Connections completion means more water for northern irrigators

The state government said based on current data, delivery shareholders will receive around four megalitres of high reliability water share and about two ML of low water reliability water share, for every one ML/day delivery share they hold.

The state government said the completion of the Connections Project saw Victoria exceed its water savings targets by two GL.

That will be added to the 75GL, already committed to be returned to irrigators.

The project modernised channels and pipelines to improve water efficiency, recovering 429 gigalitres of long-term average annual water in October last year.

"The Connections Project is saving water, creating jobs and supporting the long-term productivity of our irrigators," acting Water Minister Richard Wynne said.

"The project has enabled us to exceed our water recovery targets and deliver more water to farms in northern Victoria."

Irrigators will receive a mix of high and low reliability shares, which will equate to 77 gigalitres of long term annual average yield.

But some irrigators questioned the amount of water to be returned, saying the government had gone back on a promise, made by the Bracks-Brumby government.

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Delivery share details will be taken from the Victorian Water Register at census date, scheduled for 1 October 2021.

Delivery shareholders in the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District are urged to read through a new Customer Guide outlining the benefits irrigators will receive and when, and what they need to do to prepare for their share.

Irrigators can find the customer guide and calculate an estimate of what they will personally receive using an online tool on the Goulburn Murray Water website at gmwater.com.au/irrigators-share