An 11km pipeline is being constructed at Colac, in south western Victoria, to help secure the area’s water supply, with the project including a new pump station at the Gerangamete treatment plant.
Colac’s water is currently sourced from the West Gellibrand and Olangolah reservoirs. The project will see the construction of a new off-take from the Wurdee Boluc channel, a new 50 million litre storage basin and the Gerangamete treatment plant pump station.
Colac will be connected to the Geelong system by the middle of 2017, giving local residents and irrigators a secure water supply into the future.
The project has been fast-tracked by two years after an updated water security assessment revealed a forecast growth in demand for water.
The 11km pipeline will run from the treatment plant to the existing Colac supply pipeline.
Victorian Minister for Water, Lisa Neville, said, “This project not only benefits the local Colac economy, it’ll give the region the water security it needs into the future to protect its communities.
“The need for water restrictions in Colac earlier this year highlighted the vulnerability of the current water supply system – and it’s great to see construction of the new pipeline underway.”
The $19.3 million upgrade will allow the city to access water from the West Barwon Reservoir at Forrest and, if needed, the Barwon Downs borefield. The upgrade – due to be completed in mid-2017 – will effectively double the capacity of the city’s supply.
Local Colac district companies are involved in the project including R Slater and Sons, BDH Constructions and Armistead Earthmoving.
Barwon Water Managing Director, Joe Adamski, said, “The new pipeline will diversify Colac’s water supply network, ensuring we manage supplies to support the city’s liveability and economic growth.”
