East Gippsland communities willbenefit from improved long-term water security with a new covered water storage tank and plans for a new off-stream storage at Wy Yung, north of Bairnsdale.
Parliamentary Secretary for Water Harriet Shing officially opened the new $14 million East Gippsland Watertank today. The 36-megalitre covered concrete tank was completed last year, replacing an existing open storage.
The new tank is supplying water to 80 per cent of customer across Bairnsdale through to Nowa Nowa in the east, including the larger commercial centres of Paynesville and Lakes Entrance.
The new concrete tank can hold 36 million litres of water, equivalent to 14 and a half Olympic-sized swimming pools and will both improve water security and protect the quality of drinking water supplies into the future.
East Gippsland Wateralso plans to build a new off-stream water storage at their Woodglen facility, to secure regional potable water supplies to meet the region's growing population and the impacts of climate change.
Water is currently drawn from the Mitchell River at Glenaladale and pumped 2.5 kilometres to be treated before being transferred 25 kilometres to the Wy Yung water storage site.
In planning for a new storage, East Gippsland Wateris working in partnership with the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation to explore how the project can provide greater community, cultural and environmental benefits.
As stated by Parliamentary Secretary for Water Harriet Shing
"These important projects will contribute to the region's long-term water security as our towns continue to grow, putting pressure on demand in a changing climate."
As stated by East Gippsland WaterManaging DirectorSteve McKenzie
"The aim with the proposed Woodglen storage and the recently constructed tank is to provide long term security and reliability of the water supply to customers well into the future."
