North-South Pipeline

The North–South Pipeline, also known as the Sugarloaf Pipeline, is a water pipeline in Central Victoria, Australia, northeast of Melbourne. The pipeline was intended by the Labor state government to be an integral part of Victoria's water system, acting as a link between Melbourne's water grid and the Murray-Goulburn water grid, supplying water via a series of existing and proposed pipelines. However, in 2010 the new newly-elected Liberal Premier, Ted Baillieu declared that his government would shut down the pipeline.

The North–South Pipeline was presented through the late 2000s as being part of the Victorian Government's "Our Water, Our Future", which included other major projects such as the Wonthaggi desalination plant, the Cardinia Pipeline and a proposed interconnector to Geelong.

The pipeline runs between a location on the Goulburn River, near Yea and heads south towards the Sugarloaf Reservoir north-east of Melbourne, along the Melba Highway. The Goulburn River is a major tributary of the Murray Darling river system and major agricultural region, whilst Sugarloaf Reservoir is a major storage reservoir for Melbourne's water supply. The pipeline will cost $750 million and was delivered under an alliance model between Melbourne Water, John Holland, SKM and GHD.

The pipeline was expected to be able to add up to 75 billion litres annually to Melbourne's water supply, roughly one third of the 225 billion litres proposed to be saved by Irrigation and Modernisation plans and projects in northern Victoria's Murray-Goulburn Irrigation District. The 225 gigalitres in savings is intended to be split 75 to Melbourne, 75 to irrigators and 75 to the watercourses themselves.

In 2007, the Victorian Government announced the "Foodbowl Modernisation Plan" to save 225 gigalitres (GL) of water through a $1 billion investment in the Murray–Goulburn Gravity Irrigation Districts. This was later increased to $2 billion with another 200 GL of savings identified.

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