GWMWater has announced a concentrated maintenance program across Ararat’s water network, with a series of planned shutdowns scheduled for March.
The works form part of a proactive strategy to address ageing infrastructure and resolve known pressure and reliability issues before they escalate into unplanned outages.
Managing Director Mark Williams said the approach is focused on early intervention.
“It’s about getting in early and making sure Ararat’s water network is in the best shape possible,” Williams said. “By tackling this maintenance now, we’re setting the network up to perform better in the future.”
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Three planned interruptions
To complete the upgrades safely and efficiently, three separate supply interruptions have been scheduled.
From 11 pm on Tuesday, 3 March to 5 am on Wednesday, 4 March, the water supply will be interrupted in Vanstan, Elizabeth, Tobin and Laidlaw Streets, Gossip Avenue and surrounding areas.
A second interruption will occur between 9 am and 2 pm on Tuesday, 10 March. Customers in Barkly Street, Bellinghams Hill Road, Blackie Avenue, Montgomery Street, Scotts Rise, Oliver’s Gully Road, Tobin Street and Warnies Lane may experience low or no water pressure during this period.
A water trailer will be stationed at Ararat Secondary College on Barkly Street to support customers during the daytime works.
The most extensive interruption is scheduled overnight from 11 pm on Monday, 16 March to 5 am on Tuesday, 17 March, when most properties within the Ararat urban area will experience a temporary supply disruption.
GWMWater said the overnight scheduling is intended to reduce inconvenience to households and businesses.
Strengthening network resilience
The maintenance blitz is part of GWMWater’s broader investment in long-term network resilience, aimed at maintaining consistent water pressure and reducing the risk of emergency repairs.
“We understand interruptions are inconvenient, but this work helps reduce the chance of unexpected outages later on,” Williams said. “We’d like to thank customers for their patience.”