Design work has been completed for a $217,000 drainage project to keep new industrial sites at Malaga flood-free.
Water Resources Minister Ernie Bridge said the drainage work, with funding through the Water Authority's 1992-93 capital works budget, was likely to go ahead later this year when the Swan Shire Council completed its latest land development.
"Development of sites by the council augurs well for the future growth of business and industrial activity north of the river," Mr Bridge said.
"Expansion of the Malaga industrial area is important in the context of land being available to match demand as the Western Australian economy continues to gain pace."
The Minister said the Water Authority project to provide drainage facilities for the new sites was an important element of any further development of the area.
Water run-off in industrial areas was much higher than in most other areas, due to extensive use of paving and other hard surfaces and the general absence of lawns and gardens which provide an escape for water," he said.
The new work will involve extending the Widgee Road branch drain to provide drainage facilities for the new sites located east of the proposed route of the Reid Highway.
"The work will involve the construction of four compensating basins with connecting pipe-drains to the Reid Highway," Mr Bridge said.
"The design of the project to incorporate compensating basins eliminated the need to use larger, more expensive pipe systems and achieved significant costs savings."
