THE FAMILIAR chants of "Plug the Pipe" greeted Water Minister Tim Holding at Alexandra last week.
A small group of people protesting against a $750 million pipe linking the Goulburn River to the Sugarloaf Reservoir met Mr Holding as he made announcements about a water treatment plant.
Plug the Pipe spokeswoman Jan Beer said the group had asked Mr Holding to clarify environmental water issues.
"We wanted him to speak to us in front of the media and he refused," Ms Beer said.
She said the group had blocked Mr Holding's path until police told them to move.
"We then stood near his car until we got pushed aside by police," she said.
The confrontation was in contrast to a peaceful visit to Sugarloaf reservoir earlier in the day, where Mr Holding announced that work had begun on the 75GL pipe.
The only people near him at Sugarloaf were officials in bright-green vests.
Mr Holding said 400 workers would immediately start building the pipeline, treatment plant and other works.
Work has begun at Glenburn on a construction operations centre for the the Food Bowl Modernisation Project pipe.
The Plug the Pipe executive last week resolved to carry on the fight against the pipe when it meet in Shepparton.
