❓ Mr. Love asks about a project addressing water supply interruptions in the farmlands water scheme. The Minister details a $32 million investment over three years to reduce leaks and improve water efficiency.
AnsweredQoN 601Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FARMLANDS WATER SCHEME
601. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for
Water:
During the winter recess the
minister announced a project to address the ongoing water supply interruptions
and loss of water in the farmlands water scheme. Can the minister please
provide some further information on this valuable project?
601. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for
Water:
During the winter recess the
minister announced a project to address the ongoing water supply interruptions
and loss of water in the farmlands water scheme. Can the minister please
provide some further information on this valuable project?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question
and for his ongoing advocacy of water issues in his electorate. I appreciate
his interest. The farmlands scheme includes around 7 800 kilometres of pipes
right across the wheatbelt, and it has a history of —
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time.
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : This particular scheme has a history of leaks and breaks far
above any of the other schemes in the state. This was highlighted in February
last year, when the Auditor General handed down a report into the management of
water pipes in Western Australia that confirmed that country regions have an
annual leak and burst rate of 21 per 100 kilometres since 2010 compared with 13
in the metropolitan area. The pipes in the goldfields and the agricultural
regions, the farmlands supply scheme, make up one-third of those country pipes—one-third
of the scheme in regional areas—and therefore the performance of these
pipes significantly impacts on our water loss across the state. Each year we
lose about 2.7 billion litres of water, which is unaccounted for in that
farmlands reticulation scheme, and this program aims to save around 700 million
litres of water —
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : If the member listened, he would actually learn something.
Over the next three years we are
going to spend $32 million and work with the community to invest in projects
that reduce the leaks, bursts and breaks in this particular area. This will
reduce the supply interruption, which has been significant across the region,
and water loss. In some weeks over the last few months we have had more than 40
breaks reported each week. I get those reports into my office on a weekly
basis.
More than 64 kilometres of pipeline
will be replaced and 7 500 pipeline joints will be repaired through a preventive
maintenance program, as opposed to going in after the break has occurred, which
is far more efficient. We are also going to put smart water meters in for
farmlands customers, which means that we will be able to work with customers to
understand whether there are spikes in their water use, which will allow us to
narrow down where there are problems in the system. These meters can save up to
250 million litres of water every year. We are working very closely with local
contractors in the area to ensure that we maximise the local business content
as part of the project, and over the next three years we should see a
significant improvement in that part of our scheme to reduce water loss
interruptions for our customers.
and for his ongoing advocacy of water issues in his electorate. I appreciate
his interest. The farmlands scheme includes around 7 800 kilometres of pipes
right across the wheatbelt, and it has a history of —
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time.
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : This particular scheme has a history of leaks and breaks far
above any of the other schemes in the state. This was highlighted in February
last year, when the Auditor General handed down a report into the management of
water pipes in Western Australia that confirmed that country regions have an
annual leak and burst rate of 21 per 100 kilometres since 2010 compared with 13
in the metropolitan area. The pipes in the goldfields and the agricultural
regions, the farmlands supply scheme, make up one-third of those country pipes—one-third
of the scheme in regional areas—and therefore the performance of these
pipes significantly impacts on our water loss across the state. Each year we
lose about 2.7 billion litres of water, which is unaccounted for in that
farmlands reticulation scheme, and this program aims to save around 700 million
litres of water —
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : If the member listened, he would actually learn something.
Over the next three years we are
going to spend $32 million and work with the community to invest in projects
that reduce the leaks, bursts and breaks in this particular area. This will
reduce the supply interruption, which has been significant across the region,
and water loss. In some weeks over the last few months we have had more than 40
breaks reported each week. I get those reports into my office on a weekly
basis.
More than 64 kilometres of pipeline
will be replaced and 7 500 pipeline joints will be repaired through a preventive
maintenance program, as opposed to going in after the break has occurred, which
is far more efficient. We are also going to put smart water meters in for
farmlands customers, which means that we will be able to work with customers to
understand whether there are spikes in their water use, which will allow us to
narrow down where there are problems in the system. These meters can save up to
250 million litres of water every year. We are working very closely with local
contractors in the area to ensure that we maximise the local business content
as part of the project, and over the next three years we should see a
significant improvement in that part of our scheme to reduce water loss
interruptions for our customers.
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