SA Water is to upgrade a key water main along Penrice Road in Barossa in March 2020 to help flow issues and improve reliability of supply to local customers.
The installation of around 1,180m of a larger 200mm-diameter main aims to reduce water pressure and flow issues currently experienced by local residents, primarily at peak demand times in the morning and evening.
SA Water’s General Manager of Asset Operations and Delivery, Mark Gobbie, said the utility has spent the past several months investigating water pressure in the area and a range of complementary solutions.
“Since this part of our water network was installed in the 1950s, there has been significant residential and industry growth, putting increased demand on the mains,” Mr Gobbie said.
“The existing 100mm-diameter main is not designed to adequately manage such a large volume of water and the pressure required to transport it.
“Doubling the size of the main will allow more water to flow through the network during periods of higher demand and in turn reduce overall pressure-related challenges, which will be especially beneficial for residential customers.”
As part of its investigations, SA Water altered the operation of the Angaston water pump station to increase water pressure during peak demand times, and worked with a local vineyard to schedule their irrigation at night, to assist with alleviating demand on this part of the network during the day.
“We will continue to monitor and measure the effectiveness of these initiatives as well as the impact of the new water main in better managing water pressure and flow,” Mr Gobbie said.
The water main upgrade – between Murray Street and Breakneck Hill Road – is expected to take around eight weeks to complete, subject to weather and any technical constraints.
Once finalised, advanced notice of construction times and details of any temporary water supply interruptions and localised traffic management will be provided to residents in the area.
“Every effort will be made to minimise impacts on the community during construction, and we appreciate residents’ patience and understanding as we continue our investigations and carry out the water main upgrade,” Mr Gobbie said.
