The proposed Adelaide River Off-Stream Water Storage (AROWS) project aims to improve Darwin’s water security by supplying up to 67.5 gigalitres of additional water each year. The project has two components - The Adeaile River Off-Stream Water Storage project, and the Manton Dam Return to Service.
The AROWS component includes construction of a reservoir beside the Adelaide River to capture and store water from the river, and has a development timeframe of seven to 10 years. Major infrastructure components include:
- two dams and two saddle dams within the AROWS basin
- pumping infrastructure and pipelines for extraction from Adelaide River
- a new pipeline from AROWS to Strauss Water Treatment Plant
- a new Pipeline to Lambells Lagoon agricultural precinct, and
- completion of the Strauss Water Treatment Plant Stage Two.
The Manton Dam component of the project would restore the site as a source of drinking water, following its closure in 1972, and would take an estimated three to four years to complete. Major infrastructure components include:
- a new pump station at Manton Dam to pump water to Strauss Water Treatment Plant
- a new pipeline from Manton Dam to Strauss Water Treatment Plant
- a new pipeline from Strauss Water Treatment Plant to Middle Arm, and
- completion of the Strauss Water Treatment Plant Stage One.
Funding contributions
| Federal Government | |
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The Federal Government committed $2 million in funding for the completion of a business case. |
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PROJECT HISTORY
| Feb 2022 | The Federal and Northern Territory Governments released the business case for the Adelaide River Off-Stream Water Storage project, which includes two parts - the AROWS project and the Manton Dam Return to Service project. The combined projects had a benefit cost ratio of 1.0 (at a seven per cent discount rate). The business case identified the Manton Dam component as a short term project with a development timeframe of three to five years. The AROWS project was identified as a long term project with a development timeframe of seven to 10 years. |
