SYDNEY, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- A major water infrastructure project in Australia's Northern Territory has entered its commissioning stage and is expected to boost water supply to the Darwin region by the end of 2026, the territory government said.
The Manton Dam Return to Service project, one of the Northern Territory's most significant water infrastructure developments in the past 50 years, has reached the commissioning stage at 174 million Australian dollars (about 114 million U.S. dollars), coming in 15 million Australian dollars under budget, according to a government statement released Friday.
The project includes the modernization of an existing reservoir intake tower, construction of the new Strauss Water Treatment Plant, a new pump station and 22 kilometers of pipeline.
Once operational, Manton Dam will provide an additional 7,300 megaliters of water annually, strengthening water security for Darwin and surrounding areas.
The government said commissioning of the new water treatment plant was underway, with water from Manton Dam expected to enter the Darwin region's supply network by the end of 2026.
Construction of the project has engaged more than 111 employees and 500 contractors over the past two years, delivering economic benefits to local businesses.
The project forms part of the first stage of the Darwin Region Water Supply Infrastructure Program, jointly funded by the Australian federal and Northern Territory governments. ■
