Power and Water’s new Darwin River Dam pump station is more than 50 per cent complete, and the multi-million-dollar project is set to be finished next year.
The new pump station will enhance the reliability and security of water supply to the greater Darwin region, safeguarding sustainability for future generations.
Stephen Vlahovic, Power and Water Executive General Manager of Water Services, emphasised the project’s importance, which has supported 50 local jobs.
‘This is a significant milestone for the project designed to support our customers with safe and reliable drinking water supply, now and into the future,’ he said.
The new Darwin River Dam pump station will be hydraulically and economically more efficient during seasonal changes, allowing the existing pump station to be taken offline for major mechanical refurbishment works.
This will further enhance the Darwin region’s long-term water security.
‘By providing the opportunity for existing equipment to be serviced, this project strengthens our water security capacity in emergencies,’ Mr Vlahovic said.
Darwin River Dam, located 70km south of Darwin, supplies 85 per cent of the Darwin region’s water needs. The pump station project integrates with broader water security initiatives, including the proposed Adelaide River Off-stream Water Storage (AROWS) project and the Manton Dam Return to Service project, which are jointly designed to meet increasing demands from a growing population and economy.
AROWS will use a naturally occurring basin next to the Adelaide River to store around 250 gigalitres of water. Manton Dam is being returned to a drinking water supply source, which will provide an additional 7,300 megalitres a year when completed in 2026.
‘Water security involves the development of contingency plans for water supply. This new facility will provide an alternative pumping source for the existing infrastructure at Darwin River Dam,’ Mr Vlahovic said.
In 2022, McMahon Services Pty Ltd was awarded the $25.24 million contract to design and construct the modern and efficient pump station.
Once completed, the project will provide the capacity to reliably pump, supply and distribute water to more than 140,000 people in the greater Darwin region.
‘We continue to deliver projects that support the upward growth trajectory of our economy and our growing population,’ said Mr Vlahovic.
Power and Water remains committed to delivering safe and secure water supply solutions, ensuring long-term sustainability for the Northern Territory.
