14 May 2007
Key Points:
The main strategies include recycling water, increasing water accessibility and storage, constructing desalination plants and enforcing demand management.
South East Queensland (SEQ) is currently experiencing the worst drought on record with water storages at historic lows. As a result the Queensland Government has developed water supply strategies and consulted with the community on water planning and management issues to reduce consumption and implement more effective water management schemes. In its efforts, the Queensland Government together with the Co-ordinator General, Local Councils and Government bodies such as the Queensland Water Commission and the Water Infrastructure Project Board, has proposed and commenced major water infrastructure projects. The main strategies they have focused on include recycling water, increasing water accessibility and storage, constructing desalination plants and enforcing demand management.
The Queensland Water Commission and the Water Infrastructure Project Board
The Queensland Water Commission commenced its operation on 19 June 2006 after being established by Chapter 2A of the Water Act 2000 (Qld). The Commission’s role is to ensure sustainable water supplies by developing long term water strategies, establishing a regional water grid, implementing water restrictions, providing advice to the government on demand and supply water issues, water management, water pricing and water industry reform. A range of services has been developed by the Commission such as the Home WaterWise Service and Business Water Efficiency Program to provide water conservation advice and incentives to householders and businesses.
The Water Infrastructure Project Board was established through the State Development and Public Works Organisation (Water Infrastructure Project Board) Regulation 2006. The Board has a broad role in relation to the coordination and oversight of drought contingency projects including the Southern Regional Water Pipeline, the Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme, the Tugun Desalination Plant and the Regional Water Inter-Connectors.
Water strategies for SEQ
The development opportunities for water infrastructure will be guided mainly by the State Infrastructure Plan and the SEQ Infrastructure Plan and Program. These plans have identified a set of water infrastructure development priority areas which would support State and regional economic development. The most significant strategies for the SEQ region are described below.
Recycled water schemes
The Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme is a project which has been under consideration for some time but its implementation has now been brought forward and it is scheduled for completion in December 2008. It is proposed to be the largest recycled water scheme in Australia and in the southern hemisphere.
The scheme will involve building a pipeline from six wastewater treatment plants in Brisbane and Ipswich to take recycled water to industry and agriculture. Users of the recycled water will include Swanbank and Tarong power stations. The main objectives of the scheme are to supply a reliable water source in SEQ, reduce demand on regional bulk water supplies and minimise nutrient and wastewater discharge to waterways and to Moreton Bay.
On 30 July 2006, a referendum was held in Toowoomba in relation to adopting a recycled water scheme within the region. The referendum had a negative result with 61.62 percent of the residents opposing the treating of sewage for drinking water in Toowoomba. The Premier stated after the referendum that recycling water was important for Australia as demand was expected to exceed supply from existing water sources in nearly all major Australian cities within the next 20 years.
The Premier and Deputy Premier announced in late 2006 that there would be a referendum on 17 March 2007 to allow SEQ residents to comment on the introduction of recycled water into existing water supplies. However, the Premier confirmed as of 28 January 2007 that the vote will not proceed as he had "no choice" after viewing the Water Commission documents which revealed that there may not be enough water to meet projected demand as early as 2009. Based on the Commission’s documents, the region could be left short about 230 million litres a day. Even if all new water infrastructure projects are completed on time, the Commission’s statistics show that the region faces serious shortfalls. The public debate is now focusing on whether recycled water should be introduced into the urban water system, and the Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme will provide the infrastructure to allow this to occur.
Increased water accessibility
A water grid has been proposed for SEQ which would connect the major bulk water supplies in the region through the construction of a series of two-way water pipelines. The main pipelines are expected to be completed by December 2008 and include:
The Southern Regional Water Pipeline
SRWPCo, a company incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), is proposing to build, own and operate a high pressure water transmission network called the Southern Regional Water Pipeline which will provide a bulk water supply network in SEQ. The project is proposed to consist of 100 kms of pipe, four pump stations and two balancing storage tanks. It will involve a new pipeline commencing at the Camerons Hill Reservoir in the western suburbs of Brisbane and running to Helensvale through Swanbank, North Beaudesert and Logan. The pipeline will include a connection point to allow supply from the future Cedar Grove Weir and Wyaralong Dam and possible future desalination plants and existing supplies on the Gold Coast to enter the urban network. The project is estimated to cost in excess of $680 million and is due for completion by November 2008.
The Northern Pipeline Interconnector
SRWPCo is also undertaking the Northern Pipeline Interconnector which is a critical part of the Government’s drought strategy and will be an important part of the SEQ Water Grid, connecting dams, weirs and other water storages throughout the northern region. The new pipeline, when completed, will have the capacity to move surplus water between Brisbane, Caboolture and the Sunshine Coast.
The Eastern Pipeline Interconnector
This project involves the construction and upgrade of water treatment facilities, reservoir and water pipelines and will link North Stradbroke Island and Leslie Harrison Dam with Logan City.
Increased water storage
Water storage is to increase through the construction of further dams and weirs. The main dams and weirs to be constructed in SEQ include:
The Traveston Dam
The Government plans to construct the Traveston Crossing Dam on the Mary River in SEQ approximately 27 km upstream of Gympie. This will involve construction of the dam in two stages, with the first stage to be complete by December 2011 (at an estimated cost of $1,700 million) and the second stage, should it be determined as needed in the future, may be complete by 2035.
The dam at full supply level is proposed to provide storage capacities of approximately 153,700 megalitres for Stage 1 and 570,000 megalitres for Stage 2. At full supply level the inundation area will cover approximately 3,000 hectares in Stage 1 and increase to approximately 7,135 hectares in Stage 2. The Traveston Crossing Dam is considered suitable for a Roller Compacted Concrete Dam with a wall height of approximately 59 metres. A fishway structure will be incorporated into the dam design.
The Wyaralong Dam
The Wyaralong Dam is to be situated on the Logan River 14 kms north-west of Beaudesert and has already had funds set aside for construction by the State.
The dam is estimated to cost $500 million, proposed to hold approximately 104,000 megalitres of water and when full should cover 1,280 hectares. The construction of the dam is planned for commencement as early as 2009 and due for completion by December 2011.
The Cedar Grove Weir
The Weir is to be situated on the Logan River near Beaudesert and has been brought forward to be completed by 2008 at a cost of approximately $13 million. The Weir will deliver approximately 11 million litres per day of additional water to the growing areas around Beaudesert and represents Stage 1 of the proposed upgrades to water storage infrastructure in the Logan River catchment. Land acquisition is currently underway.
Desalination
The Gold Coast Desalination Alliance, on behalf of Gold Coast Water and the State Government, is currently investigating the development of a reverse osmosis desalination plant at Tugun on the Gold Coast. The Government recently announced a further $80 million to bring forward the works on the proposed plant and the new funding brings the Queensland Government’s total commitment to $92.5 million so that the project is completed by the end of 2008 (at an estimated cost of $1,100 million). The desalination plant will deliver 125 megalitres per day and will be connected to the Water Grid. Although desalination plants are more costly than dams, the Government feels the urgent and serious need to take further action such as incorporating other water extracting mechanisms to overcome the current and future shortfalls.
Demand management
Local councils in Queensland have focused on key water saving programs such as pressure reduction, leakage programs, business recycling initiatives and a scheme aimed at persuading homeowners to retro-fit efficient water appliances. According to Councils these programs are all behind schedule and therefore water restrictions would be a reality for households for years to come especially until there is enough water from the dams, the Tugun Desalination Plant and the recycled water pipeline systems.
Level 4 restrictions came into effect as of 1 November 2006 in SEQ when the Water Commission asked businesses, industries and Government agencies to do more to save town water. The majority of Level 4 restrictions focus on the non-residential sectors, including Government agencies. The measures used include a mix of drought-specific targets and long-term water saving initiatives. Water restrictions are now more stringently imposed on residential pool owners, businesses, industry and Government bodies who must undertake a range of water-saving measures.
The levels of water restriction imposed on the SEQ community will depend on the amount of rainfall which occurs within the short term. If there is an inadequate level of rainfall then it is likely that higher levels of water restriction may have to be imposed.
Conclusion
The State, with the assistance of the Co-ordinator General, Local Councils, the Queensland Water Commission and the Water Infrastructure Project Board, has responded to the water supply shortages in SEQ by implementing short-term and long-term strategies. In the short term, the Government is enforcing demand management measures which are likely to become more severe should the drought continue. In the longer term, major strategies include recycled water schemes, a water pipeline grid, new water storage facilities and constructing a major desalination plant.
For further information, please contact Alan Maguire.
