Flooding at the Darwin River Dam pump station has disrupted water supply operations in the Northern Territory, prompting urgent repair work and calls for residents to conserve water as authorities work to restore the system.
Power and Water Corporation confirmed the dam stopped operating at about 4:30pm on March 9 after substantial flooding inundated the pump station and associated equipment. The event followed a particularly intense wet season that pushed the dam to more than 110 per cent capacity.
The company said the dam wall itself was not impacted, but the flooding forced the shutdown of critical pumping infrastructure used to supply the Greater Darwin region. Crews were immediately deployed to the site and began working to bring the pump station back online as quickly and safely as possible.
In the meantime, Power and Water Corporation has asked residents to reduce their water usage while repairs are carried out and contingency measures are put in place.
Backup generators are being prepared and transported to the site as part of the recovery response, while the company continues to manage the broader water network to maintain supply.
The flooding event comes after an already wet season that had seen the dam’s spillway overflowing since early in the year. According to the corporation, the additional rainfall and flash flooding pushed water levels to unprecedented volumes at the reservoir.
Power and Water Corporation said restoring operations at the pump station remains its top priority and crews are continuing to work on site to reconnect the facility to the Darwin water network.
The Darwin River Dam is a key source of drinking water for the Darwin region, making the restoration of pumping operations critical to maintaining supply reliability for residents and businesses.
