South Gippsland Water will connect several communities to Victoria’s water grid for the first time ever as part of an investment to improve water security in the South Gippsland region.
The towns of Nyora, Loch, Korumburra and Poowong will be connected to the grid through a $30million investment, outlined in the 2016/17 Victorian Budget.
The project consists of two pipeline sections – Lance Creek to Korumburra ($28.7million) and Korumburra to Poowong ($8.24million).
South Gippsland Water will also construct a new dosing plant ($845,000) and decommission several dams ($5.6million).
Currently the towns are on stage two water restrictions due to on-going dry conditions.
Victorian Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Lisa Neville said, “Communities here have been doing it tough without a secure water supply. That goes for both households and businesses. Things are about to change.”
The investment will also underpin the future of food processing in the region by providing companies such as Burra Foods and GBP Exports – who currently employ 165 and 180 staff in the region respectively – with supply security and the confidence to further invest in their businesses.
The communities currently rely on water from small, rainfall-dependent local dams, but the project will link the towns to the Lance Creek supply system, which provides access to Melbourne’s water supply system.
The Lance Creek system incorporates existing infrastructure that connects to the Wonthaggi Desalination Plant pipeline, meaning that water can be sent from Melbourne’s Cardinia Reservoir to the Lance Creek water treatment plant via the pipeline.
The $43.39million project will significantly reduce the likelihood of any future water restrictions while also improving drinking water quality.
