Wimmera Mallee Pipeline & Rural Intelligence Pipeline Project

Client: GWM Water Replacing the Channel System

As cited on the GWMWater website.

'The Wimmera Mallee channel system began in the 1860s when the region’s pioneers attempted to harvest water from rivers and creeks with diversion weirs. In about 1856 the Wilson Brothers of Longerenong diverted Wimmera River water into Ashens and Yarriambiack creeks. This not only marked the first step towards establishing the water supply system, but was also the first water conservation effort in Victoria.'

Replacing the Channel System

High levels of evaporation and seepage from the channel system were key motivators for the regional push for a piped supply system, which led to the construction of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline. This $688 million project saw the channel system replaced by a 9,159 kilometre piped water supply system in early 2010.

​CHS has played a major part, firstly by installation of electrical services to pump stations, in-ground service locations and trenching with underground boring capabilities. However, the largest contribution to this magnificent water networks has to the the Rural Pipeline Intelligence Project (RPIP) was successfully delivered in 2016.This project involved the construction of a low end telemetry network that allowed for 'real time' meter data to be received by GWMWater that shared back to the customer.


Whilst the network was built for meter reading, it also monitors larger infrastructure and this is further explained in RPIP#2.