Three major infrastructure assets at Poatina are now entering the final stages of construction as the Northern Midlands Irrigation Scheme moves toward commissioning and operations ahead of the 2026/27 irrigation season.

Together, the Poatina Buffer Dam, Pump Station and Balance Tank, will form the operational heart of the scheme, helping store, pump and regulate water efficiently through more than 150 kilometres of pipeline across the Northern Midlands.

Perched high on the hillside overlooking the site, the 3.45-megalitre Poatina Balance Tank is now almost complete and will play an important role in managing flows and pressures throughout the network. Nearby, the 650-megalitre Poatina Buffer Dam is filled to near capacity ready for testing and commissioning activities. The Poatina Pump Station is preparing to commence pumping operations, with its five 400kW pumps capable of delivering up to 170 megalitres of water per day into the network. This output is equivalent to almost 2,000 litres per second, or just under two cumecs.

These assets highlight the scale of the Northern Midlands Irrigation Scheme, which will deliver 25,500 megalitres of high-surety irrigation water over a 180-day summer irrigation season. Once operational, it will become a significant summer delivery scheme for TI and the organisation’s longest pipeline network constructed to date.

With commissioning activities now underway across the project, the completion of these infrastructure components signals the transition from construction into operations as the scheme prepares to begin delivering irrigation water next season.