All councils were invited to apply for the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund from January 21.

The government has said it will receive applications until all of the funding has been allocated.

“We will be looking into the funding and applying as we have done so previously,” Cr Abbey said.

The Tribune is waiting on a list from the council of funding it has applied for to date. The list was requested on January 23.

Yass has long had two major issues with water: the first, to secure enough water to supply the town; the second, to improve its quality.

Yass Valley Council raised the dam wall in 2013, fixing the first issue. Then, in 2015, the council received a grant to build a pipeline to extend water to Murrumbateman, currently on bore water.

The estimated cost of the pipeline is $14m. Government funding covers $9.835m; the rest to be paid by the council or additional grants.

The council says it needs $11m to upgrade the water treatment plant, built in 1938 and last upgraded in 1990, to fix the second issue.

During a recent visit to Yass and Murrumbateman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Michael McCormack, said he would support an application for the new funding from the council.

“We want, need, expect and deserve top water quality … in the 21st century,” Mr McCormack said in response to the Tribune’s question of why a town so close to the national capital has such poor quality water in 2019.

For years, residents have been calling for the town’s water quality to be improved. Its recent discolouration and unpleasant smell and taste has intensified those calls for change.

Residents have also been angered by the council’s January 15 expression of interest for a new administration building, with many saying they feel the council has its priorities wrong. A protest at its February 27 meeting has been mooted.