How we manage your water supply

Published on 17 July 2026

Providing safe, reliable drinking water to the Uralla Shire community involves much more than turning on a tap. Behind every drop is a network of infrastructure, skilled staff, and strict quality controls working together every day.

Uralla and Bundarra are serviced by urban water supply schemes. Uralla's water comes from Kentucky Creek Dam, while Bundarra is supplied from Taylors Pond, an off-stream storage connected to the Gwydir River. Water is treated at dedicated facilities before being stored in reservoirs and distributed to homes and businesses.

Many rural residents also rely on rainwater tanks, highlighting the importance of sustainable water management across the Shire.

From source to tap

Water travels through a carefully managed process before it reaches customers. Raw water is collected from storages, treated through processes such as filtration and disinfection, and tested to ensure it meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Once treated, it is stored in reservoirs and delivered through the distribution network.

Behind the scenes, Council's water and wastewater operators, maintenance crews, and customer service teams work together to monitor water quality, maintain infrastructure, and respond to issues quickly and effectively.

Council works closely with a range of regulators to ensure water services meet health, environmental and operational requirements. These include NSW Health, WaterNSW, the Natural Resources Access Regulator, the NSW Environment Protection Authority, Dams Safety NSW, and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

Investing for the future

Delivering water services requires ongoing investment in dams, trunk water mains, water distribution networks, reservoirs and treatment facilities. Operational costs such as energy, treatment chemicals, maintenance, monitoring and regulatory compliance are also essential to maintaining safe and reliable services.

Like many regional communities, Uralla Shire faces challenges from ageing infrastructure, climate variability, and evolving health and environmental standards. Addressing these challenges will require careful planning, ongoing investment and community engagement.

Uralla Shire Council is committed to providing safe, secure, sustainable and affordable water services. By investing in infrastructure, people and long-term planning, we are helping ensure reliable water supplies for our community now and into the future.

For more information, visit:
Managing Our Water Supplies – Uralla Shire Council