A project designed to safeguard the South-West's water supply is expected to create more than 800 jobs for the region and inject $607 million into the economy.
Construction on the $400 million Myalup-Wellington Project is scheduled to begin in 2020 with delivery aimed between 2021 and 2025.
The project has been designed to create new opportunities for agricultural productivity and intensity in the Collie and Myalup regions by addressing rising salinity in Wellington Dam.
Project proponent Collie Water and project off-taker Harvey Water provided the business community with an update last week.
Collie Water project manager Brant Edwards said they hoped to start construction early next year to start seeing improvement in salinity levels as soon as possible.
"In terms of progress, we're working through the final approvals both environmentally, land access and commercial agreements," he said.
"The tender process for the first construction phase is well underway with tender to be awarded later this year.
"We've acknowledged that we're not going to be ready this winter so it's now critical that we are in a position to start getting water out next winter, otherwise we lose another 12 months."
Collie Chamber of Commerce president Peter Harms said the project was important to the region because salinity was a growing problem that affected South-West businesses.
"Collie Water are calling for expressions of interest for the water treatment plant and the other for the 50km of pipeline," he said.
Mr Harms said the chamber was working with Collie Water to support sessions for Collie businesses that were interested in being suppliers for the works.
"It should fix the salinity problem which will support an increase of 50 per cent more food production to enable WA's fresh food production to increase," he said.
"The project will obtain 30 per cent extra water by converting the open irrigation channel into a pipeline which is a great water saver in itself."
With $175 million in government grants, the project has strong bipartisan support with all sides of government recognising the need to reduce rising salinity levels.
Key elements of the project will include extraction, treatment, reforestation, piping and extension.
For more visit colliewater.com.au.
