Published on 29 August 2025
Council Calls for Fair Treatment of Water Infrastructure in Disaster Recovery Funding
Upper Hunter Shire Council is calling on the NSW Government to urgently review disaster recovery funding rules, following significant damage to local water infrastructure caused by the storm event of 3 August 2025, which was subsequently declared a natural disaster. The storm left Council with close to $500,000 in costs to repair essential water infrastructure. Despite the scale of the impact, water and sewer assets are currently ineligible for cost recovery under natural disaster declarations, due to their classification as “commercial activities.” Mayor Maurice Collison said the situation highlights an inequitable and short-sighted approach that unfairly burdens small rural councils and communities. “Labelling water infrastructure as a commercial enterprise ignores reality. These are vital public assets, every bit as essential as roads, bridges, or community facilities—assets which do qualify for recovery funding,” Mayor Collison said. “Excluding water and sewer services from disaster recovery frameworks places an unreasonable strain on rural councils. Not only is it cost-shifting from state to local government, it is targeted cost shifting where the regional councils are affected but not the metro councils, and it leaves communities like ours to carry the financial burden for damage caused by events beyond our control.” Council stressed that water and sewer services are fundamental to public health, safety, and liveability. With natural disasters becoming more frequent and severe, the lack of financial support risks undermining councils’ ability to maintain these essential services. “We are urging the NSW Government to reconsider its position and revise the criteria to ensure water and sewer assets are included in disaster recovery funding. Our communities cannot, and should not, be expected to shoulder these costs alone,” Mayor Collison said.