WA Water Minister Dave Kelly has declared a water deficiency for Mount Short in the Shire of Ravensthorpe and announced government departments will cart water to farmers to protect animal welfare in the affected area.
The official declaration follows an application from the Shire, on behalf of farmers in Mount Short. Low rainfall has resulted in livestock water supply shortages in the area and therefore there is a need for farmers to draw heavily on local off-farm community water supplies.
The declaration will see the WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) cart water to a tank in Mount Short to reduce the distance that local farmers have to travel to source emergency water for their livestock.
The water deficiency declaration is a Government response to support livestock welfare.
The WA Government maintains an extensive network of community water supplies across the State that are accessible to farmers in times when on-farm water supplies are low. A declaration is a last resort after all available community water supplies have been exhausted.
DWER is liaising with local shires and farmers on their water requirements in other affected areas, advising on the best community water supplies available. DWER is also supporting and encouraging Community Water Supply Program grant applications in areas of need.
Water carting arrangements are being managed by DWER with support from the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the Water Corporation.
Source: WA Government