Murrumbidgee Irrigation (MI) has announced it will undertake a series of repairs, maintenance, and upgrades across its infrastructure during the upcoming cooler months, including vital automation works.
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The project will spread across the entire MIA, and will aim to complete upgrades and maintenance while also ensuring delivery infrastructure and systems continue to operate.
The winter works will see MI resuming its ongoing automation project, which includes upgrading regulators in the Murrami and Yenda areas. So far, 80 per cent of the automation project has been completed.
MI CEO Brett Jones said completing the works will be hugely beneficial to the region's growers.
"With around 80 per cent of our channel system now automated, completing the automation across the rest of our water delivery network will help us to deliver water to customers in the best way possible," said Mr Jones.
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Earlier this year, MI received a $126 million loan from the federal government to help the company complete the rest of its modernisation and automation upgrades across the network.
Commonwealth water minister Keith Pitt said the project would help save gigalitres of water for both the environment and consumptive purposes. He also said water buybacks would no longer be necessary as a result.
"It's a win-win not only for local organisations, the local community and farmers but also for the environment," Mr Pitt told The Area News. "We'll have a modern irrigation system that meets needs of consumers and users far into the future."
However, MI said its winter works, as well as WaterNSW's planned maintenance at Gogelderie Weir and Berembed Weir, and general increased water use in winter crops could add pressure to its integrated system.
"We will be working closely with customers and using our reservoirs along the network to minimise supply interruptions and will keep customers updated as things progress," said Mr Jones.
"We are conscious that works can impact people who live, work and travel in the area and have in place a process to keep customers and affected community members informed well in advance."
MI's winter works include completing regulator automation in the aforementioned Murrami and Yenda areas, as well as breaking ground for the construction of the new 5000 ML Roach's Surge Reservoir near Yanco.
The company also announced it will continue maintenance works alongside its automation project during the coming months, including channel bank repairs, desilting and pump shed maintenance.
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