Construction is now underway on a new 136,000L water tank at Taplan in the Riverland region of South Australia, shoring up water security for the local community.
The new tank will be around 15m high and replace the old Taplan tank which was recently decommissioned and demolished, after reaching the end of its useful asset life.
SA Water’s Senior Manager of Capital Delivery, Peter Seltsikas, said that with temporary bypass tanks and pumps already operating, there will be no disruption to the local community’s water supply during the works.
“As regional communities see population growth, the demand for water services is increasing and we’re planning and preparing for the future to ensure we can continue to provide safe, clean water to customers across South Australia,” Mr Seltsikas said.
“The new elevated tank will be supported by a new ground-level tank with a capacity of 560,000L, also being built on site, providing additional storage capacity.
“The system is designed to manage water quality by recirculating water between the ground and elevated tanks and is a critical asset for the network which supplies 700 regional customers.
“This improves our ability to supply water to the community during times of peak demand and provides a buffer during times of drought or potential supply disruptions.”
Construction of both tanks is expected to be complete in March 2025, subject to weather and any technical constraints, with works typically occurring from Monday to Friday between 7am and 6pm.
“We are committed to minimising any construction impacts during the project, such as dust or noise caused by the use of heavy machinery and increased vehicle movement in and out of our worksite and equipment laydown area.
“While our crews are on site, there may also be changes to local traffic conditions, with these measures in place to protect the safety of our people and people travelling through the area.”
Featured image: The old Taplan tank before its demolition. Image credit: SA Water.
