First water now flowing through Orroroo’s new pipeline

SA Water customers in Orroroo will soon taste the new high-quality drinking water supply coming to their taps, with the first water now flowing through a new 36 kilometre water pipeline to Peterborough connecting the town to SA Water's River Murray network.

The new pipeline will significantly improve the aesthetic quality of the township's drinking water through the supply of water produced by the Morgan Water Treatment Plant.

SA Water's General Manager of Asset Operations and Delivery Mark Gobbie said local customers will notice a clear difference in their drinking water taste and quality over the coming days.

"Water is currently flowing through the pipe network and into our water storage tank just outside Orroroo, which will take a few days to reach our customers in the area while the switch over to treated River Murray supply is complete," Mark said.

"We hope Orroroo residents enjoy having a better tasting water supply and that it makes a real difference to daily life."   

The pipeline's construction has seen new pipes installed within road verges following Petersburg Road, RM Williams Way, Bencic Road and Minburra Road, including a further 17 kilometres of water main replacement between Peterborough and Yongala.

The township's previous supply was sourced from groundwater from the Walloway Basin, which although classified as drinkable under Australian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines did not meet certain taste qualities due to natural salinity occurring in many of Australia's groundwater systems.

"The new supply is treated with chloramine, which is a common disinfection method used to destroy pathogens that can arise in untreated water and ensures the water we supply to over 220,000 customers across the state is clean and safe to drink," Mark said.

"Some residents may notice slight temporary water discolouration when their supply, but this is common when we change over a water supply and it remains perfectly safe to drink.

"We're excited that our customers will now get to enjoy some of SA's best tasting tap water, and we thank the local community and the District Council of Orroroo Carrieton for their collaboration to get to this point."

Orroroo residents are invited to attend a celebration outside the Town Hall on Second Street between 9:30am and 12:30pm on March 31, to enjoy complimentary cupcakes, speak with project staff and taste the new water supply from one of SA Water's Quench Benches.

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