Advanced Operational Support - Phase 3

AOS assists Local Water Utilities (LWUs) to manage drinking water quality risks and challenges, particularly in areas where location, size and capacity to attract and retain qualified staff are issues. AOS works on-site with LWU teams to reduce drinking water quality risks and improve workplace health and safety by providing onsite assessment and technical and training support to optimise existing water treatment plant infrastructure and extend asset life. AOS upskills operators who face challenges such as rapid changes in raw water quality, but often lack the technical skills, capacity or appropriate monitoring equipment to assess and resolve treatment process issues effectively.

In addition to on-site support, AOS can offer grant funding to participating LWUs to support improvement implementation. Supporting LWUs to improve and maintain quality water supply where they are unable to access other sources of funding assistance is one way the NSW Government can support Regional NSW and promote value for money outcomes in public water expenditure.

The program aims to improve public health and safety in regional NSW by reducing drinking water quality risks. The program will achieve this by delivering key outcomes, including:

• reduced risk of water quality incidents
• enhanced local water utility capability to identify and respond to issues
• improved local water utility understanding of operational processes.

Funding Round Information

Under AOS, participants will be selected using targeted EOI with a transparent assessment process and defined criteria.

The purpose of the grants under AOS is to provide funding to enable selected participants to procure and install upgrades to operational equipment and systems, informed by assessments undertaken during investigations conducted under Parts 1a and/or 1b as outlined below:

• Part 1a

  • A targeted assessment of existing online monitoring system capability including gap analysis, upgrade scope of work requirements, and development of technical specifications by a specialist service provider in collaboration with the LWU. The service provider will be provided and funded by the Department. Participation in this part will be offered based on assessed need and available resources. Not all successful applicants will receive an offer to participate in this part.

  Part 1b

  • The conduct of intensive on-site assessments of overall plant operational risks and issues by process experts, which are collated into an Operational Improvement Opportunities (OIO) plan for each participant. These on-site visits also provide opportunity to provide mentoring and support for operators, as well as optimisation of existing or any new equipment, plant operations and processes. All successful applicants will be offered participation in this part.

  Part 2

  • Grant implementation and support to address concerns identified in online CCP monitoring systems (Part 1a) and/or the OIO plan (Part 1b). The Department provides high level support to assist LWU’s to meet the grant milestone requirements. Participation in this part will be offered based on assessed need and available resources. Not all successful applicants will participate in this part. Grants (where offered) will vary up to a maximum of $150,000

The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that:

• submission of this application does not guarantee funding will be granted for any project, and the Department expressly reserves its right to accept or reject this application at its discretion;
• it must bear the costs of preparing and submitting this application and the Department does not accept any liability for such costs, whether or not this application is ultimately accepted or rejected; and
• it has read the Funding Guidelines for the Program and has fully informed itself of the relevant program requirements.

By submitting this application form, the Applicant acknowledges and agrees that:

• if this project application is successful, the relevant details of the project will be made public, including details such as the names of the organisation (Applicant) and any partnering organisation (state government agency or non-government organisation), project title, project description, location, anticipated time for completion and amount awarded;
• the Department will use reasonable endeavours to ensure that any information received in or in respect of this application which is clearly marked ‘Commercial-in-confidence’ or ‘Confidential’ is treated as confidential, however, such documents will remain subject to the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act); and
• in some circumstances the Department may release information contained in this application form and other relevant information in relation to this application in response to a request lodged under the GIPA Act or otherwise as required or permitted by law.

The participant must answer yes to all the eligibility criteria to be considered eligible:

Eligibility Criteria 1:

The organisation is a local council, as identified under the Local Government Act 1993 (providing water supply and/or sewerage services under Section 56) or a water supply authority (as identified in the Water Management Act 2000);

Eligibility Criteria 2:

The water treatment plant has not been formally supported previously under AOS.

Eligibility Criteria 3:

The water treatment plant has been assigned (or is eligible to be assigned) a water quality risk score under the SSWP ERIL

If you have questions as to your eligibility email julie.meyer@dpie.nsw.gov.au