Project overview

North East Water is finalising plans for a new raw water offtake to ensure a secure and reliable drinking water supply for Mount Beauty and surrounding areas.

The existing infrastructure, built in the 1970s, has reached the end of its service life and following extensive community engagement and an independent review, a final design has now been selected with construction expected to start in April 2026.

In the meantime, a temporary emergency raw water line is delivering supply until the new offtake and pump station are commissioned.

Current status

We’ve adopted an alternative pump station design that was supported by our Community Reference Group and the majority of survey participants in 2024.

This design follows community feedback to relocate the pump station away from the river to the pondage side of Embankment Drive. Importantly, the revised design no longer includes a weir across the river.

Residents have recently chosen the below external 'look and feel' of the new pump station inspired by the Kiewa River. It was the clear favourite, receiving 83% of the 264 votes cast.

With the detailed design for the entire offtake now complete, the next stage is construction. We’ll go out to tender early in the new year for works that include the new pump station building, power supply, the physical offtake and a pipeline along Embankment Drive connecting to existing infrastructure at the Kiewa Valley Highway.

Construction is expected to begin in April 2026, and the new offtake will be ready for use by summer 2027-28.