New community grants scheme for the West Kimberley

Written on the 29 June 2016

Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Dave Grills MLC has applauded the creation of a new community grants scheme for the West Kimberley.

It was announced last week by Water Minister Mia Davies that the Water Corporation had joined forces with the Lions Club of Broome to start the West Kimberley Community Grants
Scheme.

Funds from the sale of Rhodes grass hay from Broome North Wastewater Treatment Plant will be donated to support the scheme. The Water Corporation have irrigated a crop of Rhodes grass with recycled water from the Broome North Wastewater Treatment Plant, and this will be sold as fodder to local farmers.

Mr Grills said applications would soon be open for not-for-profit organisations and local schools to apply for grants of up to $10,000 to fund local projects designed to benefit
communities in the West Kimberley.

"This is a clever initiative that is using wastewater to help generate real benefits for the local community," Mr Grills said.

"There are a variety of community groups in Broome and elsewhere in the West Kimberley that will be able to tap into this scheme for important local projects."

...

The first round of funding of the West Kimberley Community Grants Scheme is open for four weeks from July 4, 2016 until July 29, 2016 and applications can be lodged via http://www.watercorporation.com.au/wkcgrants

The total value of each round of funding will depend on the amount of hay sold and produced by the Water Corporation at each harvest.

Irrigation of the Rhodes grass is an environmentally friendly way to dispose of treated wastewater and is the preferred crop recommended by environmental experts due to its high
nutrient uptake.

Source: Dave Grills media release