Australia Launches AUD 543 Million Goldfields Water Supply Project Upgrade

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 5, the Western Australian government announced the official commencement of the upgrade project for the Goldfields and Agricultural Water Supply Scheme. The project has a total investment of AUD 543 million and is being implemented by Water Corporation. The project will carry out Phase 1 renovation of this 566-kilometer-long water supply system, serving more than 100,000 residents in the Goldfields and Wheatbelt regions, as well as local agricultural, mining, and business users.

Phase 1 of the project will replace a total of 44.5 kilometers of aging water pipelines within the jurisdictions of the three local governments of Merredin, Westonia, and Yilgarn, and will simultaneously carry out valve system upgrades. The new pipelines will mainly be laid underground along the existing route, replacing some original pipeline sections that have been in service for more than a century. Water Corporation has previously awarded the relevant construction contracts to Georgiou Group and a consortium composed of SRG Global and McConnell Dowell.

The project will also expand the Binduli Reservoir in Kalgoorlie, doubling its water storage capacity, and support an increase of approximately 10% in the conveyance capacity of the entire water supply system. According to preliminary planning, after the completion of Phase 1, starting from 2027, the system will be able to add up to 7.2 million liters per day of water supply capacity to meet the additional demand brought about by regional population growth and the expansion of mining and industrial projects.

This round of construction will also use new pipeline sections produced in Kwinana, Western Australia, with raw materials including Pilbara iron ore and Cockburn cement, and a designed service life of up to 150 years. During the construction period, the project is expected to create more than 330 jobs, and local businesses will receive approximately AUD 42.4 million in engineering contracts, of which about AUD 14 million is planned to be undertaken by Indigenous businesses.

The Goldfields and Agricultural Water Supply Scheme extends from Mundaring Weir to Kalgoorlie and is the longest water supply system in Western Australia. The existing system has already been approaching the upper limit of its conveyance capacity during summer peak periods, so Phase 1 renovation focuses on renewing aging pipelines, expanding water storage capacity, and upgrading key valves. Existing project information shows that the Phase 1 construction period is expected to be approximately 12 to 18 months.