General News
2 March, 2023
Planned pipeline gains traction
With a feasibility study for a major pipeline already underway, landowners in the region have until next week to register their interest in the project to secure water supply for their farms. The Southern Wimmera and Northeast Pyrenees Rural Water...
With a feasibility study for a major pipeline already underway, landowners in the region have until next week to register their interest in the project to secure water supply for their farms.
The Southern Wimmera and Northeast Pyrenees Rural Water Supply Project is one step towards drought-proofing farms after the Pyrenees Shire Council recently engaged with the community to share information about the project.
A public session hosted by the council at Natte Yallock Recreation Reserve on Wednesday, February 22, was a success with a total of 94 people in attendance.
Providing water security to about 354,000 hectares spanning parts of the Central Goldfields, Northern Grampians and Pyrenees Shires, the long-term project is expected to provide agricultural, environmental and economical benefits for the region.
“The fantastic turn out in Natte Yallock showed there is clearly strong interest in this ambitious and important project,” Pyrenees Shire CEO Jim Nolan said.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to secure water supplies that could drought-proof farms and support small communities across the region.
“It’s very important for landholders to respond with their expressions of interest in the project.”
Last month, all three shires contacted around 3000 landholders within the area the project seeks to cover — along with detailed information about the pipeline, owners were asked to complete an expression of interest (EOI) form.
Apart from gauging interest in the project, information collected through the forms will also be used by the engineering team at Grampians Wimmera Mallee (GWM) Water, the principal contractor, to map out the pipeline route.
“A key component of the current feasibility study is to understand the level of demand that’s out there in the community,” Mr Nolan said.
“Designing the reticulation of water supplies is critical in this early planning stage.
“Landholders should not take for granted that they can apply for a connection at a later time, as this could place them at risk of either missing out on a supply, or access costing them significantly more.”
Offering similar advice, Central Goldfields Shire councillor Liesbeth Long, who also attended the public meeting at Natte Yallock, said it was important for landholders to submit their EOIs immediately.
“The session was really positive and the big thing now is to get those EOIs from primary producers,” she said.
“This is not potable water, it’s not for drinking. It’s for stock and things like spraying chemicals. The project essentially drought-proofs farms — if you’re a sheep farmer, and there’s a drought and your dam’s dried up, your stock don’t have any water to drink so you would have to sell your sheep which is your income.
“With the pipeline, your sheep will still have access to water in that situation and you don’t need to get rid of the livestock. It’s important for primary production in the area.”
While there weren’t any major concerns raised at the public session, Cr Long said that most questions were cost-related.
“A lot of the farmers want to know what the cost would be. It’s like a two-pronged thing — if you want to be part of the pipeline, you need to make a capital contribution to start off with because it’s such a big project,” she said.
“That contribution could be anywhere between $15,000 to $40,000 — that’s the contribution to ensure the pipeline goes past or close to your property.
“It also depends on how many people want the pipeline. The more people that are interested, the less the cost will be.”
Despite the associated costs, the benefits of securing access to the pipeline substantially outweigh the alternatives.
“There is a cost but without the pipeline, farmers could be carting water to their stock — so you’re either spending all day every day carting water or you pay for the infrastructure to be able to turn on a tap,” Cr Long said.
“All things considered, right now people should get their EOIs in as they’re totally non-binding. What it does guarantee is that if you have an EOI, and there’s a few other farmers in your same area, that means it’s highly likely that the pipeline will go near you. Whereas if it’s an area where there’s been no interest, then they’re not going to put the pipeline there.
“The most important thing right now is to put in the EOIs because otherwise people may miss out.”
Landholder expressions of interest close on March 8, 2023 — prior to which on March 7, another public information session will be held at Navarre Recreation Reserve at 6 pm.
To learn more about the Southern Wimmera and Northeast Pyrenees Rural Water Supply Project, or to lodge an expression of interest, visit the GWM Water website (gwmwater.org. au/swnep-study), telephone 1300 659 961, or enquire via the Central Goldfields, Northern Grampians or Pyrenees Shire Councils.