“(For) this year’s winter works program, we’re investing about $6 million,’’ he said.
“That covers desilting, weed treatment and major upgrades to assets such as bridges, culverts and regulator structures.
“We’re treating weeds in around 200km of channel this winter, which is almost 5 per cent of our total network.
“We are also removing silt from about 100km of channels.
“This will enhance flows and ensure water gets through to our customers as and when it’s needed.”
This year, G-MW is also completing repairs on many of its flume gates.
“Our flume gates are the integral units that regulate flow throughout the network,’’ Mr Jose said.
“We’re repairing, replacing or refurbishing 60 of them, which is quite a significant number.
“We need cranes to lift them in and out, so we try to repair them in place when we can.
“But where we can’t, we lift them out, transfer them to our regional workshops and repair them there.”
The irrigation off-season only provides a short window for G-MW to complete a large amount of work, but Mr Jose said detailed planning ensured the organisation would meet its targets.
“It’s a very busy and intense period. On any given day, we would have a minimum of 100 staff in the field working on these jobs,’’ he said.
“It’s in the order of 4000 man-hours a week, with contractors assisting on top of that.
“It’s only when the network is out of season like it is now that we get the chance to refurbish or replace assets that are normally underwater.
“We spend months planning the work that is to be done in a 13-week period.
“When the irrigation season commences, we then revert to works beyond the waterline.”
