The Daylesford water supply pipeline project is progressing well, with several key milestones recently ticked off with the help of trenchless technology.
Led by Central Highlands Water, the project involves the construction of a 17km underground raw water pipeline designed to provide greater long term water security in the area.
Once operational, the pipeline will have the capacity to deliver more than 300 million litres of supplementary raw water per year, bolstering supply during dry conditions and drought periods.
Central Highlands Water project manager David Scott said horizontal directional drilling (HDD) was used for 4.5km of the pipeline alignment to minimise impacts to the environment and the community.
“This included protecting native vegetation and enabling creek crossings at sensitive locations such as Sailors Creek, McLachlan Creek, and Blind Creek,” he said.
“HDD was also employed for multiple road crossings – including the Midland Highway, Blampied-Kooroocheang Road, and Ballan-Daylesford Road – to reduce disruption to local traffic and surrounding communities.”
The pipeline will serve as a strategic backup to Daylesford’s existing water sources, the Wombat and Bullarto Reservoirs, and will integrate into the regional water supply system through a connection to the Goldfields superpipe at Blampied.
It will terminate at the Daylesford water treatment plant, using existing infrastructure corridors such as power easements and road reserves where possible to minimise environmental disruption.
Construction of the pipeline began in early 2023 and was completed in late 2024. The work was divided into three main stages:
Stage 1: Blampied–Kooroocheang Road to Midland Highway
Stage 2: Midland Highway to East Street
Stage 3: East Street to the Daylesford water treatment plant
Alongside the pipeline, the project includes two additional components: an upgrade to the Blampied pump station on the Goldfields superpipe which is currently nearing completion – as well as planned improvements to the Daylesford water treatment plant, which are set to commence soon.
Central Highlands Water is continuing to collaborate with Hepburn Shire Council and a range of cultural, environmental, and community stakeholders to ensure that the project aligns with local priorities and respects regional heritage.
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