DJG has been supporting its client Plains Water Ltd in the development of the Droughtmaster project to bring water security to the Northern Riverina region of NSW. The proposed project involves the implementation of a common-user water transfer pipeline linking the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan catchments to be implemented as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) under the NSW Unsolicited Proposals framework. Customers who would benefit from water security include Agriculture (horticulture, stock & domestic land holdings and other farms), township development, mining and infrastructure development.
The goals of the project are to facilitate regional economic sustainability and development and attraction of new investment into the Riverina region; increase in food productivity and food security; reversal of population decline and the sustainability of the social fabric of local communities; job creation both during construction and operation of the pipeline and resulting from the development and growth in agriculture and industry that the project facilitates; and the prioritisation of aboriginal jobs and business opportunities.
DJG has been working closely on the project with Plains Water. We have been and continue to fulfill the role of Project Director and have jointly developed the project concept with the client. Along with the proposed constructor, we have undertaken route selection, concept engineering and capex and opex estimates and preliminary environmental reviews. With Plains Water, we have undertaken initial stakeholder engagement including with potential customers, the Local Aboriginal Land Councils. We have supported Plains Water in the engagement of other groups who will support the project going forward.
We are currently supporting Plains Water in the preparation of PPP documentation required for submission to Government which is planned to take place in 2H 2023 including the business case, risk analyses, financial modelling and cost-benefit analyses. We will support our client throughout the PPP process and will act as “Owner’s Engineer” during the project implemention.
