Environmentally friendly bore water available to sporting oval in Mt Evelyn, Victoria

Sporting teams within the Mt Evelyn area in Victoria are pleased with the new bore water being used to irrigate the local sporting field at Mt Evelyn Recreation Reserve.

The benefits to the environment and the local sporting community are just two of the positive attributes to come from the Mt Evelyn Bore project, funded under the Nation Building – Economic Stimulus Plan.

“Several jobs were also created during the construction stage and further work to the oval will engage additional local contractors,” said Deputy Mayor of Yarra Ranges Council, Cr Tim Heenan.

The sheer volume of water that will be saved from utilising the Mt Evelyn Bore is enormous. The environmentally conscious construction was drilled to a depth of 78 meters with a flow rate of five litres per second, and will deliver 100,000 litres of water to a steel holding tank.

Comparatively, the use of drinking water that would be required to establish new oval turf would consume up to five mega litres more than that of the bore. The bore will also save up to three mega litres per year in maintaining the grass surface.

“The valuable addition of the Mt Evelyn Bore and tank would not have been possible without the Australian Government’s Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program funding,” said Cr Heenan.

“Using the $145,000 from the Program, the football, netball and cricket teams are already noticing the improvements.”

Not only will the use of drinking water be eliminated, the bore may be also used as a water point for emergency services including the Country Fire Authority.

As a result of the quality bore water replenishing the playing surface, the oval will now be utilised more often, and the safety of players will be improved. Player numbers will increase, along with the general wellbeing of the community.

In creating and maintaining a quality venue for locals to engage in sporting activities, the Yarra Ranges Council has paved the way for a healthier and more active community.

“With many locals having less leisure time, the importance of regular exercise and the availability of quality recreational venues remain important to us,” said Cr Heenan.

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