2000 Sydney Olympic rowing races.

AAP ig/nap/was/maur/de

KEYWORD: NEPEAN

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