Securing Buchan’s Water Future

We began construction on a new water storage project in Buchan in 2025, which will provide the township with improved water quality and supply capability.

The project centres on the construction of a new 700kL tank – along with associated pumps, pipes and infrastructure – at a site adjacent to our existing riverside Water Treatment Plant in Lousadas Road, Buchan.

Part of the $5.81m project includes removing Buchan’s current aging and deteriorating concrete water storage tanks, which are situated on a hilltop within the Buchan Caves Reserve.

Buchan’s current water storage system is comprised of 14 concrete water tanks that were constructed in the 1970s.

Some of these old tanks have experienced considerable degradation and are leaking millions of litres of water every year, despite multiple attempts at repair.

Once the new system is in place, the old tanks will be decommissioned, removed and recycled. We will then explore the opportunity to work with the Traditional Owners and Parks Victoria to return the site to the Buchan Caves Reserve, with the site to be rehabilitated to suit the natural surrounding environment.

The construction work for the project is being performed by East Gippsland company Whelcon Pty Ltd, supported by multiple locally based sub-contractors.

We're working closely with the contractors to assist with and oversee all aspects of the project, including community engagement and environmental stewardship.

The advantages of the new Buchan water-storage system include:

• a more resilient, reliable and secure water supply for the community
• increased water supply capacity for Buchan
• reduced maintenance and improved water quality
• a single, compact footprint for our Buchan water supply and treatment operations leading to increased efficiencies, as well as improved environmental outcomes for Buchan Caves Reserve.

This project received $1.905 million in Australian Government funding through the National Water Grid’s Water Infrastructure for Sustainable and Efficient Regions (WISER) funding initiative. You can find out more about this and other Victorian WISER projects here.

The project is being delivered in partnership with East Gippsland Water, which is contributing the remaining $3.905m of funding to the project.

We are thankful for the support provided by the Australian and Victorian governments, which has enabled us to embark on a project that will ensure Buchan enjoys an ample supply of fresh, clean drinking water for decades to come.

East Gippsland Water and its delivery partners will work closely with the local community to minimise any disruptions caused by the construction of this new and vital water-security infrastructure.

The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2026.