20 July 2026

Murrumbidgee Irrigation (MI) irrigators have welcomed a series of Surplus Water Events over the past month, which delivered more than 20GL of water across the network, providing a significant boost for farms preparing for the 2026/27 season.

The events, delivered despite the challenges of a winter maintenance program and in collaboration with WaterNSW, came at a critical time for irrigators facing dry conditions and ongoing seasonal uncertainty.

MI Chief Executive Officer Philip Holliday said the positive response from customers reflected the significant effort made by teams across the business to maximise access to the available water.

"It is always challenging to balance customer needs with the operational requirements we are managing at the same time," Mr Holliday said.

"I am proud of how our teams worked together to make these events possible. Thank you to our customers for their understanding and patience as we managed the complexities of delivering water while undertaking critical works across the network."

Widgelli irrigator Chris Morsehead, from Amberly Pastoral Co, said the events had delivered much-needed confidence for farming businesses after a difficult start to the season.

"With high production costs and dry conditions, the outlook was looking pretty bleak," Mr Morsehead said.

"The opportunity to access this water in the middle of the winter works program was a huge relief. It has given us confidence to move forward with winter cropping programs and make decisions that simply weren't possible a few weeks ago.

"The flow-on effects go well beyond our farm gate. This will mean work for machinery suppliers, fuel distributors, fertiliser and chemical suppliers, transport operators and many other local businesses. The economic benefits of these events will be felt throughout our communities for months to come.

"Everyone is quick to tell a negative story, but this is a genuinely positive one. MI went above and beyond to ensure as many customers as possible could access this opportunity."

Murrami and Yanco irrigator Peter Hermann said the timing of the events could not have been better.

"The recent event couldn't have come at a better time. We had very dry sub-soil conditions and were desperately looking for a drink," Mr Hermann said.

"Having access to this water through MI's infrastructure helps underpin our plans for the 2026/27 season. Going into spring with a full water profile allows us to plan our cropping programs, manage our water purchases and continue employing people with confidence.

"Like any business, MI has logistical challenges and customers to service, so we're grateful they were able to make this happen while also managing essential works."

MI Chief Operating Officer Andrew Pasquetti said the events demonstrated both the capability of MI's people and the flexibility of its modern irrigation network.

"When these opportunities emerged, teams from operations, communications, maintenance planning, logistics and customer services came together quickly to understand what was required and how we could best support our customers," Mr Pasquetti said.

"Our automated network moved from very low winter maintenance flows to significantly higher delivery volumes in a short period of time, highlighting the flexibility of the system and our ability to respond when opportunities arise.

"With three surplus water events delivered in a short period, this has been a fantastic outcome for customers looking to support winter cropping programs and prepare for the season ahead."