The $40million Harcourt Rural Modernisation Project has now completed 9.3 km of the 19 km backbone pipeline construction works, which is being laid down by application of the trenchless thrust boring technique.
Coliban Water’s Managing Director Jeff Rigby said the backbone pipeline will connect to the future Faraday pump station.
“The 19 km backbone pipeline starts in McIvor Road and will continue into Reservoir Road and Danns Road, where it will link up with the Old Calder Highway and then connect to the yet to be built Faraday pump station,” he said.
“A combination of open trenching and trenchless boring techniques is currently being used during the construction works and our contractor, Redline Group, has extensive experience in pipeline construction in regional areas across Australia,” Mr Rigby said.
The Nationals Member for Rodney Paul Weller, who spoke on behalf of Minister for Water Peter Walsh, said the project was a big step forward for regional Victoria.
“The Harcourt Rural Modernisation Project will provide rural customers in the Harcourt area with a year round pressurised supply through a piped system – replacing the aged and now inefficient concrete and earthen gravity rural channel system that has served this region for over 100 years,” he said.
“Once complete, the project will provide greater water security, for rural residents and the local agriculture industry within the area.
Works were expected to be completed by the end of September 2014, replacing 65 km of open channels with the new underground piped water system, saving an estimated 3,000 megalitres of water per year for the local community.