Melbourne Water is planning to build a new pipeline to meet growing demand for water in the northern and western suburbs of Greater Melbourne and to support development in the planned growth area.

The new pipeline will improve the reliability of water supply in the northern suburbs and free up capacity to transfer more water to the western suburbs. The project involves construction of a 20km pipeline from the Yan Yean Water Treatment Plant to the proposed Bald Hill, Kalkallo tank site.

Speakers

Speaker 1 – Kerin McMahon, Communications and Engagement Lead

Speaker 2  - Doug Wilson, Senior Property Manager

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S1: Kerin McMahon, Communications and Engagement Lead

Behind me here is the Bald Hill Service Reservoir, which we just call the Bald Hill Tank.

It's 10 meters tall. It's 36 meters in diameter. So it's massive, and it holds a lot of water.

We've just finished construction, and we're really excited that it's finished.

The growth areas of Melbourne are predominantly in the north and the west, and basically those areas are going to need a lot of water.

We need a central location in which the water is stored, and so it gets pumped up Bald Hill and stored in the tank here, and then goes out through Yarra Valley Water Network, out to all the schools, to all the businesses, to all the homes.

S2: Doug Wilson, Senior Property Manager

Well, the Yan Yean to Bald Hill Pipeline has been built to provide water for the future development in the northern and western suburbs.

At the moment, there's not enough water in this area to support the amount of development expected.

The tank is the endpoint of that pipeline, and its source is 20 kilometers to the east of us at Yan Yean Reservoir.

At Yan Yean Reservoir, we've got a new pumping station to pump water into the pipeline. And an upgrade of the treatment plant that services that.  

This area is developing enormously in recent years. And there's much more to come.