Projects

Winter Works 2024

20 June, 2024

Winter Works are vital to deliver upgrades and maintenance to keep the water delivery infrastructure and systems operating as efficiently as possible throughout the year. They also provide the opportunity to deliver the final stage of upgrades, funded under the State led Off-farm Efficiency Program, that can further support our customers in their businesses.

Outlet and regulator works

An outlet installation near Whitton last week.
This winter works period we are automating 800 outlets and several regulators across the region, with the majority around Leeton and Griffith.
An engagement officer will contact you to discuss any planned works in your area, so there is no need for you to do anything.
With around 94 percent of the system now automated, finishing the automation of the delivery network over the next few months will allow more customers to benefit from the investment.

Channel refurbishment works

We will be conducting work on our channels as part of our strategy to mitigate seepage and to ensure we can deliver water in the best way possible. 
There will also be approximately 5.6kms of channel refurbishment works, which are currently underway in Warburn (pictured above) and along the Gogelderie Branch Canal (GBC1). Refurbishment works will commence along the Branch Canal (BC4) next month.

Supply interruptions
WaterNSW are currently undertaking their annual maintenance works at Gogelderie Weir (Sturt Canal). Works commenced last week and will continue until early July. The weir will be able to meet expected supply demand by late July.
The gates at Berembed Weir (Main Canal) will be withdrawn from operations in late June. Works will be in July, and the weir will be able to meet expected supply demand by early August.
Click here for a high-level breakdown of supply interruptions across the MIA over the next few months, which are aligned with the WaterNSW maintenance works. You will receive a SMS message if there are planned supply interruptions in your area.
We will be working closely with WaterNSW to bring the water back on sooner where we can and will provide an update to customers via SMS.
If you are in an area where works are occurring, or planned, we will also continue to liaise with you on supply interruptions and critical water needs.
Please place your orders asap in EASYWATER.

Maintenance works

Winter maintenance works over the next few months will ensure that we are ready to go for a big season ahead. Our maintenance program will run in parallel with our automation works, with a focus on desilting channels.
Desilting works have been around the Griffith, Whitton, Bilbul, Murrami and Wah Wah areas over the past month.
Sections of some channels where there are no works will be lowered intermittently to allow for inspections and programmed maintenance works. 

Roach’s Surge Reservoir

The major earth works at Roach’s Reservoir are complete, and the inlet and outlet channels are now cut into the Main Canal.
Electrical works are underway getting high voltage power to the site and the pumps.
We will be filling the reservoir over the next two months, with the project on track for completion by August.

Residential Connections Program
Our Residential Connections supply product is for customers with water entitlements who require water to be used on an area up to 1 Ha.
We have a support package available to help existing customers who choose to transition to a Residential Connection. Our Customer Engagement Officers are in the process of contacting eligible customers.
Check out our fact sheet for more information.
 
Our Customer Operations Centre hours have decreased to 6am-9pm, 7-days a week to align with customer demand during the winter period.
Contacting us about your water order is as simple as calling 02 6962 0200 and pressing 1 when prompted. As usual we are available for Supply and Drainage emergency's outside of Customer Operations Centre hours- simply follow the same process as above and you will be diverted to our after hours on-call.

Automating the MIA Project Overview

In January 2022, we welcomed the announcement of $126.48 million in funding under the State led Off-farm Efficiency Program, to finalise our automation works.

The project will upgrade 1,500 metered outlets, automate 360 regulators, refurbish 20 kilometres of open earth channels and construct a new 5,000 ML surge reservoir that together will generate 6.3 GL per year of water savings for the environment and 1.1 GL for water users and the community.

This project will complete the modernisation of the MIA and provide the region with a modern, reliable and efficient water supply. This funding is a key enabler to improving farm productivity and crop yields that support the continued growth and prosperity of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.

It is a win for everyone, with flow on economic benefits throughout the community, while also delivering significant water savings for the environment. We need to be ready to support our customers though seasons of vastly changing water availability, and these automation works are key to ensuring that we can meet these challenges whilst ensuring our system runs efficiently. 

The project commenced at the end of the 2021/22 irrigation season and will be delivered by the end of 2024.