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Environment and Water | November 02, 2022

Funding to further investigate proposed West Grampians Pipeline

The Nationals in government will provide $50,000 to further investigate the feasibility of a piped water supply to rural properties, environmental sites and the towns of Edenhope and Harrow.

Member for Lowan and Deputy Leader of The Nationals Emma Kealy made the announcement today.

Ms Kealy said preliminary investigations had shown the West Grampians Pipeline had clear merit based on a cost-benefit analysis, but further engagement was required to understand stakeholders’ capacity and willingness to contribute to the capital cost of the project given the benefits it would deliver.

“The success of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline Project, completed in 2010, has confirmed the enormous benefits that a piped water supply can deliver for rural communities,” she said.

“There is no doubt that a secure piped water supply to communities in the West Wimmera area would do the same, delivering benefits for agricultural enterprises; improved water supply security for the towns of Harrow and Edenhope; and increased environment benefits for local waterways and wetlands including the possible release of some water into Lake Wallace to provide environmental, recreational and social benefits to the local community.”

Ms Kealy said from an environmental perspective, the West Wimmera was home to many state and nationally important wetlands that supported many flora and fauna species.

“This project has the potential to deliver water to these significant wetlands as well as tributaries of the Glenelg River during times of drought,” she said.

“In the past few years there has been 103 bird species recorded at Lake Wallace alone, including rare species such as brolgas, freckled ducks and red-tailed black cockatoos and four species of frog including the growling grass frog, which is endangered at state level and vulnerable at national level.

“A consistent water supply to Lake Wallace would be ecologically significant for the many threatened species that call the lake home, not to mention the enormous recreational benefits it would provide for local residents,” she said.

“West Wimmera Shire Council and GWMWater have done a lot of work on this project to date and I am proud to support them with funding to further investigate the feasibility of this exciting project, which would make the fantastic West Wimmera area an even better place to live and work.”

The proposed West Grampians Pipeline project currently encompasses the south-eastern corner of West Wimmera Shire along with parts of Horsham Rural City Council and Southern Grampians Shire, however the scope may change based on expressions of interest received from landholders interested in connecting to the pipeline.