Sections of a new water main will be installed by SA Water in the Murray Bridge area as part of a $137 million investment over four years to renew around 375,000m of water main across South Australia.
The new pipe sections will link customers between Mulgundawah Road and Joyce Street, into an existing water main under Swanport Road in Murray Bridge.
SA Water’s General Manager of Asset Operations and Delivery, Mark Gobbie, said the new pipe sections, totalling 53 metres in length, were needed because an existing pipe was being decommissioned after recent breaks and leaks.
“We can’t completely stop breaks and leaks from happening, because they’re often triggered by weather or soil movements, but we’re fully committed to reducing their incidence and impact on our customers,” Mark said.
“This new section of pipe will be made of PVC, which is flexible and more resistant to the movement caused by the area’s reactive soils compared to the existing, rigid cast iron and fibro-cement pipes.”
Both the new and existing water mains have an expected lifespan of 100 years. More than half of SA Water’s 27,000km network of pipes are under 50 years old, which is relatively young by urban water industry standards.
The main replacement will take around three weeks to complete, and will typically occur during the day between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm, from Monday to Saturday to minimise impact on the local area which includes the Murray Bridge Soldiers Memorial Hospital.
