The tender for the new Eurobodalla Dam in New South Wales has been awarded, with construction set to begin soon.
Haslin Construction has been awarded the tender to build the 3,000ML off-river water storage dam next to the Tuross River.
The $130 million water security project is jointly funded, with the Federal Government committing $51.2 million through its National Water Grid Fund, the New South Wales Government investing $25.6 million under its Safe and Secure Water Program and Eurobodalla Shire Council contributing $58.2 million.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said this project will significantly increase water for agriculture and town water supply, particularly during droughts and periods of high demand like summer.
“It’s a game-changer, with the project expected to deliver an extra 581ML of water every year for downstream irrigators and beef, dairy and the environment during low river flows,” Ms King said.
The dam will be 370m long, 39m high, 200m wide and will be located on a tributary of the Tuross River. It will include a spillway to allow it to release water from heavy rainfall events back into the river.
New South Wales Minister for Lands and Water, Kevin Anderson, said finalising the dam’s tender process is a major milestone for this critical water infrastructure project, with construction just around the corner.
“Haslin Constructions will begin early works in mid-August to upgrade the Eurobodalla Road intersection followed by clearing the site from late August,” Mr Anderson said.
“But the real action starts when the builder gets stuck into building the new storage dam in October.
“It is the largest water infrastructure project in Eurobodalla creating new opportunities for businesses and industries and delivering up to 87 indirect and direct jobs in the construction sector and up to 40 quarrying roles, which is a huge boost for the local economy.”
Work is nearing completion on a new pump station that will transfer up to 26ML of water a day from the Tuross River during times of high flow, along with 6ML from an existing bore field, into the storage dam.
Federal Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, and Member for Eden-Monaro, Kristy McBain, said it’s fantastic to see the dam one step closer to becoming a reality as it has been a priority for the region for many years.
“I campaigned for the Eurobodalla Southern Water Storage project as Member for Eden- Monaro and prior to that as Deputy Chair of the Canberra Region Joint Organisation,” Ms McBain said.
“Once complete, the new dam will provide better water security for our region, particularly in times of drought and bushfires.
“Adequate water storage is so important to our South Coast communities and I’ve no doubt the increased water capacity will make a huge difference for many decades to come.”
Eurobodalla Shire Council Mayor, Mathew Hatcher, said the project showcases the collaborative working relationship Council has with the Federal and New South Wales Governments.
“Our partnership with the Federal and New South Wales Governments has enabled us to push this project over the line, which is a huge win for long-term water security for Eurobodalla,” Mr Hatcher said.
“We’ve been championing it since 2016 and I am thrilled that we are now getting on with the job of hiring a contractor and delivering the new dam and pump station.
“The project will complement Council’s Deep Creek Dam and water treatment plant in Batemans Bay to provide drought security and bushfire resilience for the whole shire. It will also increase capacity for peak holiday water demand and support population growth.”
The new pump station will be finished by September 2022, with the dam expected to be completed before the end of 2024.
