Wagga Wagga City Council has accepted a tender for the construction of a pipeline between the Murrumbidgee River and Lake Albert, with preliminary works on this next stage of the project set to get underway in April 2026.
At its Ordinary Meeting on Monday 23 March, Council resolved to enter into a contract to the value of $2,567,858.00 (excluding GST) with J Holdings Group Pty Limited for the welding and laying of pipe.
The installation of the approximately 6.4-kilometre-long pipeline and associated infrastructure are part of Stage 2 of the $9-million Lake Albert Pipeline and Precinct Renewal Project.
Manager City Growth & Regional Assets Ben Creighton says Council has already purchased some pipes, which have been delivered to the site in preparation for the start of construction.
"We will now enter into negotiations to sign the final contract, and we are expecting that in the next month or so, preliminary works will start, and the community will start to see a lot of work on site by mid-year," Mr Creighton said.
"We are looking at about a 20-week construction for the pipeline component itself, so it's on track for completion before the end of the year, subject to weather and any on site conditions that are found."
However, there will be no immediate flow of water through the pipeline once it is installed.
In 2023, the NSW Government granted Council a specific purpose water licence to pump 1800 megalitres of water annually from the Murrumbidgee River to Lake but only during the winter season when there is less demand from irrigators.
"This means that we can only start to pump water through the pipeline from the river starting in April next year," Mr Creighton said.
"However, once everything is in place and we start pumping the water, it will have a significant impact for community, organisations and sporting groups by improving water levels and water quality in the lake."
The project is funded through the Australian Government's Growing Regions Program, in partnership with Wagga Wagga City Council and the NSW Government.
