> Project Background

Coliban Water is duplicating sections of the existing Eppalock-Sandhurst (ES) pipeline that connects Lake Eppalock to Sandhurst Reservoir in Bendigo.

This is the second of two key projects being fast-tracked by Coliban Water to improve the region's water security.

The pipeline diagram shows where the duplicated sections of the pipeline will be constructed. Stage 1 and Stages 2A and 2B are being duplicated shortly as part of the current project, with the remaining sections to be duplicated as part of Coliban Water's long term strategy.

To find out more about the pipeline alignment and to see a diagram > click here

> Contractor Works Timeline
(last updated January 2010)

National Australian Pipelines, based in Whittlesea, have been contracted by Coliban Water to construct the new pipeline.

Construction of Stage 1 commenced in September 2008 and was successfully commissioned in August 2009. Stage 2b has been mostly completed with the exception of the connections to the existing pipeline and the crossing of Native Gully Crescent. Works on Stage 2a were commenced in November 2009 and as of 15 January 2010 approximately 30% of the pipe had been installed. It is expected that the works will be completed in March 2010.

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> Project Stages

The project will be completed in three stages.

Stage 1 Pipeline
The duplication of approximately 5.7 kilometres of pipeline from Sandhurst Reservoir through the Bendigo Regional Park and Coliban Water’s catchment area to Spring Gully Reservoir.

Stage 2A & 2B Pipeline
Approximately eight kilometres of the Stage 2 pipeline duplication is being constructed in the following areas:

Stage 2A: Between Kimbolton-Axedale Road to west of Cannys Road (approximately 2.6 km)

Stage 2B: West of the Axe Creek booster pump station for the Goldfields Superpipe – Bendigo Link project to west of Axe Creek Road (approximately 5.6km)

Lake Eppalock Pump Station

In addition to duplicating parts of the pipeline between Lake Eppalock and Bendigo, the pumping station at Lake Eppalock is also being upgraded. These works commenced in October 2008 and include:

• Removal of one turbine (the other two turbines will remain operational)
• Installation of two new vertically mounted pumps and one horizontal pump.
• Controls to enable the pump station to operate in conjunction with the booster pump station on Strathfieldsaye Road.

The contract for the construction of the pump station upgrade was awarded to CCB Envico. One of the pumpsets was operational in early July 2009 and was used to transfer water into Bendigo during the winter period. The remaining two pumpsets were operational by the end of 2009.