The Premier of Victoria

More than half of the 70 kilometre Sugarloaf Pipeline has now been laid and water is set to flow down the pipe sooner than expected to boost Melbourne’s water storages which are at record lows.

 

Water Minister Tim Holding said more than 35 kilometres of pipe is in the ground, around 50 kilometres of the pipeline route has now been prepared and more than 1000 jobs have been created on the project.

“The Brumby Government and water authorities are undertaking record investment in water projects to boost our low water supplies and meet the challenges of ongoing drought and climate change,” Mr Holding said.

“Melbourne Water and the Sugarloaf Pipeline Alliance are working hard to complete the pipeline early and deliver water to Melbourne ahead of schedule.

“With Melbourne’s existing storages at the lowest levels they have ever been, sitting at 27.5 per cent today, it is more important than ever that we deliver these major water projects.”

Mr Holding said the pipeline project was providing a great boost for jobs in the region.

“This employment boost, along with significant expenditure on equipment and support services, will help some local businesses during tough times, with the majority of project spending committed to Victorian-based companies,” he said.

Mr Holding said the pipeline would deliver Melbourne’s share of the water savings from the $2 billion Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewal Project.

“Once Stage 1 of the irrigation upgrades is complete, the project will save on average 225 billion litres of water that is currently lost through leaky, old irrigation infrastructure,” he said.

“Melbourne will receive 75 billion litres of water down the pipeline in 2010 and every year after that the savings will be shared equally between farmers, Melbourne and rivers.”

“These savings are being made right now in irrigation channels in northern Victoria and will be independently audited and verified.”

During his visit to the pipeline construction in Dixon’s Creek, Mr Holding praised the contribution of the Sugarloaf Pipeline Alliance workers during and after the Black Saturday bushfires.

“I am proud that the pipeline construction workers joined many other Victorians in assisting with the bushfire effort, including protecting nearby properties and lending construction equipment to help fight the fires,” he said.