Chair of North East Water, Stephen Brown, Victorian Minister for Emergency Services, Vicki Ward and Managing Director of North East Water, Jo Murdoch officially opening the new flood protection levee at the Wodonga Raw Water Offtake
North East Water has completed a major flood protection project that strengthens the security of Wodonga’s water supply in the face of extreme weather events.
A new $2.2M flood levee has been constructed around the raw water offtake on Wodonga Creek that supplies water to the Wodonga Water Treatment Plant – the city’s sole source of drinking water.
The levee builds on North East Water’s significant upgrade to Wodonga’s raw water offtake completed in 2024, where $7.9 million was invested to enhance the city’s drinking water infrastructure. Together, these improvements strengthen the city’s resilience in the face of a changing climate and cater for housing growth over the next 40 years.
North East Water Managing Director Jo Murdoch said the levee was an important step in adapting to the challenges of a changing climate.
“The levee is designed to protect this critical infrastructure from flood events of up to a 1-in-500-year magnitude,” Ms Murdoch said.
“Updated flood modelling revealed an increased flood risk at this site, and following advice from the North East Catchment Management Authority, it was determined that stronger protection measures were necessary.
“The Wodonga Water Treatment Plant is essential infrastructure, supplying safe drinking water to 49,000 people across the city and nearby towns, and is crucial in supporting predicted housing growth out to 2065.
“This new levee at the offtake site ensures we can continue operating during extreme flood events and safeguard our community’s water supply.”
The $2.2 million project was supported by $897,000 in funding provided by the Australian Government in partnership with the States and Territories under the National Partnership Agreement for Disaster Risk Reduction.
“We’re grateful for the federal and state government’s support in delivering this essential infrastructure,” Ms Murdoch said.
“This project not only strengthens our flood resilience but also created local construction jobs and delivered economic benefits to the north-east region.
“Protecting Wodonga’s water supply from extreme weather is critical, and this investment adds an important layer of security to ensure continued access to safe drinking water – even during the most severe conditions.”
