We are so excited to say that we have completed the final Stage of the Werribee Irrigation District Modernisation Program. This once-in-a-generation, $42 million infrastructure investment will future-proof the district, save water and set up our customers for long-term success.
We began the Werribee Irrigation District modernisation program in 2016 and have replaced the region’s ageing and inefficient open channel irrigation network with a modern piped system.
We completed the multi-million-dollar project in five stages. Stage 5, the final stage, finished in October 2024 and included construction of 8.3 kilometres of new pipeline and one new regulator.
Stage 4 was completed in December 2023 and included construction of 7.9 kilometres of pipeline in the vicinity of Hoppers Lane south to Aviation Road, and an additional 340 meters of pipeline adjacent to Aviation Road.
Seventy customer outlets were automated as part of Stage 4 and Stage 5 works, with works finalised in November and minor power connection works taking place in December 2024. Automation improves service to customers, enables reliable water delivery and more accurate meter reads.
A reliable piped supply means less water is lost to leakage and evaporation, increases the efficiency of how water is supplied, enhances the reliability of local food production, and ensures growers are more climate resilient.
We funded this project but couldn’t have done it without joint funding from the Victorian Government and the Commonwealth Government through the National Water Grid Fund.
Stages 1 to 3 were completed in 2019 and modernised approximately 23 kilometres of pipeline and automated 138 customer outlets.
The full project, across all five stages, is estimated to generate approximately 5,000 megalitres of water savings, which will be used to enhance local irrigation and the health of the Werribee River.
Modernising the Werribee Irrigation District, a vital food bowl for Melbourne, is essential for our food security in a changing climate and the region’s farming future.
We want to thank our customers, construction partners and funding partners for their good-will, collaboration and hard work to help us complete this vital project. It’s a credit to everyone involved and a legacy that demonstrates the value of teamwork in delivering local, state and national benefits.