Construction has started on three new ACT Healthy Waterway infrastructure projects in Belconnen and an extra project has been announced for Tuggeranong.
ACT Minister for the Environment and Heritage Mick Gentleman said the three Belconnen projects took the total number of Healthy Waterway infrastructure projects completed or underway to 15 since construction began in 2017, with all 21 ACT projects due to be completed by June 2019.
“The projects include two wetlands along Ginninderra Creek, one each in Melba and Evatt, and the restoration of a creek in Florey,” Minister Gentleman said.
“They will all help to reduce the amount of sediment and other pollutants flowing into Ginninderra Creek as well as provide more lovely spaces for Canberrans to enjoy.
“I’m also pleased to announce we have added an extra infrastructure project from savings made across the other sites. Another rain garden will be constructed in Gowrie, in the Tuggeranong Catchment,” he said.
The ACT Healthy Waterways Project is a joint initiative of the Australian and ACT governments to protect and improve long-term water quality in the ACT and the wider Murrumbidgee River system.
Part of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and with a budget of over $80 million, the project will reduce the level of nutrients, sediment and pollutants entering ACT waterways.
It involves the construction of a range of infrastructure: ponds, wetlands, rain gardens and swales, as well as creek restoration and channel reconnection.
These projects are designed to reduce the amount of nutrients, sediment and pollutants entering local waterways.
ACT Senator Zed Seselja said the Federal Government investment to improve water quality in the ACT also benefits the catchments downstream.
“ACT Healthy Waterways represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to significantly improve water quality in the ACT’s lakes and waterways —and downstream in the Molonglo and Murrumbidgee Rivers and the Murray–Darling Basin,” Senator Seselja said.
“I also welcome the extra project for Tuggeranong made possible by project savings to date.
“ACT Healthy Waterways has the biggest footprint of any water quality infrastructure project ever undertaken in the ACT … Some of the individual projects are world-leaders in terms of size and scope,” he said.
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