Premier John Brumby commissioned the pipeline last week and water is now flowing into Ballarat's White Swan

Reservoir.

But the landholders say the soil around the pipeline has to be reinstated to the condition it was in before

construction before the Champagne cork can be popped.

Goldfields Superpipe Land-holders Group secretary John Madigan said there were no protocols in place about how

the pipeline would be repaired or maintained.

"If there's a leak in the pipe and they have to enter a farmer's property and they cause damage to a crop, how will

the farmers get compensation for this?" he said.

"When will they notify farmers to work out a plan with the particular landholder affected?"

Central Highlands Water agreed the project was not entirely finished.

Managing director Neil Brennan said the water corporation would improve its consultation process with farmers.

"We'll be looking to do everything we can to get some agreed protocols on how this will take place," he said.

"For sure if we cause any damage we'd certainly look to compensate landowners and farmers with that, but I'm

sure with the goodwill that we've had with the installation of the pipe, we can work through any of these operational

matters."

The Ballarat region will remain on water restrictions despite the pipe's arrival.

CHW spokesman Paul O'Donoghue said the pipeline would take some immediate pressure off the supplies and the

restrictions would largely be determined by the reservoir levels.

But he said if inflows are good, restrictions may be lifted before official trigger levels were reached.