NEW figures suggesting it may cost $30,000 each to replace thousands of dethridge wheels across the Goulburn Murray irrigation system have sparked fears of a major cost blowout in the food bowl modernization project budget.
While project chiefs said the quotes were for larger meters only and customers not requiring high flows would be able to chose smaller, less expensive meters suited to their needs, irrigators warned costs could overrun by up to $200m.
A large proportion of the forecast 425GL modernization savings – 81GL in the first stage - is to come from rationalizing or replacing the 18,000 dethridge wheels on the 6300-kilometre system.
Broadbrush estimates had put the cost of replacing the wheels with magflow meters or flume gates to be in a range of $11-15k, consistent with early Food Bowl project estimates that replacing 80pc of the wheels and retiring the rest would cost around $220m.
But irrigators at last week’s GMW’s water services committee annual conference in Moama were told tender responses for replacing wheels with magflow meters capable of delivering up to 45ML/day had come in at $30,000k.
Fernihurst irrigator Ken Pattison, who is seeking election to the Victorian Farmers Federation water committee, said if all wheels were replaced at that cost it would blow out project costs by $200m.
“It’s effectively doubled,” he said. “A month ago they were saying they were going to replace 100s of meters in the first stage, now that may have to be cut back.”
Mr Pattison said irrigators were concerned replacing wheels was a waste of money as not all wheels were inaccurate and not every irrigator needed or could handle more water on farm than the 10-12ML/day delivered by wheels.
“We asked if a customer paid to have the accuracy of their wheels tested and they were fine could they keep them and they said no,” Mr Pattison said.
Wheels are slated for replacement as tests indicate they under record by around 10 per cent, and up to 24pc, and so do not comply with National Water Initiative requirements that meters be accurate within five per cent.
But these figures have been criticized given their basis at least in part on a GMW report which measured a tiny sample of just 13 dethridge wheels.
GMW has plans to replace around 600 in the Shepparton district this winter and a further 750 as part of the Central Goulburn 1,2,3,4 project. Early Food Bowl project works were also expected to include wheel replacement.
Modernisation manager Alex Marshall confirmed indicative costs of replacing a dethridge wheel with a top end 600mm magflow meter were $30k.
But he said this represented the total costs of a large meter, including the cost of negotiating with landholders, carrying out any necessary surveys, right through to full installation.
Mr Marshall said the water authority was looking at ways to minimize cost.
“Not everyone is going to need 30ML+/day and smaller meters are likely to come at a lower cost,” he said.
Rural consultants RMCG estimated as part of the Food Bowl project report that 20pc of irrigators used 80pc of the water, indicating only a small proportion of users would require the larger meters.
Mr Marshall said irrigators would be given a choice, but would be expected to kick in if they wanted a significant variation on the meter offered.
“If we are going to supply a 300mm magflow and they want 600mm they might have to contribute,” he said.
He also dismissed claims that maintenance costs would blow out by as much as fourfold to $80/yr on the more sophisticated meters.
“Maintenance costs will not be dissimilar to wheels,” he said. “Claims of $10 a year for wheels are rubbish. You couldn’t maintain anything for that.”
Murray Smith, recently appointed chief executive of the Northern Victorian Infrastructure Renewal Project set up to modernize the system, said it was too early to say if costs would blow out or if the number of outlets to be replaced in the first round would need to be cut back.
“We’ve expanded the scope of the type of meters,” he said. “There are a range of costs and a range of meter sizes,” he said. “No commercial decisions have been made and we are talking to farmers to get the right meters for their requirements at the right price.”
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