Kangaroo Valley pipeline upgrade

About

Stage one of the Kangaroo Valley pipeline renewal project was completed in July 2024.

Stage two will begin in May 2026. The work ensures the ongoing reliability and resilience of our essential water infrastructure linking the Fitzroy Canal with the Bendeela Hydro Plant, which connects the Shoalhaven and Greater Sydney catchments.

The 2.5 kilometre pipeline was commissioned in 1977 and is a dual-purpose pipeline used for water supply and transfer from the Shoalhaven River to the metropolitan Sydney dams, in addition to generating pumped storage hydroelectricity.

Schedule

Stage one of the project started in September 2023 and was completed in July 2024.

Stage two of the project will commence in May 2026 and will be completed by November 2026, weather permitting.

Scope of work

Stage one included:

upgrades to the 2.5 kilometre above-ground pipeline included replacing structural bearings (at 47 of the 111 sill locations) and improving the drainage system to strengthen resilience and reliability, especially during wet weather
upgrades to approximately 650 metres of access tracks, allowing access to the area for ongoing maintenance and inspection work

Stage two of the project will include:

replacing the remaining bearings at 64 out of 111 sill locations
application of protective coatings to the pipeline bearings

The stage two replacement works will be undertaken during a 6-month outage in 2026.

Consultation

Aboriginal cultural awareness inductions are hosted by the Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council prior to work commencing. The induction deepens the project team's understanding of Country and Culture, providing a background of Aboriginal sites and heritage in the area and explaining the necessary steps in identifying and reporting Aboriginal artefacts and sites.

Project updates

Kangaroo Valley pipeline upgrade - Project update - Sept 2023 (PDF 379.8 KB)

Kangaroo Valley pipeline project workers

Kangaroo Valley pipeline cultural artefacts

Contact

For further information, please contact our engagement team at engagement@waternsw.com.au

WaterNSW acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands and waters on which we work and pay our respects to all elders past, present and emerging. Learn more