Residents in Wodonga and surrounding areas will be better protected from future flood events thanks to the new Wodonga Offtake Protection Levee jointly funded by the Allan and Albanese Labor Governments.
Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward attended today's official opening for the new protection levee, which will reduce the risk of operational disruptions and secure a reliable water supply for the community in the event of major flooding.
Situated on the Murray River floodplain, North East Water's Wodonga Offtake Pump Station is the sole source of water supply to approximately 25,000 residential customers and various commercial industries.
The station pumps raw water to the treatment plant and treated drinking water is then sent to communities including Wodonga, Baranduda, Barnawartha, Chiltern, Ebden-Bonegilla, Kiewa-Tangambalanga, Springhurst and the Leneva corridor.
As climate change continues to shift flood levels and heighten the risk of extreme weather events, the protection levee is designed to safeguard the newly upgraded pump station from significant floods.
More than $890,000 for the $2.1 million project was delivered from the Victorian Government's State and Regional Priority Projects Grants Program.
The Victorian Government is supporting councils across the state to be better prepared for flood events through Catchment Management Authorities - backed by $4.7 million to fast-track priority flood mitigation plans.
The State and Regional Priority Projects Grants Program is funded by the Australian Government under the National Partnership Agreement for Disaster Risk Reduction (the NPA).
The NPA aims to reduce the risk and limit the impact of disasters associated with natural hazards on Australian communities and economies, delivering the priorities and goals of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management, the Hon Kristy McBain MP said:
"As we continue to see an increase in extreme weather events, we are committed to giving communities the resources they need to prepare themselves for the future."
Victorian Minister for Emergency Services and Natural Disaster Recovery Vicki Ward said:
"The new levee will ensure homes and businesses have access to safe water in the event of major flooding - so they can get on with other recovery efforts without worrying about the basics."
