In brief
The Manton Dam Return to Service project has reached the commissioning stage, coming in $15 million under budget. The initiative will modernise the intake tower, build a new treatment plant, pump station and 22 km of pipe, adding 7,300 megalitres annually to Darwin’s water supply. Local employment and economic benefits have been noted, while the project is a first phase of a joint federal-Northern Territory program.
According to a statement released Friday by the Northern Territory government, the Manton Dam Return to Service project has entered its commissioning stage and is expected to add 7,300 megalitres of water annually to Darwin’s supply by the end of 2026. The project, one of the region’s biggest water developments in the past fifty years, now sits at a cost of about 174 million Australian dollars, $15 million below budget.
The initiative includes the modernization of an existing reservoir intake tower, the construction of the new Strauss Water Treatment Plant, a new pump station and 22 kilometers of pipeline. These works are part of the first stage of the Darwin Region Water Supply Infrastructure Program, which is jointly funded by the Australian federal and Northern Territory governments.
Commissioning of the new water treatment plant is underway, with water from Manton Dam projected to enter the Darwin region’s supply network by the end of 2026. The project’s completion is seen as a key step in strengthening water security for Darwin and surrounding areas.
Over the past two years, the project has engaged more than 111 employees and 500 contractors, delivering noted economic benefits to local businesses. The government highlighted the employment role in the project’s progress statement released on Friday.
With commissioning underway, stakeholders expect the facility to become fully operational shortly, offering Darwin a reliable additional water source as demand and climate variability challenges the region’s supply.
