Murrumbidgee Irrigation (MI) is delivering a major upgrade to its irrigation network that will improve water delivery for customers while supporting long-term community and environmental outcomes across the region.

Backed by a $110 million Australian government investment under the Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure Program, the Channel Lining and Piping (CLP) Project will be delivered in partnership with the NSW government.

The project will modernise key parts of MI’s network by sealing ageing channels, replacing sections with enclosed pipes, and upgrading delivery and release points.

These improvements will help reduce water losses from seepage and evaporation, strengthen system control, and support more reliable and efficient water delivery to customers.

MI CEO Philip Holliday said the project highlights the value of continued investment in regional infrastructure.

“Projects like this are about delivering real benefits for our customers, our environment and the communities we support,” Mr Holliday said.

“By improving how water moves through our system, we can reduce losses, increase reliability and give our customers greater confidence in their water supply.”

“It also means we can continue to play our part in supporting healthy rivers and wetlands, while strengthening the long-term sustainability of the irrigation area and local economy.”

“We appreciate the strong collaboration with the Australian and NSW governments to deliver this important investment in our region.”

For customers, the upgrades mean improved certainty, better system performance, and more precise water management -helping them plan and operate with confidence.

For the broader community, the project supports local jobs during construction and contributes to the long-term sustainability of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.

The upgrades will also deliver environmental benefits, with an estimated 5GL of water savings generated through improved system efficiency, not water taken from productive use. This includes 4.67GL to be returned to rivers and wetlands, supporting New South Wales’ commitments under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

This project builds on MI’s ongoing modernisation program, which has already delivered significant improvements through automation, upgrades, pipelines, channel enhancements and system reconfiguration.

Construction is set to begin later this year and is expected to be completed by mid-2028.