Increasing Merredin's Stormwater Holding Capacity and Minimising Evaporation Water Losses
Merredin, WA
Total funding: Total project cost of $821,358, with funding of $410,679 from the Australian Government under the National Water Security Plan for Cities and Towns (NWSPCT) and the remaining funding provided by the Shire of Merredin, and the WA Government Royalties for Regions scheme.
About the project
The Shire of Merredin will construct an additional lined earth dam to allow an increase in the amount of stormwater to be stored and used in the local community. An evaporation abatement mechanism will also be installed to minimise the increasingly significant water losses through evaporation.
Project benefits
This project will:
- reduce potable water use by an estimated 25 million litres each year
- maintain the town ovals and associated garden space green all year round
- prevent stormwater being lost to the salt lakes further contributing to the ground water recharge compounding salinity effects and soil loss due to erosion, and
- maintain the biodiversity attributes of the dam through the evaporation covers.
Progress
The project commenced on 6 May 2011 and is scheduled for completion by 30 June 2012.
Links
- Securing water supplies for Western Australia – media release 9 June 2010
- Shire of Merredin website
National Water Security Plan for Cities and Towns projects are funded by the Australian Government's Water for the Future initiative.