Vol. No. Vol. 2718No. 2727
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Wednesday, January January 15, 13, 2025 2016 Wednesday,
Pipeline delay angers T
BY LAUREN HENRY
he Grampians fire and last year’s dry season has placed even greater emphasis on the need for secure water from the East Grampians Rural Pipeline.
There is a growing unrest from farmers across the Ararat municipality regarding the delay in completing the pipeline, and the project being cut due to funding constraints. The $85.2-million project will provide a year-round secure water supply to rural communities within Ararat Rural City and Pyrenees and Northern Grampians shires. On completion of the four-stage plan, the project could service up to 1000 farming properties with a reticulated non-drinking water supply. Ararat Mayor Jo Armstrong said the issue had been a ‘hot topic’ at community fire meetings in the past month. “I think the season we’ve had, with a third of our typical rainfall over a growing season, has really highlighted the importance of adding diversity to agricultural production,” she said. “Being able to value add, and considering this East Grampians pipeline project was promised to have been completed two years ago and it’s in its very early stages as we speak and is now a partial pipeline, it’s incredibly frustrating for primary producers across this part of the world to recognise that opportunity has been denied.” Cr Armstrong said the council con-
tinued to advocate strongly to the State Government for funding to complete the whole project. “As was highlighted by a primary producer, if we can increase the production and the return of investment from land across our region, that’s going to increase our population. That’s going to increase employment. That’s going to increase also the catchment for volunteers to continue to provide the vital service of the CFA,” she said. “Everything keeps feeding into the next part of the piece, so if we can grow our area, as we all really want to do – that’s a very strong desire of council and of the community – we need to have vital water.” Willaura farmer Andrew Byron said last year’s low rainfall – where he had less than 50 per cent of the usual annual rain at his property – had placed greater emphasis on the need for secure water. “We’ve started carting water to the properties that we shouldn’t have started to because we were promised water to these properties with a 2022 completion,” he said. Mr Byron said he was in the process of changing his farming operations of less crops and more livestock to mitigate his frost risk. “Of course, more livestock need more water, and we were virtually guaranteed the water, so back in 2019, we started laying pipes underground, thinking we’re going to have water by 2022,” he said. Continued page 3
SUMMER FUN: Tayla Roulstone and Toby Arnup, of Horsham, enjoy the pedal boats on the Wimmera River on Saturday. The pedal boats are part of the newest addition to the Horsham riverfront – The Boat House, which also hires out kayaks and stand-up paddle boards. The water craft activities are creating a buzz on the river, particularly on hot summer days, providing holiday activities for residents and visitors. Picture: KAREN REES
IN THIS ISSUE • Childcare centre for Horsham south • Back to school feature • State squash tournament Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
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