Murrumbidgee pumping gets environmental approval

ACTEW are celebrating the federales signing off on the Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer.

ACTEW has today received the final major environmental approval to undertake the Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer. The approval was granted by Federal Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, the Hon Tony Burke, MP.

ACTEW Managing Director Mark Sullivan said ‘After two years of rigorous environmental assessment in order to meet the requirements of ACT, NSW and now the Commonwealth the community can be confident that the project will proceed with due care and attention provided to the environment.’

The Murrumbidgee to Googong Water Transfer is a key component of ACTEW’s plan to ensure long-term water security for the ACT and Queanbeyan. The project will transfer up to 100 megalitres per day from the Murrumbidgee River through a 12 kilometre underground pipeline to Burra Creek in NSW. The water will then flow approximately 13 kilometres down Burra Creek into Googong Reservoir.

Once it’s in place the ACT will be able to buy water out of the Snowy mountains, easily outbidding the cotton and rice growers even in years of scarcity.