Water secured

A $15 million water project is set to secure Warragul and Drouin’s water supplies and expected to be operational next year.

Gippsland Water has begun work on the second stage of a new pipeline that will help to secure water supplies for the two towns and meet the demands of a growing population.

When complete, the $15 million Moe to Warragul interconnector will transfer up to 8 million litres of water per day between the two previously unconnected water grids, reducing the likelihood of water restrictions for Warragul and Drouin.

Gippsland Water currently takes water from the Tarago Reservoir to supply Warragul and Drouin, but entitlements are limited as the reservoir also supplies Westernport and the Mornington Peninsula.

Gippsland Water’s customer and community general manager Paul Clark said the new pipe was a key piece of infrastructure that would allow the transfer of water in either direction, offering improved operational security and making the region more resilient to changes in supply and demand, such as climate change and population growth.

“Ultimately, we’re ensuring that Gippslanders are able to benefit from our valuable water resources, and enabling water to be accessed from a wider range of sources.”

The first stage of the project, a pipe between Yarragon and Darnum, was completed in 2012.

The second stage involves construction of a pipeline from Darnum to the Warragul South basin on Korumburra-Warragul Road, along with new booster pumps at Darnum and a new pump station west of Trafalgar.

Construction of the pipe will include both open trenching and boring in Darnum, and along East West Road. Affected property owners have been notified.

Gippsland Water’s contractor has begun works in and around Darnum. Construction is expected to be complete by mid year, and the pipe is expected to be operational by 2019.