11 March 2010
TARAGO PROJECT PRAISED IN A NEW REPORT
Melbourne Water has welcomed an Auditor General’s report praising the way it managed a project to reconnect the Tarago Reservoir to Melbourne’s water supply network.
The report states “The decision to reconnect the Tarago Reservoir was clearly the preferred option in terms of cost and water savings.”
The Auditor-General also found the Tarago project was completed six months early and was delivered within its estimated budget of almost $100 million.
The Premier John Brumby and Water Minister Tim Holding, officially opened a new water treatment plant in Drouin West in June 2009, enabling the Tarago Reservoir to be reconnected to the city’s water supply system.
The project will help to secure Melbourne’s water supplies by providing an extra 15 billion litres of water a year. Tarago has already provided about 10 billion litres of water since it came on line in June.
The Auditor-General’s report also found:
- Sound governance arrangements were established to effectively oversee the project’s implementation
- Community engagement and consultation was generally well managed with no residual community concerns following project completion
In 2005, the Victorian Government announced the Tarago Reservoir would be reconnected by 2011, however the completion date was brought forward to the end of 2009, because of a continuing drop in rainfall inflows into Melbourne’s water storages.
Melbourne Water’s Managing Director, Rob Skinner, said the Auditor General’s report confirms the corporation met this challenging timeframe, while still observing a sound governance framework and engaging effectively with stakeholders.
“The new Tarago treatment plant has the capacity to treat up to 70 million litres of water a day and has provided a welcome boost to our low water storage levels,” Mr Skinner said.
“The treatment plant is providing high quality water to 95,000 customers in Westernport and the Mornington Peninsula.”
Melbourne Water delivered the treatment plant in alliance with construction partners, Baulderstone Hornibrook and United Group, designer GHD and Sinclair Knight Merz.
Media Contact: Gavin Rainsford – 03 9235 1587 M – 0400 690 502