RESIDENTS in the NSW-Queensland border town of Mungindi drew the battle lines ahead of last night’s State of Origin clash – won 18-6 by the Blues – after teaming up to deliver a $1.4 million project to improve water security under a NSW Government funding initiative.

Mungindi, which sits on both sides of the border, tapped into the spirit of State of Origin by painting the state lines blue and maroon as the community came together to celebrate the completion of the Mungindi Water Security Project.

The project, which received more than $1 million from the NSW Government has helped secure a new water source on the Queensland side of the border to assist in reducing the risk of water shortages and create a more sustainable future.

The new water security infrastructure will help boost water pressure, quality and supply with the additional water pumped directly to the Mungindi Water Treatment facility.

Prior to this work being completed, water on the Queensland side of the town was supplied by Moree Plains Shire Council, and drawn from the Moree Plains Shire Reservoir in NSW.

Previously, supplied water was subject to restrictions during ongoing drought conditions.

The construction of a new artesian bore in Mungindi will help deliver necessary water security to the town and provide permanent clean water for livestock and the local agriculture industry.

The work is part of the NSW Government’s ongoing commitment to improve water security and prepare for drought in regional NSW.

Balonne Shire Council contributed more than $418,000 towards the project.

Balonne Shire Council mayor, Samantha O’Toole, said delivering projects in the cross-border community of Mungindi involved a great degree of government collaboration.

“We are so grateful to the New South Wales government for their significant funding for this project,” she said.

A big crowd turned up at Mungindi on Wednesday morning for the State of Origin Battle of the Border, and to celebrate the completion of the Mungindi Water Security Project (Image courtesy of Moree Plains Shire Council).

“This project will improve water security and supply for the township of Mungindi on both sides of the border, eliminating the risk of water shortages into the future.

“We would also like to thank the Moree Plains Shire Council for their ongoing collaboration to support the residents of Mungindi.”

Moree Plains Shire Council mayor, Susannah Pearse, said access to clean, reliable drinking water is a basic human need.

“But provision of services isn’t always simple in a remote town cut in two by an invisible state border,” she said.

“Council and our NSW Mungindi residents are hugely grateful to our neighbours at Balonne Shire Council and the NSW Government for taking such a pragmatic approach to addressing local needs.”

The Mayors of both councils wore their team colours in a border battle beside the Mungindi Bridge yesterday morning to inspire some friendly community rivalry before celebrating the project milestone.

Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty is pleased the NSW and Queensland Governments have come together to work on the project.

“This is the kind of water security infrastructure that will make a big difference to this community, and that is why our Government has funded it,” she said.

Minister for Water, Rose Jackson, said the battle of the blues and maroons doesn’t mean two states can’t come together to deliver critical water security infrastructure for border towns like Mungindi.

“We don’t want to see regional communities facing water restrictions or an unreliable supply – and we’re going to continue to tackle these issues,” she said.

“It’s an incredible display of sportsmanship to have state governments and councils work together like this to secure the water future of their towns and achieve their shared goals.”