News

Start to pipeline construction in Sunraysia Modernisation Project

Wed, 21 Jan 2015 04:14:00

Contractors have started laying pipes in the biggest upgrade of irrigation infrastructure in the Sunraysia region’s history.

The $120 million Sunraysia Modernisation Project got underway last year, with upgrading of water meters as well as the Mildura Central and Red Cliffs Pumping Stations.
But the SMP’s major works component is the construction of nearly 18 kilometres of new irrigation pipeline, with work now underway at Merbein and Red Cliffs.
The Project Control Group chairman Dane Huxley hosted an inspection of the works by the Federal Minister for the Environment, Greg Hunt, today (Jan 20). The Commonwealth ($103 million) and Victorian Governments ($17 million) are jointly funding the SMP.
“The start to pipelining is the portion of the SMP everyone has been wanting to see,” Mr Huxley said.
“It’s the big-ticket item in a collection of works that can potentially transform what our irrigation district can produce and sustain our region economically now and into the future,” he said.
Replacing open channels with pipelines will underpin the delivery of the SMP’s overriding aim to provide 365-day water supply to as many irrigation customers as possible.
The construction will use pipes up to two metres in diameter, with design and building work to be overseen by a joint venture partnership GOLD JV (Guidera O’Conner and Leed Engineering).
The SMP Project Director Mike Walsh said pipes, along with plant and equipment, were now being stored at strategic locations at Merbein and Red Cliffs, where construction will start.
“Pipes will begin going in the ground this week and when the work has finished by the middle of next year, every irrigator in the Merbein irrigation district will have access to water 365 days a year,” Mr Walsh said.
“Across Sunraysia, 65 percent of the district will have 365-day supply.  That creates much more flexibility for irrigators in terms of their water requirements and allowing them to diversify their operations – particularly creating the potential for winter crops,” he said.