Westernport Water
 

Candowie Upgrade Project

Under its Candowie Reservoir Water Supply Project, Westernport Water plans to undertake an upgrade of the Candowie Reservoir and its surrounding catchment. By raising the supply level three meters, water capacity will be doubled from 2263 ML to 4463 ML.

This will effectively allow Westernport Water to store two years of water consumption and meet the growing water requirements of our region. The increased capacity will enable Westernport Water to capture flood events on Tennant Creek and the Bass River, as well as bore water from the Corinella Bore field.

At present, the Corporation is progressing the business case for the Candowie Upgrade Project and is at the detailed design stage.

Westernport Water will also upgrade existing infrastructure at the reservoir to comply with current ANCOLD dam safety standards, to cope with a '1 in 100,000 year' flood event and improve earthquake safety and dam surveillance.

This project supports our current 5 year water supply plan and is a key initiative in the Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy which requires Water Corporations to provide adequate watter supply to 2055.

Westernport Water are in discussion with the Department of Sustainability and Environment on the provision of a Desalination pipeline dump connection to the Candowie Reservoir using the existing Bass River pump.

In addition, Westernport Water has secured a connection to the Wonthaggi Desalination Plant Transfer pipeline on the Bass Flats (Delivery Point 6) for use in extreme drought conditions.

 

Progress Report:

  • A Detailed Design has been completed by contractor Entura, addressing works to raise the reservoir supply level by three meters and upgrading the current earthquake and flood event protection. We are also in the process of submitting a business case to the Department of Sustainability & Environment.
  • The raised reservoir level would impinge upon the road reserve of Grantville-Glen Alvie Road at the northern end. We are working with Bass Coast Shire Council to raise the road 1 meter in order to provide flood protection.
  • Westernport Water has prepared a Planning Amendment Application in conjunction with Bass Coast Shire Council to implement Public Use Zoning around the Reservoir. The application is currently available for public review through Bass Coast Shire Council until 8th August 2011.
  • Westernport Water will reduce nutrient inflow and establish a vegetated buffer zone on surrounding land to improve the quality of water in storage. We are communicating with neighbouring farmers over these land management plans.
  • Westernport Water is continuing to liase with Government agencies and public stakeholders with the dam wall construction phase, expected to begin in early 2012 and take 12-18 months to complete.
  • Westernport Water plans to move to the tendering stage in the first half of 2012 with the major construction areas being the dam wall, spillway and outlet tower, as well as upgrading a section of the Grantville-Glen Alvie Road north of Candowie.

 

'Water Supply Retrospective' (189 KB) - A history of the Candowie Reservoir