Mitiamo pipeline project reaches completion

The Federal and Victorian Governments have announced that the Mitiamo Pipeline Project has been completed, supplying more reliable water supply and less water evaporation to irrigators across the state.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Barnaby Joyce, said the completion of the Mitiamo and District Water Supply project came as part of the $3.5 billion National Water Grid which aims to secure Australia’s water future.

“This project is fantastic news for the local economy which is strongly backed by agriculture, with project construction also having supported 170 jobs here in regional Australia,” Mr Joyce said.

The completed project includes 300km of new pipeline which will supply a new district covering in excess of 58,000 hectares of land north of Bendigo and southwest of Echuca, helping to provide a year-round service to around 170 rural properties.

Historically, more than 80 per cent of water supplied via the channels in the region is lost before use and only two-thirds of the project area is currently serviced, with farmers incurring high water cartage costs.

Victorian Acting Water Minister, Richard Wynne, said the project will reduce public and private water losses by more than 1,000ML per year by replacing the old leaking channel with pipes, a pump station and 85ML storage facility to provide year-round water supply.

“A lack of reliable, quality water has constrained the expansion of agriculture in the Mitiamo region – this project will address this and help farming grow in northern Victoria,” Mr Wynne said.

Water saved will be used to improve the health of rivers and wetlands in line with Victoria’s obligations under the Murray Darling Basin Plan, with no socio-economic impacts.

Federal Member for Mallee, Anne Webster, said with around a gigalitre of water savings to be achieved each year, the completion of this project allows farmers to invest with certainty for the future.

“This is a fantastic project that will support agricultural benefits for farmers through improved stocking rate and livestock productivity,” Dr Webster said.

“The completion of this project is great news for the local communities, as it will provide a secure and stable water supply.”

The Mitiamo and District Water Supply Project received $14.5 million from the Federal Government, $10.2 million from the Victorian Government and $4.3 million from Goulburn Murray Water.

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