The work on the pipeline was conducted by majority First Nations-owned Benang. Photo: Benang.
A jointly funded $6.3 million project to replace sections of a critical water pipeline will soon give greater drinking water assurance to residents in the Great Southern region town of Kojonup.
A 60-year-old section of the pipeline from Katanning to Kojonup has been replaced by majority First Nations-owned construction company Benang Energy on behalf of Water Corporation. The joint Federal and WA State project was funded through the broader National Water Grid Fund (NWGF).
The replaced 2.2 km section – located at the Katanning end of the pipeline – will reduce pressure on other supply infrastructure and reduce potential leaks. The 40 km pipeline, which runs along the Katanning to Kojonup Road, supplies drinking water to more than 530 homes and businesses in Kojonup.
A further eight regional WA projects partially funded under the NWGF are in various stages of delivery.
Federal Minister for Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek said water is one of our most precious resources. “We’re working to deliver secure and reliable water to communities right across Western Australia,” she said.
“Projects like this that upgrade old water infrastructure mean we can move water more efficiently to where it’s needed, reduce leakage, and ensure communities and farmland along the pipeline can get a reliable supply.
“This is a win for regional WA and its residents in and around Kojonup.”
Western Australian Water Minister Simone McGurk added, “This project is yet another example of the WA Government investing in infrastructure that delivers secure, sustainable drinking water to regional Western Australians.
“This financial year alone, the (state) Government has allocated $43.4 million towards water and wastewater projects in the Great Southern.
“These projects, along with those jointly funded through the National Water Grid Fund, are important in ensuring reliable, secure water supply to customers, now and into the future.”
