When Melbourne needed to secure its long-term water future, one of the biggest levers available wasn't a new dam — it was reopening one that had been closed for over a decade. The Tarago Reservoir Reconnection Project stands as one of the more ambitious water security undertakings in the state's recent history, and it's a project where Viadux's pipeline solutions played a critical, behind-the-scenes role.
A Reservoir Built for Growth, Then Shut by Water Quality Issues
The Tarago Reservoir sits in Neerim South, around 95 kilometres east of Melbourne, and covers an open water supply catchment of roughly 11,400 hectares. Built in 1969, it was designed to hold an enormous 37 billion litres of water, supplying communities stretching from Kooweerup to Lang Lang, the greater Mornington Peninsula, and out as far as Nar Goon and Longwarry.
For 25 years, Tarago was a cornerstone of the region's water supply. But in 1994, persistent water quality problems forced authorities to shut the reservoir down — a significant loss of capacity at a time when Melbourne's water storage levels were already sitting close to 90%.
For over a decade, Tarago sat offline: a 37-billion-litre asset that the city simply couldn't use.
A $4.9 Billion Plan to Secure Victoria's Water Future
The reservoir's fortunes changed as part of the Victorian Government's $4.9 billion Water Plan, a state-wide initiative designed to secure water supply for Melbourne's continued growth. Reopening Tarago was identified as one of the plan's key opportunities — with an extensive treatment plant upgrade capable of unlocking an additional 15 billion litres of usable water for Melbourne every year.
That's not a marginal improvement. It's the kind of volume that meaningfully changes a city's water security equation, and it meant the reconnection project needed a pipeline supply partner capable of delivering complex, large-diameter infrastructure to an accelerated construction timeline.
Engineering the Reconnection: Viadux's Role
Viadux was contracted to supply and deliver pipe and fittings for the entire reconnection project — a scope covering everything from raw water intake through to treated water distribution.
The project required a full suite of large-diameter product, including 1290mm, 1124mm and 960mm MSCL (mild steel cement lined) pipes and fittings, manufactured with a variety of specified jointing systems and lengths to suit the site's engineering requirements.
Alongside the large-diameter mains, Viadux supplied TYTON Ductile Iron pipe and SUREFLOW fittings in sizes ranging from 150mm to 300mm. This smaller-diameter product was used across some of the plant's most critical operational systems: the raw water inlet and outlet works, backwash systems, and overflow tank transfer applications — the parts of a treatment plant that need to perform reliably day in, day out once the facility is live.
It's this combination — heavy civil-scale mains alongside precision ductile iron ancillary product — that reflects the breadth of Viadux's product range, from GRP systems to ductile iron fittings and beyond.
A State-of-the-Art Treatment Plant, Delivered Early
With Viadux's pipeline solutions in place, Tarago's treatment plant was rebuilt into a genuinely state-of-the-art facility, incorporating advanced processes including Dissolved Air Flotation and Filtration, as well as Ultraviolet Disinfection.
What set the project apart, though, wasn't just the technology — it was delivery performance. Viadux's ability to maintain product quality, provide ongoing technical expertise, and manufacture to the installer's accelerated construction program was central to why the contract was awarded in the first place. Throughout the build, Viadux worked closely with the joint venture partners, sourcing pipe from multiple Australian manufacturing facilities to keep pace with the fast-tracked installation schedule.
The result of that integrated, multi-site approach: the $97 million treatment plant was completed under budget and six months ahead of schedule, officially reopening on 24 June 2009.
Why This Project Still Matters
Tarago is a useful reference point for any water authority or civil contractor evaluating pipeline suppliers for a major reconnection or upgrade project. It demonstrates capability across scale (from 960mm mains down to 150mm ancillary fittings), across jointing systems, and across the operational pressure of an accelerated build program — all without compromising on quality or budget.
It's one of a number of major Australian water infrastructure projects Viadux has supplied, alongside others detailed in the full library of Viadux industry case studies. For engineers and project leads currently scoping large-scale water infrastructure work, it's worth exploring the complete product range or getting in touch directly via Viadux's locations and contact page to discuss project-specific requirements.