Queanbeyan Council had put in for a grant to cover part of the planned pipeline’s cost. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
A failed funding bid has thrown doubt on a long-awaited Bungendore water pipeline.
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) has for several years been planning for a pipeline to service the town.
As part of the project, it’s hoped a new water pump station can be built at Queanbeyan, while the pipeline will draw from a nearby trunk water main of the Queanbeyan supply system.
Since early 2025, the council had been waiting to hear back about a funding bid through the National Water Grid Fund (NWGF).
The NWGF was a government infrastructure investment program intended to deliver nationally important water infrastructure projects.
But a May letter, seen by Region, revealed QPRC was among those knocked back.
It reveals that the Australian Government isn’t allocating money under the program.
“Following the 2026-27 Federal Budget, the NSW Government was advised by the Australian Government that no funding has been allocated to the National Water Grid Fund projects anywhere in Australia through this budget process,” it outlines.
“As a result, your application was not successful. This does not reflect the quality of your proposal, but rather that there is currently no funding available under this program.”
Mayor Kenrick Winchester said the council was committed to finding funding for the pipeline.
He said the project had been on the council’s list of high-priority projects for “quite some time”.
“The State Government’s well aware that we want money for this pipeline. … It’s up to political parties and candidates if they want to fund things that are on that list, or ignore them totally.”
When councillor Katrina Willis said she was “alarmed” at a suggestion in the letter that QPRC seek a loan to cover the project, Mayor Winchester shot down the idea.
He said that wasn’t the council’s position.
“There’s no reason for you to believe that’s council policy.”
Council meeting papers state it is pushing ahead with the development of the Bungendore Developer Contributions Plan.
Councillor Willis warned that there currently wasn’t a full image of the project’s cost.
She said discussions with developers about their contributions would be needed for QPRC to know the project’s complete cost.
“At what point does the council talk to land developers to ascertain a developer’s contribution plan so we know what the total cost of the project is? Or do we have to commit to the project, without actually knowing what the cost to council, as distinct to the cost to land developers, will be?”
General manager Rebecca Ryan said a recent information session was held at the Norah Starrs Community Centre in Bungendore to provide an update on council’s projects that were specific to the town.
“Until there’s an actual project, we’ve done this load of consultation. We’ve got another newsletter that the staff are working on to send to the Bungendore community,” she said.
“This was, again, another update for council and the community.”
Further information on the proposed pipeline can be found on the council’s website.
