WaterNSW, the state’s bulk water supplier and system operator, is studying new infrastructure options for regional areas.

The NSW Government has announced it will fund a business case to explore building a 12km pipeline from Lake Rowlands Dam to the larger WaterNSW-operated Carcoar Dam.

The Lachlan Valley is one of the most challenging regions in NSW for water security. It was impacted heavily by the Millennium Drought, while the 2016 floods caused enormous economic and environmental damage to the region.

It was identified by the NSW Government in 2014 as one of four priority catchments for the investment and delivery of critical water infrastructure projects over the next decade.

WaterNSW has developed the Lachlan Valley Water Security Study to explore the best options to mitigate the impacts of flood and drought in the Lachlan Valley and provide more reliable water security for communities and customers.

“The 12km pipeline was one of the key solutions raised in the study,” said Andrew George, WaterNSW’s Executive Manager Asset Solutions & Delivery.

“The pipeline will transfer surplus water from the Central Tablelands Water-operated Lake Rowlands Dam to the larger Carcoar Dam. This will result in more efficient storage of available water and increase operational flexibility.

“The Lachlan Valley has struggled with long periods of little or no water availability and solutions identified in the Lachlan Valley Water Security Study seek to provide certainty and security for customers when it comes to water delivery.

“When developing the Lachlan Valley Water Security Study, WaterNSW looked to address two key issues: irrigation drought security and managing flood impacts.

“The study confirmed that water infrastructure solutions were needed in the Lachlan Valley, and deliverables from this study will be a major boon for the region.”

More information is available here.