The Federal Government has announced the completion of the Sunraysia Water Efficiency Project (SWEP), which has modernised a large part of the irrigation district. The project has delivered a range of local community benefits, including water savings for the environment, Traditional Owners and the wider Mallee area.
Victorian Minister for Water, Harriet Shing, visited Nichols Point Public School in Mildura to see how an underground pipeline has replaced an open channel, improving safety and connecting the school to the local sports oval.
“The Sunraysia region is one of Australia’s major horticultural districts, and local producers depend heavily on a reliable and efficient irrigation system,” Ms Shing said.
“The prioritisation of customers and the community in this project was evident, and well done to everyone involved.”
The $20 million project, fully funded by the Federal Government through the Off-farm Efficiency Program, will return 1.8GL to the rivers, which will count towards the Murray–Darling Basin Plan’s 450GL target.
“Beyond the water savings and community benefits, this project has also helped uplift the capabilities of contractors in the region through challenging and meaningful work,” Ms Shing said.
Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, said that projects like that in Sunraysia are a win-win.
“They make irrigation more efficient for farmers, improve community amenities and deliver much-needed water back to the environment.
“Recovering the 450GL target is critical to the full implementation of the Basin Plan so we can return the rivers to health in the face of a drying climate.”
The project has upgraded 27km of channels and over 450 customer meters, saving more than 1.8GL of water annually; the equivalent of over 700 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The project, which has been shortlisted for two industry awards, demonstrates how combining modern infrastructure with community-focused solutions can provide benefits beyond those measured in gigalitres.
SWEP is now complete, following a two-year program of work spanning three irrigation districts. In 2024, the project delivered a significant $20 million package of works over a compressed four-month period. This achievement relied on more than 40,000 customer and community interactions to minimise disruption.
At its peak, the project supported more than 100 full-time jobs and contributed to upskilling regional contractors’ capabilities.
SWEP Project Director, Daniel Freitag, said, “It has been fantastic to be involved in a project delivered by locals for the long-term benefit of irrigators across Sunraysia. The pride and commitment of the SWEP team have been evident from day one and show in the outcomes we’ve achieved.”
Lower Murray Water also worked with the community to create a local art initiative that saw more than 30 of the old Dethridge wheels removed as part of the project and installed across the region, retaining a connection to Sunraysia’s irrigation heritage.
Image: Hypervision/stock.adobe.com
