8 February 2008
$1.2 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR LOCAL WATERWAYS
Community Groups and councils across the Port Phillip and Westernport region will share in more than $1.2 million in grants to help protect and improve rivers and creeks across the Port Phillip and Western Port region, announced by Melbourne Water today.
General Manager of Waterways, Chris Chesterfield, said the Community Grants and Corridors of Green program grants would be used to fund a range of projects including habitat improvement, weed control, as well as funding to support and promote the excellent work undertaken by volunteer community groups.
"Every day hundreds of people spend hours of their spare time working to protect and improve local waterways, with the support of local councils, Melbourne Water and other key agencies such as Parks Victoria.
"The work of these volunteer groups is invaluable, both in terms of their contribution to the community as well in making our waterways a healthier and better place for the range of birds, fish, platypus, frogs and other native animals that call them home.
"Melbourne Water is delighted to be supporting their work through these community grants programs, with a total of 252 grants awarded to over 119 community groups, local governments and other agencies."
Mr Chesterfield congratulated the groups on their commitment to improving the health of local waterways.
"In 2005 Melbourne Water's boundary was extended by more than 5000 square kilometres, making it caretaker of river health for the first time in parts of the Moorabool Shire, Macedon Ranges Shire, Mitchell Shire and the City of Greater Geelong.
"We have also extended further into the shires of Melton, Bass Coast, South Gippsland, Mornington Peninsula and the cities of Wyndham and Hume.
"Since the expansion of our operating boundary we have worked with councils and local communities in those areas to develop programs of works to protect and improve local waterways, manage flood risks and improve drainage services, and these grants programs are one example of that work."
Melbourne Water invests more than $30 million every year on works to protect and improve local waterways, funded through the Drainage and Waterways charge on water bills, with charges in the new area expected to commence in the 2008/09 financial year, subject to the approval of the Essential Services Commission.