General News
12 February, 2023
Blooms trigger deliveries
BLUE green algae blooms have triggered Coliban Water’s risk management plan at Mitiamo and Dingee. The water authority has been carting water several times a week to boost supplies of non-potable water for the towns since last month. Coliban has...
BLUE green algae blooms have triggered Coliban Water’s risk management plan at Mitiamo and Dingee.
The water authority has been carting water several times a week to boost supplies of non-potable water for the towns since last month.
Coliban has also increased water quality testing to monitor the situation.
“Following three years of high rainfall and flooding in the region in November 2022, high levels of run-off, organic matter and blue-green algae are impacting the quality of the raw water being sourced from the Goulburn, Murray and Campaspe Rivers,” Coliban has told Mitiamo customers ahead of a community meeting later this month.
“We are currently carting water to Mitiamo following algal blooms in the the Goulburn system.
“We complete regular sampling, testing and mains flushing in Mitiamo.
“Flushing is where water is released from a fire hydrant or access point at a high flow rate to clean water mains. It reduces natural sediment in the pipes to deliver clearer water and can assist with water pressure,” Coliban said.
Coliban said that to upgrade the Mitiamo supply to drinking water standard would take $5 million investment and funding was not available. “Coliban Water is required to make many critical investment decisions as part of its five-year planning cycle.”
Mitiamo’s raw water comes from the Goulburn system through the Waranga Western Channel.
Meanwhile, Coliban was this week scheduled to flush mains in Pyramid Hill as part of its annual maintenance schedule.