12 September 2008
FEDERAL APPROVAL FOR CRUCIAL PIPELINE WELCOMED
From the Sugarloaf Pipeline Alliance
Melbourne Water has today welcomed the Federal Environment Minister’s approval of the Sugarloaf Pipeline, to bring much-needed water savings to Melbourne.
Acting Managing Director of Melbourne Water, Tony Antoniou, said the decision would enable construction of the 70km pipeline to start shortly, as soon as key conditions were met.
“Today’s decision provides certainty and secures the infrastructure we need to bring up to 75 billion litres of water savings to Melbourne from 2010,” said Mr Antoniou.
“We’ve done an enormous amount of work to reach this point, in terms of detailed environmental and engineering surveys, to give Federal and State authorities all the information they need.
“As a result, the two sets of approvals we now have mean the Sugarloaf Pipeline will be held to an extremely high environment and social standard.
“We welcome the conditions set out by the Federal Government today, and along with the State conditions set last month, we’ll now work towards meeting them in full.”
Mr Antoniou said a number of conditions had to be met before construction could begin, including finalisation of environmental management plans required by the State. Other conditions would be met on a milestone basis, as construction progressed.
Developments on the project since the State Government finalised the pipeline corridor in early August 2008 include:
- Sending information to affected landowners about their rights to compensation for easements.
- Meetings with individual landowners about their preferences for the pipeline’s location on their property.
- Continued geotechnical and flora/fauna surveys to help finalise Environmental Management Plans required by the State Government.
- Ongoing discussions with Murrindindi Shire and the Shire of Yarra Ranges on how any inconvenience from construction can be minimised.
- A search for local community members to be part of the Regional Benefits Advisory Committee, which will help direct a $5 million grants package back into the community.
“From a project management perspective, the Alliance’s preparations so far mean we’re in a strong position to make a quick start once we’ve met the necessary State and Federal conditions,” Mr Antoniou added.
Today’s announcement confirms that the Sugarloaf Pipeline remains on schedule for completion in 2010.
Melbourne’s storages are currently at 34.1% compared with 38.8% at the same time last year – representing a shortfall of about 83 billion litres.
Media Contact: Andrew McGinnes +613 9235 7277 +61 (0)403 930 846