Progress on project to support water infrastructure and housing development in Maningrida
On Thursday 9 May, Rowan Reilly, Director Office of Water Security and Teng Yik, from Power and Water, travelled to Maningrida, located on the Central Arnhem coast at the mouth of the Liverpool River east of Darwin to meet the Hon Linda Burney MP, Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians and Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians to show them the progress being made on upgrades to the community’s water supply system.
Housing construction in Maningrida has been limited in part by a lack of water security caused by high water network losses and ageing water infrastructure.
To improve health, wellbeing and social outcomes, and meet Closing the Gap targets, Power and Water, the Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities, the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, and the National Water Grid Authority have collaborated to develop and fund the Maningrida Water Supply Upgrade Strategy.
The package of projects, announced in March 2024 has a budget of $21 million with $13 million from the Australian Government and $8 million from the NT Government. Design of these projects is aimed at development across a long term planning horizon. The projects also allow for future housing construction in Maningrida to be progressed under the $4 billion commitment by the Australian and Northern Territory Governments over ten years to improve housing in remote Northern Territory communities.
The Maningrida community is well on track to receive 6 km of new water pipes, with 90% already laid. The project will be delivered across 3 stages of the project:
- Project 1 - Construct a new two Megalitre (two million litre) ground level water storage tank and decommissioning of existing tank compound
- Project 2 - Construct new water main linkage infrastructure (approximately 3km)
- Project 3 - Design and construction for replacement of end-of-life water service lines, sections of standard pipe and tapping bands.
The NT Government has also committed to social housing investment through the Our Community. Our Future. Our Homes. Program which has invested $59.6 million to upgrade or build Maningrida community housing stock.
