Twin reservoirs to supply quality drinking water for Wagga

Oct 29, 2020

Riverina Water has completed a $4.2M project atop Wagga Wagga’s Willans Hill, with two new 11 megalitre reservoirs unveiled.

The reservoirs will provide quality drinking water to central Wagga Wagga for decades to come, replacing the nearby open water reservoir constructed in the 1950s.

Each reservoir is about 40m wide and 10m tall with a combined capacity of 22 million litres –nearly nine Olympic swimming pools’ worth of drinking water.

The Willans Hill reservoirs form part of Riverina Water’s low level system, which caters for many thousands of residents and businesses nearby.

“Wagga Wagga is growing rapidly, with the expanding health and education precinct just below these two new reservoirs as well increased residential density in the future,” Riverina Water Chairperson Councillor Greg Verdon said.

“These two new reservoirs put in place the infrastructure to provide high quality drinking water to this part of the city for many decades to come.

“This project also demonstrates our commitment to a robust capital works program, which in 2020/21 will see $20.3M in work across our expansive network. This includes $5.1M for improving water treatment plants and $3.6M for renewing mains.

“I congratulate our staff, contractors and all involved for their work on this project, from the long-term planning to the construction and bringing the new reservoirs into service.”

The twin reservoirs were part of a $5.5M package of works awarded to Hornick Constructions that also included the Glenoak 2 Reservoir opened in December 2019.

Works on the Willans Hill site started in 2018 with blasting to remove 60,000 tonnes of earth and rock.

Approximately 1300 cubic metres of concrete has been poured to build the two new reservoirs, which are joined by an elevated platform.

Director Engineering Bede Spannagle said switching to tanks reduces issues such as leaking and evaporation with the ageing open reservoir.

“While the old open reservoir was essentially a large concrete pond that was exposed to wildlife and the sun, making it costly to maintain, the new reservoirs are enclosed with an aluminium roof, which is a much more secure and efficient system,” he said.

“A combined capacity of 22ML allows water to be turned over more frequently and is more efficient than the old open reservoir.”