Following the completion of a new 26-kilometre pipeline, Cowra locals will have access to bore water during droughts for the first time.
The pipeline runs from the Billimari bore fields to the Lachlan River Pump Station and is the final piece of infrastructure funded under the NSW Government’s $10 million Cowra Drought Security Project.
“It’s so important that communities are prepared for extreme weather, so it’s fantastic that the Billimari pipeline is in place. The new pipeline bringing bore water to town will be a critical lifeline for the community whenever river water supply becomes scarce,” NSW DCCEEW Executive Director Water Infrastructure Development Lisa Hingerty said.
“We learned a lot of valuable lessons from the last drought, which is why we’re focused on supporting infrastructure projects that will help climate-proof water for regional centres.”
In 2023, the project delivered two new 60-metre-deep bores, a high-tech pump station, and a 200-kilolitre (KL) storage reservoir.
The last 1.2 km of pipeline have now been installed, signalling the end of the 3-year project designed to boost the town’s climate resilience.
“Completing this project has been a huge achievement, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of the NSW Government,” Cowra Shire Council Mayor Paul Smith said.
“When the Wyangala dam reached significant lows in the past, our town almost ran out of water, so having this level of funding to build new infrastructure that we can lean on when drought strikes is a huge relief for our community.”
Cowra’s town water supply is sourced from the Lachlan River. Still, the severity of the last drought clearly demonstrated that the town needs an alternative supply to lean on whenever the river ceases to flow or if Wyangala Dam levels become too low.
“Water is the lifeblood of every local community. Without it, towns and industries cannot function. Getting this project across the finish line will provide Cowra with a vital backup supply during the next dry spell, which is fantastic news for the town’s 12,700 residents,” Ms Hingerty said.
The new pipeline is a major piece of infrastructure that took 100 truckloads to deliver to the site. It will transfer water from the new bores via the pump station and then onto the Cowra Water Treatment Plant, where it will be treated and safely used for town water only during dry periods.
Outside of drought, the town will continue to rely on river water.
