Barwon Water’s Board of Directors have approved the construction of a pipeline connecting the coastal towns of Aireys Inlet and Fairhaven (VIC) to the Geelong water supply network via Anglesea.
The connection was chosen as the preferred option for replacing the existing 25-year-old water treatment plant, which has reached the end of its operational life. The alternative was a new treatment facility built next to the existing plant.
The Board considered a number of factors in making its decision, notably:
- Cost.
- Water quality.
- Environmental impact.
- Supply security.
- Bushfire resilience.
- Community and stakeholder feedback.
The 11 kilometre pipeline from Harvey Street, Anglesea, to Aireys Inlet will cost $6.6 million, $2.7 million less than a new treatment plant. It will source water from the West Barwon catchment via the Wurdee Boluc Reservoir which also supplies greater Geelong.
Currently, Aireys Inlet and Fairhaven are supplied solely by the Painkalac Reservoir, which will be taken out of service but maintained for fire fighting purposes and ensuring continued environmental flows into Painkalac Creek.
