Sunraysia Water Efficiency Project (SWEP)
Creating a more efficient water delivery network across the Mildura, Red Cliffs and Merbein irrigation districts.
In progress
Lower Murray Water (LMW) is delivering the Sunraysia Water Efficiency Project (SWEP), a modernisation project that will modernise and remove outdated water infrastructure in the Mildura, Red Cliffs, and Merbein irrigation districts.
More than four kilometres of irrigation channel in Red Cliffs and Mildura has been repaired and lined, thanks to the Winter Works 2023 package of the Sunraysia Water Efficiency Project (SWEP).
During the winter shutdown period:
- 3.2 km of channel was lined in the Red Cliffs district, along Cocklin Avenue and the Calder Highway; and
- 1 km of channel was lined in the Mildura district (commencing near Dewry Avenue and Fourteenth Street, Irymple).
Thanks to some great support from the Lower Murray Water team, all lining works were completed within the shutdown period and any impact on customers was minimised.
The SWEP team is now focusing on the removal of up to 379 Small Meter Outlets and the upgrade of 285 Stock and Domestic flow meters, along with the design and detailed planning of the 2024 winter works which will see nearly 23 km of channels in the Merbein and Mildura districts lined.
Funding is being provided by the Australian Government to Lower Murray Water for delivery of the project.
Project benefits
The Project will provide many benefits to the Sunraysia region, including:
- Further modernisation and rationalisation of assets in the Mildura, Red Cliffs, and Merbein irrigation districts, benefiting local growers.
- Helping the Sunraysia district maintain its competitive advantage in the agri-food sector with more efficiency in its water delivery systems.
- Bringing forward essential maintenance and upgrade works to maintain water supply and reduce interruptions, offsetting works that otherwise would have been funded through LMW rural customer charges.
- Supporting more than 100 construction and delivery jobs for the region.
- Generating an estimated regional GDP increase of more than $20 million.
- Reducing the amount of salinity in the River Murray and surrounding topsoil caused by leaking channels.
This project will generate up to 2.5 GL of water savings by:
- minimising channel leakage and seepage
- more accurately measuring water used.
About the project
The SWEP builds on the success of the Sunraysia Modernisation Project and Sunraysia Modernisation Project 2 and aims to create a more efficient water delivery network across the Mildura, Red Cliffs and Merbein irrigation districts.
These works will increase the efficiency of water delivery for Lower Murray Water customers, remove redundant assets, extend the lifespan of irrigation infrastructure, and support the agricultural productivity of the region. For an overview of the project, see SWEP fact sheet.
As part of the SWEP, the irrigation channel adjacent to the Nichols Point Primary School and Nichols Point Recreation Reserve will be decommissioned and replaced with a pipeline, significantly improving community safety.
We are currently in discussions with the Nichols Point Primary School and Mildura Rural City Council regarding pipeline alignment but expect works to commence around April/May 2024 and will keep community and landowers informed as the SWEP team work through design and approvals for this part of the project.
Project updates
Despite sometimes soggy conditions in recent months, the SWEP Winter Works 2023 package has now been completed in full. These works will improve the condition of the channel and increase the efficiency of water delivery, at no cost to growers.
Check out our time-lapse for a glimpse of the process.
For more information, take a look at our recent Project Updates here:
How to find out more
For any further questions, or to sign up for project updates, please email swep@lmw.vic.gov.au or phone 1800 808 830 and ask to speak to the SWEP team.
Read more