First pipes laid to bring desalinated water to Melbourne

Workers in Clyde North have laid the first of 84km of pipes that will deliver desalinated water to Melbourne.

With 6200 pipes to be laid, Water Minister Tim Holding inspected the first of the pipe works this week, a milestone in the construction of what is set to be Australia's largest desalination plant.

Construction, which began in September, has so far included the excavation of 900,000 cubic metres of earth and the pouring of building foundations.

Mr Holding said the project would see desalinated water flowing to Melbourne, Geelong, Western Port and South Gippsland from the end of 2011 and will be capable of carrying up to 200 billion litres of water a year.

"This pipeline will deliver up to 150 billion litres of water a year from the desalination plant in Wonthaggi to connect with Melbourne's existing water supply network," Mr Holding said.

"This and other major projects like the north-south pipeline as part of the Government's Water Plan are our roadmap back from severe water restrictions," Minister Holding said.

Read the Minister's media release...
Find out more about the Desalination Project...