One year on, Superpipe flow just super for Ballarat

By Emily Sobey
Updated November 2 2012 - 11:44am, first published May 19 2009 - 12:38pm
TASTE TEST: Premier John Brumby samples the water at White Swan Reservoir yesterday _ one year on since the Goldfields Superpipe began flowing. Picture: Dominic O'Brien
TASTE TEST: Premier John Brumby samples the water at White Swan Reservoir yesterday _ one year on since the Goldfields Superpipe began flowing. Picture: Dominic O'Brien

IN its first year, the Goldfields Superpipe has delivered more than 12 billion litres of water to Ballarat.Premier John Brumby visited White Swan Reservoir yesterday, one year after the pipeline was switched on.He said the image of Ballarat's major reservoir last year was "etched in his mind", dwindling at 7 per cent, with 985 megalitres remaining.Today, it tells a different story, at 63.6 per cent with 8974ML.Mr Brumby said the $180 million Ballarat leg of the pipeline, from Bendigo's Sandhurst Reservoir to White Swan, had paid for itself "time and time again"."We've got up to 55ML a day running through it," he said.The pipeline has boosted the city's total water supply hugely.Before it came online, Ballarat's total storage system of nine reservoirs was sitting on 7.4 perthcent with just 4828ML.Yesterday's readings showed the storages at 19.1 per cent, with 12,611ML.Central Highlands Water managing director Neil Brennan said without the pipeline, Ballarat's water supply would have "bottomed-out" about July.He said the city would have faced rationing of supplies and having water trucked in."The community has just been marvellous and this pipeline has given Ballarat confidence in the water supply," Mr Brennan said.Eighteen businesses have also taken advantage of CHW's pilot program to have extra water.They have purchased a combined 135ML of water from the Goulburn Valley, which has been delivered via the pipeline.Australian Industry Group regional manager Kay Macaulay said the pipeline had been extremely important to local industry, ensuring there was high quality water available.CHW has estimated water loss from the pipeline, due to maintenance, to be less than 0.5 per cent of the total amount pumped.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

$0/

(min cost $0)

or signup to continue reading

See subscription options

Get the latest Ballarat news in your inbox

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.