Pipeline to help save drought-affected farming communities

The illustration used in today's Age with Richard
Willingham's story about piping water to drought
affected areas in Victoria's north-central districts.

Drought-affected communities in Victoria's north-central districts will be hooked up to the state's water grid under an $80 million plan to lay 1300 kilometres of new pipes.

The project will connect the isolated Wimmera Mallee pipeline system to the rest of the state in what Water Minister Lisa Neville said was "game-changing."

Premier Daniel Andrews, on a two-day tour of drought ravaged regions, announced on a farm outside Wedderburn on Thursday that the south-west Loddon Shire would be connected to the grid through West Waranga Channel, near Bendigo and the Wimmera Mallee pipeline.

Read Richard Willingham’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “1300 kilometres of new water pipes to connect Victoria's drought hit communities.”