The shires of Jerramungup, Katanning, West Arthur and Kondinin are among regional WA communities to receive funding for water infrastructure upgrades aimed at strengthening long-term water security.

The funding is designed to help regional communities maintain safe and reliable access to water and better prepare for future drought and dry conditions.

It has gone towards new water storage infrastructure, rainwater harvesting systems, stormwater capture initiatives, irrigation upgrades, strategic water planning, mobile water supply assets, and improvements to emergency firefighting water access.

The Shire of Jerramungup will receive a combined $109,050: $100,000 for a new water storage and automated irrigation system at the Bremer Bay Sporting Oval and $9050 to increase water storage capacity at the Boxwood Hill irrigation dam.

The Shire of West Arthur will receive $95,180 to upgrade bore infrastructure, storage and monitoring systems to improve the community’s resilience during drought.

Other projects in the Great Southern include $16,616 for the Shire of Katanning to upgrade standpipe control systems across four rural water access locations.

The Shire of Kondinin will receive $87,909 to improve stormwater harvesting infrastructure supplying irrigation to the Kondinin Sporting Precinct.

The funding forms part of round six of the community water supplies partnership, with 12 projects across regional WA sharing $706,908.

A further $194,483 will be provided for three projects through round three of the CWSP expansion program, bringing the total funding commitment to more than $901,000.

Recipients will also contribute more than $514,000 in additional cash and in-kind support.

Water Minister Daniel Pastorelli said the funding was important to regional communities given current rainfall patterns.

“Reliable and sustainable water supplies are essential for regional communities, particularly as rainfall patterns continue to change across WA,” he said.

“This funding will help local governments and community organisations deliver practical projects that improve water security, support community infrastructure and strengthen emergency response capability.”

Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt said having constant and reliable water supplies was important for regional towns.

“Secure and reliable access to water supplies is vital for regional towns to survive and thrive,” he said.

“This funding investment will strengthen community water security, bolster emergency firefighting capability and reduce reliance on scheme water supplies.”