$6m water study funded

It will explore what is required to bolster the efficiency and resilience of our irrigation networks in an era of water recovery.

The funding for the study will be divided between the three southern irrigation infrastructure operators, under a project called Business Resilient Southern Irrigation Districts (BRSID).

A funding application was originally submitted in June last year, under the Australian Government’s Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure Program.

This government program aims to improve and modernise water delivery networks to generate further water savings that could potentially contribute to the Commonwealth’s 450 gigalitres of additional environmental water recovery target under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, and reduce the need for voluntary water purchases.

A funding deed for the study was finally executed by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and MIL last week, on behalf of the organisations.

MIL CEO Ron McCalman said he is looking forward to working with MI, CICL and external engineering, architecture and construction consultancy firm, GHD, to bring the elements of BRSID together.

“The combined teams have already produced an enormous amount of work to get us to where we are today, and I look forward to building on this and exploring solutions that assist with the long-term resilience and business viability of our respective irrigation areas," Mr McCalman said.

“The purpose of this project is to provide a study that identifies potential opportunities for further water savings, and financial and operational improvements across each district.

“I would like to reassure shareholders, customers and the community, that undertaking this feasibility study does not involve the transfer of water.”

Mr McCalman said the MIL portion of the program will focus on reviewing the previously modernised $320 million network asset upgrade program, which the company undertook as part of the Federal Government's Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operators Program (PIIOP) between 2012 to 2019.

“Since the completion of PIIOP in 2019, Murray Irrigation has significantly increased its water delivery efficiency to assist with business resilience,” Mr McCalman said.

“By exploring a number of water savings initiatives in this project, Murray Irrigation will gain an understanding if further water savings are possible within the footprint.”

The network asset upgrade program undertaken during PIIOP provided MIL with a forecasting platform to consider and react to the effects of reduced future water availability and its many implications, including asset underutilisation, maintenance costs and the implementation of new technologies.

The reinvigoration of this existing platform will enable MIL to consider asset utilisation data which will help inform future investment and growth opportunities.

“Timelines on this project are very tight,” Mr McCalman said.

“We’re grateful that we took the opportunity in September last year to discuss a number of topics and ideas with shareholders.

“As part of the BRSID project, we will be undertaking a shareholder/customer survey. Details of this survey will be shared in the coming weeks.

“We also look forward to hosting another round of shareholder meetings in July to share and discuss what we have learned while undertaking the BRSID process.”

For further information on this project, please contact MIL’s customer support team on 1300 138 265 or customersupport@murrayirrigation.com.au.