Experts are looking at water security options for the drought-prone Warren Shire Council.

A $1.1 million joint project with the NSW Government will investigate solutions to secure drinking water supplies and improve water quality for the town's 1,400 residents.  

The study will evaluate options such as new infrastructure, upgrades to current facilities, additional storage, incorporating treated river water into the supply, and improving water treatment processes.

Warren faced significant challenges during the Tinderbox Drought from 2017 to 2019, sparking fears that the local hospital might need to be evacuated due to insufficient water for firefighting.

Warren presently depends on bore water from fields at Ellengerah and Bore Flat, treated with advanced chlorination.  

The initiative is designed to build on a $1 million groundwater project completed in May 2024, which introduced a 1-megalitre reservoir, advanced chlorination systems, and a 2.5 km pipeline connecting bore fields to boost the region's drought resilience.  

“We’re extremely vulnerable to drought and rely solely on treated bore water, so it’s absolutely critical that we look at whether river water is a viable alternative,” Warren Shire Mayor Greg Whitely said.

The study, part of the $1 billion NSW Safe and Secure Water Program, is expected to conclude in 2026.

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