Irrigation modernisation project in Northern Victoria wins Asia Pacific Regional Project Innovation Award

Comdain Infrastructure, a member of the FutureFlow Alliance, is today celebrating being awarded the prestigious International Water Award (IWA) for Project Innovation.

The award, presented in Singapore yesterday at International Water Week which in 2010 focuses on sustainable cities, recognises excellence in water engineering projects around the world and was presented to the FutureFlow Alliance for its Irrigation Modernisation Project in Northern Victoria in the Operations/Management Category.

The $283 million irrigation modernisation project, funded by the state and federal government, has transformed a 100-year-old, inefficient irrigation system in Northern Victoria into an IT-based fully automated modern water infrastructure delivery system.

The project has saved billions of litres of water and has significantly improved the speed and ease with which water is delivered to irrigators, enabling water orders to be made via the Internet or phone. Northern Victoria is one of Australia's key food production areas and home to thousands of irrigators.

Highlights of this two-year project include upgrading 3,800 dethridge wheels to automated electronic meters, installing 1,680 automated channel regulators, installing or upgrading 31 radio communication towers, installing a 27 kilometre pipeline, lining 26 kilometres of channel with plastic lining and rationalising 46 kilometres of irrigation channel.

Comdain Infrastructure and its alliance partners Goulburn-Murray Water, Transfield Services and Sinclair Knight Merz delivered the project on-time and under budget.

The project has received numerous awards including two 2010 Australian Water Association Awards for Project Innovation and the 2009 Engineers Australia Excellence Award for Infrastructure Projects over $20 million.

FutureFlow's award in the IWA's Operations/Management category acknowledges the project's effective and sustainable approach to water management. The project goes through to the IWA's Global Project Awards to be announced in Montreal in September this year.

Russell Zimmerman, Comdain Infrastructure's Chief Executive Officer said: "Receiving this award is a fantastic acknowledgement of the successful delivery of this important project. It provides international recognition of the capability of our local engineers, constructors and project managers in delivering a world class project that benefits irrigators, the community and the environment."

Comdain Infrastructure employees have been involved in the FutureFlow Alliance providing key services such as project managing the alliance and the delivery of key construction works. Major construction upgrades to irrigation system infrastructure included using innovative gate, meter, pipeline and channel technology for the long term sustainability of irrigated food production.

Comdain Infrastructure is an Australian owned company employing over 350 people. Comdain has been operating successfully for 48 years and is a leading infrastructure construction and maintenance services business that specialises in the irrigation, gas and water sectors. It has a strong track record in urban and rural areas, sensitive environments and areas of cultural heritage and significance.

The hallmark of Comdain Infrastructure is its hands-on approach and large field workforce capabilities.

For more information please contact:
Stephanie Apostolopoulos
Communication Manager
sapostolopoulos@comdain.com.au
p 03 8405 0000
m 0402 293 754