2 September 2022
A major project to replace a key section of ageing water main along Hawdon Street in Shepparton will begin in coming weeks.
To lessen the impact on customers and motorists, work will be carried out over three stages timed during the school holidays.
More than 800m of water main between Knight St and Balaclava Rd will be upgraded, with a new 180mm-diameter HDPE main installed alongside the current main to supply residential customers.
The existing 375mm-diameter main – constructed in 1961 - will also be lined with a new HDPE insert, and will continue to supply other high-volume water users on the line.
Works for the first phase will begin from September 14 along a section of Hawdon St between Knight and Rea Sts. The majority of the works are expected to be completed by early October as school resumes.
The second and third phases will occur in January and April.
Motorists using Hawdon St are encouraged to plan their journeys and allow extra travel time for potential short delays; traffic management will also be in place.
Goulburn Valley Water Acting Managing Director Daniel Flanagan said the replacement would improve service reliability, after the existing water main experienced several failures in the past year and was now at the end of its useful life.
“This is an important project to secure the reliability of the water main for the future, and we’ve prioritised this project to reduce the likelihood of Hawdon St customers experiencing more water main bursts or leaks,” Mr Flanagan said.
Early investigation works were carried out in June and July to determine the best method to replace the main to minimise the impact on customers and motorists.
“We know construction works are likely to have an impact on people living near Hawdon St or using the road, so we’re working to minimise the impact as much as possible,” Mr Flanagan said.
“We’ve split the works into three phases so the majority of the construction works will happen during school holidays. Our contractors will also work with multiple crews to reduce the construction time and we’ve timed the project during months where there’s less demand for water.”
Hawdon St residents can stay updated on the project’s progress on a dedicated page on GVW’s website, and will be kept informed of key developments via SMS.
Businesses along Hawdon St will remain open during the works.
People can find more information on our project updates page.