Mr Kelly met with Tenix Alliance CEO Patrick Patterson to sign the contract for the $A25 million component of the $A65 million project, which will provide sewerage to the Mernda-Doreen region and includes the construction of major infrastructure such as pumping stations, flow control facilities and pipelines.

The Mernda-Doreen region has been recognised as an important growth corridor, with the City of Whittlesea identifying the area for future development. In time, the resulting infrastructure will establish a link between the Mernda township and the Melbourne metropolitan sewerage network.

Mr Kelly commented that Tenix Alliance’s submission provided an efficient and effective approach that will meet all the operational and environmental objectives of the project.

“The Mernda-Doreen region has been identified as one of Victoria’s major growth corridors, and sewerage infrastructure is essential for development to occur. In excess of 16,000 house lots, which is equivalent to 40,000 people, are estimated to have access to these sewerage services, demonstrating just how significant this project is,” said Mr Kelly.

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“We anticipate that all work, including the infrastructure necessary for residents in the Mernda township to connect to reticulated sewerage, will be completed by 2008,” he continued.

Mr Patterson said, “We’re very pleased about the award of this project and look forward to working with Yarra Valley Water over the next few years to construct this major sewerage network in Mernda and Doreen.”

“We are proud to be bringing our project management and construction expertise to this important project to improve the sewerage infrastructure for these communities.”

Yarra Valley Water has been working closely with key stakeholders including the City of Whittlesea, Parks Victoria, Melbourne Water, the Wurundjeri community, and developers over the past few years in planning for this construction.

Project Manager Julie Baud said Yarra Valley Water had finalised the design, and was now looking forward to getting construction for the project underway.

“These exciting developments taking place in Mernda and Doreen will pave the way for growth in the area and we will be working closely with developers to ensure that their component of the overall $A65 million project is also delivered,” Ms Baud said.

Mr Kelly said the project will have a two-fold beneficial effect, by providing the infrastructure necessary for future development, as well as providing improved sewerage services to existing customers currently using septic tanks in the Mernda township. Construction on the new sewerage services in the existing Mernda township are due to start in June 2007.

These sewerage services to the township form a critical part of the $A580 million State Government initiative to help improve the health of the Yarra River and its tributaries, including the Plenty River. A priority in the initiative is a 20 year, $A250 million plan to accelerate the replacement of around 18,500 septic tanks with a reticulated sewerage system in rural areas and outer suburbs.

“The new sewerage services in the Mernda township will provide enormous benefits to residents, such as eliminating the need to maintain or upgrade their septic tanks system, improved property values, as well as protecting the health of the community and local environment,” Mr Kelly concluded.