Another step towards water security

ACTEW Corporation today welcomed approval from the NSW Government on its portion of the Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer.

NSW Minister for Planning, the Hon Tony Kelly MLC, today approved the project under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.

ACTEW Managing Director Mark Sullivan said this was a great result and the first jurisdictional approval of three required.

“For ACTEW this is an important step towards commencement of the Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer, and a good end result from what was a robust approvals process,” Mr Sullivan said.

“Most importantly, it is a fantastic endorsement that our environmental management plan is sound; that we are doing all we can to ensure the environmental impacts are minimised when we implement the project.

“ACTEW takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously, and we are working closely with the local community and environmental groups tto make sure our operational environmental management plans and monitoring programs are the best possible.

“The important partnerships we have in place – strengthened by the conditions of the NSW approval – will ensure improvements in the health of the Murrumbidgee River, protection of Burra Creek and sound rehabilitation of land and vegetation,” Mr Sullivan said.

The Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer is a a key component of ACTEW’s plan to ensure long-term water security for the ACT and Queanbeyan.

The project involves transferring water from the Murrumbidgee River through a 13 kilometre underground pipeline to Burra Creek in NSW. The water will then flow approximately 10 kilometres down Burra Creek into Googong Reservoir.

Mr Sullivan said “This is an important step in the process, but we still have a way to go before we commence construction – including receiving ACT and Commonwealth Government approvals and continuing to engage affected landowners and the Burra community”.

The Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer will take approximately 18 months to complete from the start of construction, which is expected to begin by the end of 2010.