Aquawest was contracted by Bourke Shire Council to deliver a reliable town water backup system, ensuring a continuous supply during low-flow events on the Darling River.
The project involved the construction of three new artesian bores, located 25 km west of Bourke, capable of supplying up to 3.5 megalitres of bore water daily when river supply is unavailable.
Each bore was fitted with an electric submersible pump, with two operating from generator-powered systems. Due to the 40°C temperature of artesian water, it is passed through two cooling towers for aeration and temperature reduction before storage.
Cooled water is held in a 120,000-litre balance tank, then pumped into Bourke’s town system via two 18kW Grundfos electric booster pumps.
- Aquawest's involvement included:
- Installation of a booster pump station (2017)
- Construction and connection of two new bores
- Laying of 150mm PVC pipelines (2019–2020)
This project is a strong example of Aquawest’s capability in critical water infrastructure solutions for local councils, particularly in regional and drought-prone areas.
