The Federal and Queensland governments have partnered deliver new infrastructure to help safeguard Queensland’s water security and protect the natural environment.
Under the new $211 million Water Infrastructure for Sustainable and Efficient Regions (WISER) initiative, the Central Highlands Drinking Water Supply Program in Central Queensland will receive a $5.9 million boost. The Cassowary Coast Leak Reduction project in north Queensland will also receive $9 million in funding.
This program will help upgrade two water treatment plants in the Central Highlands. It will deliver supporting infrastructure, improving the reliability and quality of water supply to the towns of Bauhinia, Capella and Rolleston. The project will also enable the irrigation of community spaces with recycled water, including a school and sporting ground. The $5.9 million project is supported by $2.3 million from the Federal Government through the National Water Grid Fund, $2.0 million from the Queensland Government and $1.6 million from the Central Highlands Regional Council.
Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, said, “We are committed to protecting our water resources for the communities, industries, and environment that depend on them.
“We’re pleased to partner with the Queensland Government and Central Highlands Regional Council to provide communities in the Central Highlands of Queensland with a more reliable water supply.”
Central Highlands Regional Council Mayor, Janice Moriarty, said, “The Central Highlands is a large rural region, so we need to be smart and use technology to improve drinking water quality and reliability in all corners of our council area.
“Along with the council’s $1.6 million, we received $2.3 million from the Australian government and $2 million from the state government and thank them for this vital support.”
The Cassowary Coast Leak Reduction project will upgrade water mains by replacing parts of the ageing pipelines across regional towns Tully, Innisfail and Nyletta. It will also install infrastructure to help identify and manage future leakages and is expected to save around 588ML of water per year.
The $9 million project is supported by $4 million in matched funding from the Federal Government through the National Water Grid Fund and the Queensland Government, with a $978,000 contribution from the Cassowary Coast Regional Council.
“This is a really exciting project that will deliver significant water savings for the communities of Tully, Innisfail and Nyletta,” Ms Plibersek said.
“It’s a pleasure to work with the Queensland Government and the Cassowary Coast Regional Council to secure a sustainable future for both our environment and future generations.”
Queensland Minister for Water, Glenn Butcher, said that regional Queensland is no stranger to the devastating impact of severe tropical cyclones, storms and floods, as well as droughts.
“It’s a constant focus for us to continually improve and maintain the water infrastructure to ensure the reliable delivery of safe, clean drinking water for these communities,” Mr Butcher said.
The WISER initiative supports 23 projects to deliver more efficient and sustainable water use in regional communities across Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia.
Many of the projects will be powered by renewable energy, use recycled materials, and refurbish existing structures to reduce their construction footprint, helping to drive the nation’s transition to a circular economy and improving water security in the regions.
Featured image: Ecopix/shutterstock.com
