Adelaide River Off-stream Water Storage

The Adelaide River Off-stream Water Storage (AROWS) project is an innovative and sustainable solution to supply water to the Darwin region over the long term.

The project is part of the Darwin Region Water Supply Program and will take advantage of a naturally occurring ridge formation approximately 1 kilometre from the Adelaide River that forms the shape of a basin. Two main dams will be constructed at low points of the ridge formation so that water can be stored. There will be no dam infrastructure built across the Adelaide River that will impede the flow of the river, minimising the impact on the environment.

The Adelaide River will supply AROWS with water via a controlled pump system during Darwin’s wettest months. Water will then be stored in the AROWS basin, pumped via a new pipeline adjacent to the Stuart Highway to the Strauss Water Treatment Plant for treatment and distribution. The water treatment plant capacity will be expanded to support the additional 60 gigalitres (GL) of water per year from AROWS.

AROWS is being delivered during Stage 1 of the Darwin Region Water Supply Program. During this stage rigorous planning, investigations and stakeholder and community engagement will be undertaken for AROWS.

The Northern Territory Government has engaged GHD Pty Ltd to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment to clearly identify the likely impacts of AROWS to identify ways to avoid and minimise impacts to the environment. The NT Government is proposing to undertake the highest level of environmental assessment for AROWS, that being a Tier 3 Proponent Initiated Environmental Impact Assessment.

SMEC Australia has been engaged to deliver the concept design for the AROWS project.

A Community Reference Group (CRG) has been established for the Darwin Region Water Supply Program. The CRG provides a direct line of communication between community leaders, representatives and the NT Government and Power and Water Corporation in relation to AROWS and the Program to ensure project information is shared and community views are captured and addressed.

Darwin Region Water Supply Program

As the Territory grows, having enough water for the future is critical – for people, agriculture, industry and the environment.

The Darwin Region Water Supply Program is a sustainable, long term infrastructure solution that will deliver safe and secure drinking water for Territorians, as well as enable economic growth and job creation through irrigated agriculture and industry expansion.

The Program is being delivered in collaboration with the Power and Water Corporation in two stages to supply 67.3 GL of additional water each year to the Darwin region.

Stage 1:

• Manton Dam Return to service
• Strauss Water Treatment Plant - Stage 1
• Adelaide River Off-stream Water Storage (AROWS): Project planning and approvals

Stage 2:

• Construction and commissioning of AROWS (pending regulatory approvals and future investment decision).

Stage 1 of the Darwin Region Water Supply Program is jointly funded by the Australian Government’s National Water Grid Fund ($300.6 million) and the Northern Territory Government (over $26 million).

To read more about the Darwin Region Water Supply Program, go here.

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