Standpipes
Overview
The Shire of Lake Grace have established standpipes around the shire to allow farmers access to non-potable water for spraying and stock purposes if they have exhausted their personal reserves and nearby emergency dams are empty. Access to water from the standpipes requires a swipecard issued by Shire Administration.
There are no pumps in any standpipe's tanks so water pressure is purely dependent on gravity or mains pressure. To take water out at a faster rate you will need to connect your own transfer pump.
These standpipes can be flipped into a Fire Mode during emergencies, where water can be taken without the need for a swipecard when a bushfire incident has occurred.
Site Details
| Standpipe Name |
Location |
Outlets |
| Biddy Camm-Mission Roads |
On Biddy Camm Road, 1.2 km west from Mission Road |
3" male camlock |
| Burngup South Road |
275 m from Lake Grace-Newdegate Road |
3" male camlock |
| Dicko's Tank / Mordetta Road |
Corner of Mordetta Road and North Lake Grace-Karlgarin Road |
3" male camlock |
| Gimbel Road |
Corner of Gimbel Road and Lake Grace-Kulin Road |
3" male camlock |
| Jarring South Road |
1 km from Dumbleyung-Lake Grace Road |
3" male camlock |
| Lake Grace Town |
On Dewar Street |
2" male camlock, 3" male camlock, overhead pipe |
| Lake King |
Nearby the Lake King Tractor Museum, on the corner of Newdegate-Ravensthorpe Road and Hyden-Lake King Road |
3" male camlock |
| Mallee Hill Road |
3 km from Lake Grace-Pingrup Road |
3" male camlock |
| Newdegate Town |
CBH Yard, Duncan Street |
2" male camlock, 3" male camlock, overhead pipe |
| Newman Road |
Corner of Newman Road and Newdegate-Ravensthorpe Road |
3" male camlock |
| North Lake Grace |
Corner of Kulin-Lake Grace Road and North Lake Grace-Karlgarin Road |
2" male camlock, 3" male camlock, overhead pipe |
| North Newdegate |
Corner of Newdegate North Road and Biddy Camm Road |
3" female camlock (remember to bring an adaptor) |
| Rodger Road |
Corner of Rodger Road and Lake Biddy Road |
3" male camlock |
| Dingo Rock (Managed by DWER) |
Biddy Camm Road, 2 km east of Beenong North Road |
3" male camlock |
| Marchetti (Managed by DWER) |
At the end of a gravel track, accessed 5 km north of Newdegate-Ravensthorpe Road on Haig Road |
3" male camlock |
| Sugg Rock (Managed by DWER) |
The southwestern end of Sugg Rock Road |
3" male camlock |
| Mount Madden (Managed by DWER) |
At the end of a gravel track, accessed 1.73 km north of Muncasters Road on Hatters Hill Road |
2" male camlock, 3" male camlock |
Link: Map of Standpipe Locations (PDF)
Acquiring Swipecards
Swipecards are available from the Shire with a $51.00 bond and an admin fee of $35.50 each. You will need to complete and sign a Swipecard Terms & Condition form detailing your name and billing address. Payment can only be accepted by cash or EFTPOS.
Link: Swipecard Terms & Agreement Form
If you are unable to come into the Shire's Administration Office, your swipecard can be mailed to you. Please note that we can't guarantee that the swipecard will reach its correct destination, and in the event the swipecard is used by another person you will be liable for standpipe usage charges.
If you lose your swipecard or it becomes damaged beyond operation, a replacement can be obtained from the front office after the payment of a $51.00 replacement card fee and an admin fee of $35.50. This replacement card fee is non-refundable, as opposed to the swipecard bond.
When you no longer need your swipecards you may return them to the Shire to have your bond $51.00 bond refunded.
Standpipe Operation
To use the swipecard, hold the card up to the sensor on the front of the standpipe control box for around 2 seconds. You should see a dark green (not amber/yellow) light indicating that the standpipe has recognized a valid card. Select which outlet to take water from (standpipe overhead pipe, or tank) if there is an outlet selection knob, then press the green button to open the motorized valve. Once you have retrieved enough water press the red button to shut the valve.
If the standpipe is not releasing water despite following the above process, please report the issue to the Shire as soon as possible. A message will be sent out to users of that specific standpipe to inform them that the standpipe cannot be used, while the Shire carries out inspection and repairs.
Please leave all ball valves open unless there is visible leakage.
For further help or information, please call the Shire on (08) 9890 2500.
Usage Charges
The current price for water taken from a standpipe is $3.00/kL. These usage charges are issued monthly to the contact details supplied on the initial standpipe card application form.